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[chris244]

If I develop an OpenCL application using the ATI Stream SDK v2.0 what steps are required to distribute the application to my users?

Do my users need to install the SDK as well or is there a user runtime that either AMD or I will redistribute to the user?  (I imagine the GPU device functionality would come with the video driver, I'm not sure about the CPU device functionality).

[Stib]

As i see it, the applications need the SDK present on the system now, no user runtime at present. But, i would like to hear the official answer, maybe i am wrong!

[nou]

i think that AMD release runtime for CPU implementation and OpenCL IDC.

[genaganna]

Presently,

          User has to install  developer package from SDK installer to run  on  CPU.

           To run on GPU,  Developer package and driver needs to be installed

[chris244]

Thanks genaganna,

Is Visual Studio or gcc required on the end user machine?

I imagine that AMD is working on a more streamlined end user installation experience for the future.

If OpenCL is to be used for more than just special purpose demo applications, it's important for developers and end users that it's easy to get access to the required OpenCL functionality.

A video driver installation (like the Catalyst installer) is about the most that can be asked of users.  The developer SDK obviously has components that are of no use to a user and add to the complexity of the installation process (and the size of the installer).

I think it's better to have AMD distribute the runtime with the video driver or an analogous installer for the CPU. If individual applications handle the installation there will be chaos caused by incorrect installations damaging the system for other applications.  It will be challenging enough for AMD and NVIDIA to ensure that the ICD system works well with mixed installs.

[kbrafford]

Maybe we're just supposed to target the Mac for now, since OpenCL for Nvidia and ATI is built into Snow Leopard, and wait and see how they plan on making it easy to utilize OpenCL instead of DirectCompute on Windows.

[genaganna]

Originally posted by: chris244 Thanks genaganna,

Is Visual Studio or gcc required on the end user machine?

Not required if end user not developing any application with OpenCL.

I imagine that AMD is working on a more streamlined end user installation experience for the future.

If OpenCL is to be used for more than just special purpose demo applications, it's important for developers and end users that it's easy to get access to the required OpenCL functionality.

A video driver installation (like the Catalyst installer) is about the most that can be asked of users.  The developer SDK obviously has components that are of no use to a user and add to the complexity of the installation process (and the size of the installer).

I think it's better to have AMD distribute the runtime with the video driver or an analogous installer for the CPU. If individual applications handle the installation there will be chaos caused by incorrect installations damaging the system for other applications.  It will be challenging enough for AMD and NVIDIA to ensure that the ICD system works well with mixed installs.

Presently ICD model supported.  I feel Ideally Khronos  should initiate this.

[chris244]

The ICD model is good and I'm glad that Khronos worked with vendors to make it happen and that vendors have adopted it, it's a critical improvement.

I don't think Khronos will be able to help with the distribution of vendor implementations though (just like they don't distribute OpenGL implementations).

The video driver seems like the natural place to put OpenCL functionality for the GPU.  This is what NVIDIA is doing with their driver.  This way the user can download a new video driver and gain OpenCL capability.  A similar package could target the CPU.

I'm sure all these details will be worked out in the coming months, I just wanted to see if there were any announced plans at this time.