New Vulkan 1.2.189.0 SDKs include new extensions and devsim updates

LunarG released new Windows, Linux, and macOS SDKs for Vulkan header 1.2.189. These SDKs include support for many new extensions, devsim enhancements, and macOS updates. The prior SDK supported Vulkan API revision 1.2.182.  Read on for information about the new extensions.

Overview of new extensions in Vulkan SDK 1.2.189.0

The Vulkan headers now include the following new extensions. Note that extensions are optional and may not be implemented by the underlying driver/ICD. Applications can now query for the presence of these new features:

  • VK_EXT_load_store_op_none
  • VK_EXT_shader_atomic_float2
  • VK_HUAWEI_persistent_thread
  • VK_KHR_present_id
  • VK_KHR_present_wait
  • VK_NV_extermal_memory_rdma

Additional Enhancements

Here are some additional enhancements included in the new Windows, Linux, and macOS SDKs:

  • The device simulation layer can now read core 1.1, core 1.2, and surface capabilities from the JSON files provided by GPUinfo.org
  • The Vulkan Configurator (vkconfig) has been updated to improve quality and stability.

macOS Updates

In addition to the updates listed above, the macOS SDK now supports MoltenVK version 1.1.4 with the following highlights:

  • Changes to how vkSemaphore is supported
  • Support resolving attachments with formats that Metal does not natively resolve
  • Support stencil-only partial attachment clearing
  • Support alpha-to-coverage without a color attachment
  • Fix issue where swap chain images were acquired out of order under heavy load
  • Fix issue with vkCmdBlitImage() from compressed textures
  • Multiple fixes specific for Apple Silicon
  • Update VK_MVK_MOLTENVK_SPEC_VERSION to 32
  • Update to latest SPIRV-Cross version:
    • MSL: Adjust gl_SampleMaskIn for sample-shading and/or fixed sample mask
    • MSL: Remove redundant path for SampleMask
    • MSL: Support row-major transpose when storing matrix from constant RHS matrix
    • MSL: Simplify spvSubgroupBallot()
    • MSL: Consider that function/private variables can be block-like
  • Important bug and crash fixes

For additional detail, please read the Release Notes for LinuxRelease Notes for Windows, or Release Notes for macOS

Download the Vulkan SDK at the Vulkan SDK Download Site.

For More Information

LunarG software engineering experts create innovative products and services for open source and commercial customers using leading-edge 3D graphics and compute technologies, including Vulkan, SPIR-V, OpenXR, and OpenGL. We have strengths in performance analysis and tuning, runtime and tools development, shader optimizations, driver development, and porting engines and applications to Vulkan.

For more information about LunarG, please check out our LunarG.com website.

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