building compilers for directx 9.0 compatible graphics processors
Custom graphics processors or GPUs have been available for a few years now. Currently these graphics processors are slowing evolving to generalized stream processors. These custom vector processors [1] have special support for vector and matrix data types supported through "packed arrays". Recently, Microsoft and 3D Labs (Open GL ARB) have independently developed virtual execution environments to abstract these underlying graphics processors [2]. Additionally new languages including Cg [3], HLSL [4], and GLSlang [5] have been developed to target these graphics virtual machines. This paper explores the technical issues involved with building compilers that target DirectX 9.0 compatible programmable graphics processors.
virtual machines micro-programmable graphics hardware computer graphics