Set up the ML Emulation Layers for Vulkan

Overview

To run the Vulkan Samples, you first need to set up your development environment.

This setup involves two main steps:

• Install the required tools on your development machine.
• Download the ML Emulation Layers for Vulkan, which simulate the VK_ARM_data_graph and VK_ARM_tensors extensions.

Install required tools for development

Before building and running the samples, install these tools on your development machine:

• CMake (version 3.25 or later)
• Python 3
• Git

Install Git with the following command:

    

        
        
winget install --id Git.Git -e

    

In Visual Studio Code, create a folder for the project and install these Microsoft extensions:

• C/C++
• CMake Tools

Create a Python virtual environment and install the required packages:

    

        
        
py -m venv .venv
.\.venv\Scripts\Activate.ps1
python -m pip install --upgrade pip
python -m pip install ai-ml-emulation-layer-for-vulkan cmake

    

To verify your installation, run the following commands:

    

        
        
cmake --version
python --version
git --version
python -m pip show ai-ml-emulation-layer-for-vulkan

    

Each command prints the installed version of the tool or shows where the appropriate files are located.

Install the Vulkan Software Development Kit

Download the Windows installer from Getting Started with the Windows Vulkan SDK . The Vulkan Software Development Kit (SDK) includes Vulkan Configurator, which you use to run the emulation layers.

Enable the emulation layers in Vulkan Configurator

Open Vulkan Configurator to enable the layers that emulate the VK_ARM_data_graph and VK_ARM_tensors extensions.

On the Vulkan Layers Available tab, browse to the emulation layer folder in your virtual environment’s site-packages directory:

    

        
        .venv/Lib/site-packages/emulation_layer/deploy/bin

        
    

On the Vulkan Layers Configuration tab, set Vulkan Loader Configuration Scope to Any Running Vulkan Executable. Select New Configuration, then enable the Graph Emulation and Tensor Emulation layers.

Ensure that the Graph layer is listed above the Tensor layer.

With the emulation layers configured, you’re ready to build the Vulkan Samples.