How to add external header files during bazel/tensorflow build

Question

I am trying to add external header file (like OpenCL header file) for some experimentation for tensorflow. I tried to add this into BUILD file under tensorflow/core/BUILD file:

# This includes implementations of all kernels built into TensorFlow.
cc_library(
    name = "all_kernels",
    visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
    copts = tf_copts() + ["-Ithird_party/include"],    <==== this is the line I added

I have also created a softlink in this directory to the location of these header files from OpenCL driver (under tensorflow/third_party) too (like ln -s /opt/opencl/ ) but it still complains that it has not found that header file.

If I add external header file directly (like /opt/opencl/CL/) it complains that external files cannot be included (or some such thing).

I do not have root password to copy these header files into /usr/include/ too.

Can someone explain how exactly to do external header files into tensorflow for building?

Thanks for any quick help.

Answer 1

I've faced with the similar problem when I built TensorFlow with Intel MKL and had to add MKL headers. My solution is the following:

1. Create symlink to your headers into third_party folder, like:

   <your tensorflow folder>/third_party/opencl/include -> /opt/OpenCL/include
   

   with command:

   ln -s /opt/OpenCL/include <your tensorflow folder>/third_party/opencl
   

2. Create simple BUILD file into <your tensorflow folder>/third_party/opencl folder:

   cc_library(
       name = "opencl",
       hdrs = glob(["include/CL/*.h"]),
       visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
   )
   

3. Add deps into target library:

   cc_library(
       name = "all_kernels",
       visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
       copts = tf_copts() + ["-Ithird_party/opencl/include"],
       deps = [
           "//third_party/opencl", 
           ...
       ],
   )
   

4. Don't forget to add compiler options either into target library as shown above or just as a flag to bazel:

    bazel build --copt="-Ithird_party/opencl/include" ...