printing from cuda kernels

Question

I am writing a cuda program and trying to print something inside the cuda kernels using the printf function. But when I am compiling the program then I am getting an error

error : calling a host function("printf") from a __device__/__global__ function("agent_movement_top") is not allowed


 error MSB3721: The command ""C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v4.2\bin\nvcc.exe" -gencode=arch=compute_10,code=\"sm_10,compute_10\" --use-local-env --cl-version 2008 -ccbin "c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\bin" -I"C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA GPU Computing SDK 4.2\C\common\inc" -I"C:\Program Files\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\CUDA\v4.2\include"  -G  --keep-dir "Debug" -maxrregcount=0  --machine 32 --compile  -g    -Xcompiler "/EHsc /nologo /Od /Zi  /MDd  " -o "Debug\test.cu.obj" "C:\Users\umdutta\Desktop\SANKHA_ALL_MATERIALS\PROGRAMMING_FOLDER\ABM_MODELLING_2D_3D\TRY_NUM_2\test_proj_test\test_proj\test_proj\test.cu"" exited with code 2.

I am using the card GTX 560 ti having a compute capability greater than 2.0 and when I have searched a bit about the printing from cuda kernels I also saw that I need to change the compiler from sm_10 to sm_2.0 to take the full advantage of the card. Also some suggested for cuPrintf to serve the purpose. I am bit confused what should I do and what should be the simplest and quickest way to get the printouts on my console screen. If I need to change the nvcc compiler from 1.0 to 2.0 then what should I do? One more thing I would like to mention that I am using windows 7.0 and programming in visual studio 2010. Thanks for all your help.

Answer 1

One way of solving this problem is by using cuPrintf function which is capable of printing from the kernels. Copy the files cuPrintf.cu and cuPrintf.cuh from the folder

C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\NVIDIA GPU Computing SDK 4.2\C\src\simplePrintf

to the project folder. Then add the header file cuPrintf.cuh to your project and add

#include "cuPrintf.cu"

to your code. Then your code should be written in a format mentioned below :

#include "cuPrintf.cu"
__global__ void testKernel(int val)
{
  cuPrintf("Value is: %d\n", val);
}

int main()
{
  cudaPrintfInit();
  testKernel<<< 2, 3 >>>(10);
  cudaPrintfDisplay(stdout, true);
  cudaPrintfEnd();
  return 0;
}

By following the above procedure one can get a print on the console window from the device function. Though I solved my issues in the above mentioned way I still don't have the solution of using printf from the device function. If it is true and absolutely necessary to upgrade my nvcc compiler from sm_10 to sm_21 to enable the printf feature then it would be very much helpful if someone could show me the light. Thanks for all your cooperation