Vector types for Float<Width> with Int<Width> supported at the API-level

[jjfumero]

Description

This PR adds Float vector operations to be operate with Int vector types. Due to OpenCL/SPIR-V restrictions, the actual operation in native code can't be done using explicit vector types. But still it is possible to operate by accessing the individual fields of the vector.

Problem description

Example could not use vector operations because of mismatch types.

Backend/s tested

Mark the backends affected by this PR.

• [X] OpenCL
• [X] PTX
• [X] SPIRV

OS tested

Mark the OS where this PR is tested.

• [X] Linux
• [ ] OSx
• [ ] Windows

Did you check on FPGAs?

If it is applicable, check your changes on FPGAs.

• [ ] Yes
• [X] No

How to test the new patch?

Compile and run for all backends:

tornado-test --printKernel -V uk.ac.manchester.tornado.unittests.vectortypes.TestFloats

[andrii0lomakin]

Hi guys. Would be good also provide documentation updates.

Docs are scarce as of now and you need to guess features by inspecting the code. Not the best way for quick immersion into the project.

[jjfumero]

Hi @laa , thanks for your feedback. Sure, the main reason is that TornadoVM is evolving really fast now and it is driven by the 5 EU projects we are working on. But I do agree with you that the documentation can be improved.

Is there anything specific you would like to to cover first? Myself, I am preparing new tutorials on vector types, if that helps.

[andrii0lomakin]

@jjfumero thank you :-) That is exactly what I wanted :-)

[jjfumero]

In general, we should work to improve the APIs for vectors. There is no other way to initialize a vector 16 with random numbers than this at the moment:

arrayOfFloat16.set(i, new Float16(r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat(), //
                    r.nextFloat()));

The original design is given by the OpenCL/SPIR-V interfaces, but for Java we need to improve it. That's for a separate PR.