microsoft / microsoft/DirectXShaderCompiler

[Debug info] TraceRay payload: no `dbg.declare` on the payload alloca, stale field values after the call

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Description

Version: dxcompiler.dll 1.9(5402-0d3ee6b5)(1.9.0.5402) - 1.9.0.5402 (0d3ee6b55-dirty)

Repro files: payload_traceray.zip

dxc -T lib_6_5 -Zi -Qembed_debug -Od -Fc payload_traceray.ll payload_traceray.hlsl
struct MyPayload
{
    float4 color;
    float  hitT;
    uint   bounces;
};

[shader("raygeneration")]
void RayGen()
{
    MyPayload payload;
    payload.color   = float4(0, 0, 0, 0);
    payload.hitT    = -1.0f;
    payload.bounces = 0;
    ...
    TraceRay(Scene, RAY_FLAG_NONE, 0xff, 0, 1, 0, ray, payload);

    Result[0] = payload.color;      // only .color is read afterwards
}

[shader("closesthit")]
void ClosestHit(inout MyPayload payload, in BuiltInTriangleIntersectionAttributes attr)
{
    float4 incoming = payload.color;
    payload.bounces = payload.bounces + 1;      // writes .bounces
    payload.hitT    = RayTCurrent();            // writes .hitT
    payload.color   = incoming + float4(attr.barycentrics, 0, 1);
}

Actual

RayGen has a %struct.MyPayload alloca that is the payload's canonical
location. It is what is handed to dx.op.traceRay and what the hit shaders
write through. It never gets a llvm.dbg.declare:

  %3 = alloca %struct.MyPayload
  ; no llvm.dbg.declare for %3 anywhere in RayGen

  ; payload is described purely by per-field dbg.values of the initialisers
  call void @llvm.dbg.value(metadata <4 x float> zeroinitializer, ...)  ; var:"payload" !DIExpression(DW_OP_bit_piece,   0, 128)
  call void @llvm.dbg.value(metadata float -1.000000e+00,         ...)  ; var:"payload" !DIExpression(DW_OP_bit_piece, 128,  32)
  call void @llvm.dbg.value(metadata i32 0,                       ...)  ; var:"payload" !DIExpression(DW_OP_bit_piece, 160,  32)

  ; the struct is initialized into the alloca and TraceRay is called
  %12 = getelementptr inbounds %struct.MyPayload, %struct.MyPayload* %3, i32 0, i32 0
  store <4 x float> zeroinitializer, <4 x float>* %12
  %13 = getelementptr inbounds %struct.MyPayload, %struct.MyPayload* %3, i32 0, i32 1
  store float -1.000000e+00, float* %13
  %14 = getelementptr inbounds %struct.MyPayload, %struct.MyPayload* %3, i32 0, i32 2
  store i32 0, i32* %14
  call void @dx.op.traceRay.struct.MyPayload(i32 157, ..., %struct.MyPayload* %3)

  ; after TraceRay only .color is re-described, because only .color is read
  %15 = getelementptr inbounds %struct.MyPayload, %struct.MyPayload* %3, i32 0, i32 0
  %16 = load <4 x float>, <4 x float>* %15
  call void @llvm.dbg.value(metadata <4 x float> %16, ...)              ; var:"payload" !DIExpression(DW_OP_bit_piece,   0, 128)

After TraceRay returns, the debug info still claims payload.hitT == -1.0 and
payload.bounces == 0, even though it could have been rewritten.

For contrast, the hit shader's payload parameter does get a declare, because it
stays a pointer:

define void @"\01?ClosestHit@@..."(%struct.MyPayload* noalias %payload, ...) {
  call void @llvm.dbg.declare(metadata %struct.MyPayload* %payload, metadata !130, metadata !128)   ; var:"payload" !DIExpression()

Expected

payload in RayGen should be described by a llvm.dbg.declare on the alloca
for its whole live range.

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with payload_traceray.hlsl and payload_traceray.zip, run the provided dxc command, and inspect payload_traceray.ll around RayGen, the TraceRay call, and its debug intrinsics. Done means the payload alloca has a llvm.dbg.declare for its whole live range and the generated debug information no longer retains stale hitT or bounces values after the call.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
cpp
Domain
compilers
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
48/100

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