intel_upload_blit_small

'intel_upload_blit_small' is not a direct Linux command-line utility. Therefore, it does not have a user-executable synopsis or syntax. It represents an internal function call or operation within the Intel graphics driver stack.

The string 'intel_upload_blit_small' refers to an internal function or operation within the Linux kernel's i915 (Intel graphics) driver or related user-space graphics libraries (like Mesa).

It is not a Linux command-line utility that users can execute directly. Instead, it describes a specific low-level graphics operation: the efficient uploading or blitting of small chunks of data (e.g., textures, buffers) from system memory to GPU memory (Video RAM or GTT). This operation is critical for rendering performance, especially for frequently updated small elements on the screen.

You might encounter this string in kernel logs (dmesg), performance traces (perf), or driver debug output, indicating that this particular graphics primitive is being utilized by applications or the display server.

This string is a specific identifier for an internal driver operation. Its presence or exact behavior is dependent on the version of the Linux kernel, the i915 driver, and the graphics stack (e.g., Mesa, Xorg/Wayland compositor). It is not something a user directly interacts with or configures via command-line arguments. Attempting to execute it as a command will result in a 'command not found' error.

While not a command, this function name may appear in system logs or debugging output. For example, if you run dmesg | grep intel_upload_blit_small, you might see messages related to its execution if the driver logs such events. Similarly, advanced profiling tools like perf can trace kernel function calls, potentially showing calls to intel_upload_blit_small during graphics-intensive operations, providing insights into driver behavior and performance bottlenecks.

The concept of efficient graphics data transfers like blitting has been fundamental to graphics hardware and software development since the early days of GPUs. Specific optimizations like 'small blit' uploads are part of the continuous refinement of graphics drivers. The i915 driver module in the Linux kernel has been under active development for decades, adapting to new Intel integrated graphics architectures (Gen, Xe) and improving performance for various workloads, including desktop rendering, video playback, and gaming. Functions like `intel_upload_blit_small` represent low-level optimizations that have evolved alongside these driver improvements to handle specific common rendering patterns efficiently.

dmesg(1), perf(1), i915 (kernel module), drm_info (utility), Mesa (graphics library)