kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Andy Peters <devel@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Oct 10, 2014, at 12:27 PM, Ian Woloschin <ian@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Andy,
> 
> I think that's the opposite of what I want! :)
> 
> OS X is "smart" in that it tries to run the integrated graphics unless a specific application (or hardware feature, like an external monitor) requests discrete graphics.  For example, launching KiCad doesn't require discrete graphics, but when you switch to the OpenGL canvas OS X assumes OpenGL requires max performance, so it jumps to the discrete GPU, even if the integrated GPU might be "good enough" for the task (to be fair, OS X has no idea what you're requesting in OpenGL, just that OpenGL may require the discrete GPU for optimal performance).  Once KiCad requests the discrete card it doesn't look like it'll relinquish control until the process ends.  Chrome somehow gets around this behavior, but that might be due to different processes for different tabs...I'm not entirely sure.
> 
> Ideally, I don't think we need the discrete graphics card for PCBNew's OpenGL canvas.  We're not doing any crazy GPU things here, the integrated card should be good enough, and let machines run cooler, save battery, etc.

Oh, I see. I just removed the line from the pcbnew plist and indeed it does switch to the GPU for when using the OpenGL canvas in pcbnew.

And making the Automatic Switching to "NO" seemed to have no impact; it switched to the Radeon once I chose the OpenGL canvas. And you're right, once the Radeon is enabled it remains so until Kicad is exited.

The Apple Tech Note is nearly two years old and refers to 10.7. Maybe on 10.9 that switch has been deprecated and the Radeon will be chosen automatically when it's needed? I don't know.

Having said all of that, WOW, the Radeon is a lot faster than the integrated Intel graphics when moving things around and redrawing. I suppose I don't really care about battery life because whenever I do board layout in the airport or at a cafe, I find a power outlet :)

-a