[TheAggie]

What

On a title whose draws all hit the draw cache, the committer's time per draw is mostly small costs that repeat for every draw. Counting heap allocations with a hook on the driver's operator new imports showed about 135 per draw (with the relocation PRs' own share already pooled) on Ratchet & Clank under RetroArch's PCSX2 core, at roughly 0.1 µs each on two threads sharing one heap. This PR removes the ones in the committer's draw path that need no change of behaviour:

• DrawResourceKey builds the key in place, reserving its size: ShaderResources::AppendContentKey writes a shader's content key into a caller's vector, and ContentKey keeps its by-value form on top of it.
• GuestBufferMemory::InPlaceReads and DeviceReads get overloads that fill a caller's vector; the by-value forms stay. The committer's pass reads and PrepareDrawBindings' in-place reads come from the thread's scratch.
• PrepareDrawBindings built two VkDescriptorSetLayoutBinding vectors a draw only to test them for emptiness, a std::map of descriptor counts a set, two pool-size vectors, and copies of the descriptor buffer and write lists. The emptiness is a flag, the counts are a small sorted vector in thread scratch, and the buffer and write copies and the snapshot index list reuse thread scratch (ShaderRecompiler::ThreadOwned, as the selected-slot list there already did). The copies are still copies: the writes are patched per draw before vkUpdateDescriptorSets.

Related: #6312 cuts other allocations of the same draw path (the decode's program copy, the validation key, the moved words, the decode reads, ShaderMemory's regions, and reserves in Driver::draw). This PR is the committer's resource key, read lists and descriptor bookkeeping, which #6312 leaves as they are; the two meet only textually, in neighbouring lines of PrepareDrawBindings, and whichever lands second rebases.

No pointer into the scratch outlives the call that fills it: the pass reads are consumed by StartDrawPass/LeaveRenderPassOpen (PassHazards copies what it keeps), and the descriptor writes by vkUpdateDescriptorSets.

Tested

Windows 11, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, MinGW-w64 GCC 15.2.0, on main ce991f1ec.

• ctest: 1278 of 1297 pass, 14 skipped. guest_call_trace_abort and windows_backtrace_report fail, and fail the same way on plain main here; agc_driver_prepared_graphics_prebuild_0/_1 and undeliverable_host_exception fail under my test runner because it skips their environment changes and pass pattern, and pass run with those. agc_driver_gpu_indirect_arguments_misaligned_writer_ahead, new on this main, does not compile with MinGW (alignas(65536) exceeds the object file maximum of 8192) and was left out of the run.
• RetroArch (PPSA99169) with its PCSX2 core running Ratchet & Clank's intro, pipelined draws, immediate present, audio muted, same build with and without this change, two alternating runs each: heap allocations per draw 136 without, 101 with; audio produced in the heavy intro scenes 46-47% of real time without, 49-50% with (the base here also carries perf(agc): find cached draws across moved user-data pointers #4943, perf(agc): reuse cached draw stages when only buffer base addresses moved #5609, perf(agc): a DMA_DATA prefetch keeps the draw pipeline #6538 and perf(agc): relocate cached draws across user words that only reach the shader as values #6539, which make its draws hit; the change itself is independent of them).

Checklist

• Based on current main; no other open PR implements the same functions
• One topic per PR; follow-ups go in a new PR
• No comments in code except technical debt
• Unimplemented paths throw (NotImplemented_nid_no_patch); silent stubs are listed in TechnicalDebt
• No notes, investigation .md files or images added to the repository (attach them to this PR)
• New third-party code is a submodule built from source
• Generic behaviour, not specific to one title
• Depends on: none
• AI-assisted: yes. Written with Claude Code under my direction.

🤖 Generated with Claude Code

[github-actions]

Other open pull requests touch the same code. Merging one will break the other, or both implement the same thing. If this one builds on them, list them in Depends on.

Pull request	Conflicting files (lines on main)	Same exports	Same new files
PR 6636	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp L331
PR 6661	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp L5239-5240, L5243-5252, L5255-5256, L5260-5261, L5265-5267

Some comparisons could not be completed because a pull request conflicts with the base branch. Review these shared files manually before concluding that there is no overlap.

Pull request	Shared files not compared
PR 1191	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 1324	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 1368	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 1395	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 2434	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 4072	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 4448	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 4449	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 5021	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 5372	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 5441	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 5499	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 5925	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 6146	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 6177	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6185	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 6186	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 6188	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6194	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6197	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 6202	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6223	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6292	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6340	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6548	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 6612	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 6615	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6639	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 6647	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6683	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 6718	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6727	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 6763	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 6786	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 6801	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 6820	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6937	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6946	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6947	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6970	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 6972	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7002	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7085	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 7154	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7201	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 7233	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 7254	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 7256	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 7258	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7292	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 7332	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7340	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7369	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp
PR 7390	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7473	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 7484	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7514	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp
PR 7618	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7642	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/GuestBufferMemory.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/Draw.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/GuestBufferMemory.cpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7650	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp
PR 7689	core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/include/ShaderResources.hpp core/libs/prx/libSceAgcDriver/Graphics/src/ShaderResources.cpp

[mrfelek]

Diablo II: Resurrected in gameplay: +6% with this PR stacked with #6312, #6617 and #6733 (Linux)

Setup:

Ryzen 9 5950X, RTX 3080 Ti (NVIDIA 615.71.09), Ubuntu 26.10 (kernel 7.3), GCC 15.3, Release
Diablo II: Resurrected (PPSA03912), character loaded, standing still, no input
base:  main 40255d774
stack: main 40255d774 + #6312 (ecda2b18c) + #6566 (4f8c8b127) + #6617 (74dad0097) + #6733 (92e5b971c)
env:   APS5_HOST_IMPORT_MIB=16384 APS5_THREAD_PRIORITY=high APS5_PROFILE_DRAW=1
each run: 60 s after the character loads, then the mean of 18 [present] windows (180 s)

Presents per 10 s, runs alternated:

run	main	+ stack
1	46.2	49.8
2	46.9	48.8
mean	46.5	49.3 (+6.0%)

• The spread inside each run is small (main 45 to 48, stack 48 to 50), so the gap is bigger than the noise.
• No crash or stall in the 4 runs. I did not run the agc_ tests, so this says nothing about the exit double free reported on perf(agc): the draw pipeline retires finished commits on a reaper thread #6617.
• I measured the four PRs together only, not one at a time, so the share of each is unknown.
• For comparison, on the same scene: APS5_PIPELINED_DRAWS=32 and perf(agc): prepare pipelined draws on a thread pool #6949 (APS5_DRAW_PREP_THREADS=4) gave nothing. With perf(agc): prepare pipelined draws on a thread pool #6949 most draws are indirect (about 49.7k indirect against 5.7k eligible per 10 s), so its pool gets about 256 jobs per 10 s.

AI-assisted: yes (Claude Code)