docs/html/tools/help/am-gpu.jd

page.title=GPU Monitor
parent.title=Android Monitor
parent.link=android-monitor.html
meta.tags="android, performance, profiling, tools, monitor"
page.tags="android", "performance", "profiling", "tools", "monitor"
page.metaDescription=Use the GPU Monitor for a visual representation of how much time it takes to render the frames of a UI window. Use this information to optimize the code that displays graphics and conserve memory.
page.image=tools/help/thumbnails/am-gpumon.png
page.article=true

@jd:body

<div id="qv-wrapper">
<div id="qv">
  <h2>In this document</h2>
<ol>
  <li><a href="#running">Displaying a Running App in the GPU Monitor</a></li>
</ol>

</div>
</div>

<p>
  The GPU Monitor gives you a quick visual representation of how much time it takes to render the
  frames of a UI window. It profiles the amount of time it takes for the render thread to prepare,
  process, and execute the draw commands. The GPU Monitor can help you to:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>Quickly see how a UI window performs.
  </li>

  <li>Identify whether any part of the rendering pipeline stands out in using processing time.
  </li>

  <li>Look for spikes in frame rendering time associated with user or program actions.
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  For example, if displaying a static photo continues to take Graphics Processor Unit
  (GPU) resources long after it has finished
  drawing on the screen, that’s a likely candidate for optimization.
</p>


<h2 id="running">
  Displaying a Running App in the GPU Monitor
</h2>

<p>
  To display an app running on a particular device or emulator in the GPU Monitor:
</p>

<ol>
  <li>Meet the <a href=
  "{@docRoot}tools/help/am-basics.html#byb">prerequisites and dependencies</a>.
  </li>
 <li>Open an app project.
  </li>
  <li><a href=
  "{@docRoot}tools/building/building-studio.html#RunningApp">Run the app</a> on a hardware device or
  emulator.
  </li>
  <li>
    <a href="{@docRoot}tools/help/am-basics.html#displaying">Display Android Monitor</a>.
  </li>
  <li>Click the <strong>Monitors</strong> tab and <a href=
  "{@docRoot}tools/help/am-basics.html#rearranging">display the GPU Monitor</a>.
  </li>

  <li>Enable the GPU Monitor by clicking Pause <img src="{@docRoot}images/tools/am-ipause.png"
    style="vertical-align:sub;margin:0;height:17px" alt="Pause icon" /> to deselect it.
  </li>

  <p>
  Any GPU usage begins to appear in the GPU Monitor:
</p>
  <img src="{@docRoot}images/tools/am-gpumon2.png" style="vertical-align:sub;margin:0" />

<p>
  The y-axis is the amount of time it takes the GPU to execute, process, prepare, and draw frames,
  in milliseconds. The x-axis records the time elapsed; it starts with seconds, and then minutes
  and seconds, and so on.
</p>

  <li>To stop the GPU Monitor, click Pause <img src="{@docRoot}images/tools/am-ipause.png" style="vertical-align:sub;margin:0;height:17px" alt="Pause icon" /> again to select
  it.
  </li>
</ol>