[Documentation] Mention `prime-run`; raw variables are unwieldly

[MilesBHuff]

Request to mention the existence of prime-run, which is a script that comes with nvidia-prime.

Currently, the documentation says this:

Vulkan applications must be launched with __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 to render on the dGPU. GLX applications must be launched with __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia to render on the dGPU.

While true, this is highly unwieldly for commandline users. Adding the following line to the above would help usability significantly:

The prime-run script included with nvidia-prime sets these variables for you; meaning you can simply run prime-run $APP to start an application with the dGPU.

[MilesBHuff]

Issue implemented in PR #244.

[crawfxrd]

system76-power conflicts with nvidia-prime, so it can't be installed. That package cannot be recommended.

I would rather just state that a script can be used to set these variables for convenience.

See also: #153 (comment)

[MilesBHuff]

Interesting. On Arch/Manjaro, there is no such conflict, so I actually have prime-run available. Maybe the AUR package needs to be updated to indicate that nvidia-prime and system76-power should not be co-installed?

Here's an idea: what if system76-power bundled prime-run?

[lennie420]

@MilesBHuff The prime-run command in Arch is just those commands in a script. See the following: https://github.com/archlinux/svntogit-packages/blob/packages/nvidia-prime/trunk/prime-run from https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/any/nvidia-prime/. I think talking about the AUR is kind of unrelated to Pop!_OS as well.

[MilesBHuff]

@lennie420

@MilesBHuff The prime-run command in Arch is just those commands in a script.

Right -- I was under the impression that that's what prime-run was everywhere. If it isn't, then maybe System76 could provide its own wrapper script with those variables. It's certainly handy to have!

I think talking about the AUR is kind of unrelated to Pop!_OS as well.

Fwiu, System76 actually maintains its own PKGBUILDs for the AUR; so while it's not related to Pop!_OS, it is related to system76-power.

[crawfxrd]

We do not maintain anything related to Arch. Packages on AUR are not maintained by us, and we do not provide the PKGBUILD for them.

[MilesBHuff]

@crawfxrd

We do not maintain anything related to Arch. Packages on AUR are not maintained by us, and we do not provide the PKGBUILD for them.

Thanks for clarifying! I must have misread somewhere. I remember being surprised at the time, since I'd figured you'd only be supporting Pop!_OS.