openvino/tools/compile_tool

Compile Tool

Compile tool is a C++ application that enables you to compile a model for inference on a specific device and export the compiled representation to a binary file. With this tool, you can compile a model using supported OpenVINO Runtime devices on a machine that does not have the physical device connected, and then transfer a generated file to any machine with the target inference device available. To learn which device supports the import / export functionality, see the feature support matrix.

The tool compiles networks for the following target devices using a corresponding OpenVINO Runtime plugin: Intel® Neural Compute Stick 2 (MYRIAD plugin).

The tool is delivered as an executable file that can be run on both Linux and Windows. It is located in the <INSTALLROOT>/tools/compile_tool directory.

Workflow of the Compile tool

First, the application reads command-line parameters and loads a model to the OpenVINO Runtime device. After that, the application exports a blob with the compiled model and writes it to the output file.

Also, the Compile tool supports the following capabilities:

• Embedding layout and precision conversions (for more details, see the Optimize Preprocessing). To compile the model with advanced preprocessing capabilities, refer to the Use Case - Integrate and Save Preprocessing Steps Into OpenVINO IR, which shows how to have all the preprocessing in the compiled blob.
• Compiling blobs for OpenVINO Runtime API 2.0 by default or for Inference Engine API with explicit option -ov_api_1_0.
• Accepting device specific options for customizing the compilation process.

Running the Compile Tool

Running the application with the -h option yields the following usage message:

./compile_tool -h
OpenVINO Runtime version ......... 2022.1.0
Build ........... custom_changed_compile_tool_183a1adfcd7a001974fe1c5cfa21ec859b70ca2c

compile_tool [OPTIONS]

 Common options:
    -h                                       Optional. Print the usage message.
    -m                           <value>     Required. Path to the XML model.
    -d                           <value>     Required. Specify a target device for which executable network will be compiled.
                                             Use "-d HETERO:<comma-separated_devices_list>" format to specify HETERO plugin.
                                             Use "-d MULTI:<comma-separated_devices_list>" format to specify MULTI plugin.
                                             The application looks for a suitable plugin for the specified device.
    -o                           <value>     Optional. Path to the output file. Default value: "<model_xml_file>.blob".
    -c                           <value>     Optional. Path to the configuration file.
    -ip                          <value>     Optional. Specifies precision for all input layers of the network.
    -op                          <value>     Optional. Specifies precision for all output layers of the network.
    -iop                        "<value>"    Optional. Specifies precision for input and output layers by name.
                                             Example: -iop "input:FP16, output:FP16".
                                             Notice that quotes are required.
                                             Overwrites precision from ip and op options for specified layers.
    -il                          <value>     Optional. Specifies layout for all input layers of the network.
    -ol                          <value>     Optional. Specifies layout for all output layers of the network.
    -iol                        "<value>"    Optional. Specifies layout for input and output layers by name.
                                             Example: -iol "input:NCHW, output:NHWC".
                                             Notice that quotes are required.
                                             Overwrites layout from il and ol options for specified layers.
    -iml                         <value>     Optional. Specifies model layout for all input layers of the network.
    -oml                         <value>     Optional. Specifies model layout for all output layers of the network.
    -ioml                       "<value>"    Optional. Specifies model layout for input and output tensors by name.
                                             Example: -ionl "input:NCHW, output:NHWC".
                                             Notice that quotes are required.
                                             Overwrites layout from il and ol options for specified layers.
    -ov_api_1_0                              Optional. Compile model to legacy format for usage in Inference Engine API,
                                             by default compiles to OV 2.0 API

 MYRIAD-specific options:
    -VPU_NUMBER_OF_SHAVES        <value>     Optional. Specifies number of shaves.
                                             Should be set with "VPU_NUMBER_OF_CMX_SLICES".
                                             Overwrites value from config.

    -VPU_NUMBER_OF_CMX_SLICES    <value>     Optional. Specifies number of CMX slices.
                                             Should be set with "VPU_NUMBER_OF_SHAVES".
                                             Overwrites value from config.
    -VPU_TILING_CMX_LIMIT_KB     <value>     Optional. Specifies CMX limit for data tiling.
                                             Value should be equal or greater than -1.
                                             Overwrites value from config.

Running the application with the empty list of options yields an error message.

For example, to compile a blob for inference on an Intel® Neural Compute Stick 2 from a trained network, run the command below:

./compile_tool -m <path_to_model>/model_name.xml -d MYRIAD

Import a Compiled Blob File to Your Application

To import a blob with the network from a generated file into your application, use the ov::Core::import_model method:

ov::Core ie;
std::ifstream file{"model_name.blob"};
ov::CompiledModel compiled_model = ie.import_model(file, "MYRIAD");