Cherry pick some of Erfan's work from master

Author: Erfan-Ahmadi

include/nbl/asset/ECommonEnums.h

@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ enum E_PIPELINE_STAGE_FLAGS : uint32_t
     EPSF_FRAGMENT_DENSITY_PROCESS_BIT_EXT = 0x00800000,
     EPSF_COMMAND_PREPROCESS_BIT_NV = 0x00020000
 };
+NBL_ENUM_ADD_BITWISE_OPERATORS(E_PIPELINE_STAGE_FLAGS)
 
 enum E_ACCESS_FLAGS : uint32_t
 {
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ enum E_ACCESS_FLAGS : uint32_t
     EAF_ALL_ACCESSES_BIT_DEVSH = 0x0004ffff,
     EAF_ALL_BUFFER_ACCESSES_DEVSH = EAF_ALL_ACCESSES_BIT_DEVSH^(EAF_INPUT_ATTACHMENT_READ_BIT|EAF_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_READ_BIT|EAF_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_WRITE_BIT|EAF_DEPTH_STENCIL_ATTACHMENT_READ_BIT|EAF_DEPTH_STENCIL_ATTACHMENT_WRITE_BIT|EAF_MEMORY_READ_BIT|EAF_MEMORY_WRITE_BIT|EAF_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_READ_NONCOHERENT_BIT_EXT|EAF_SHADING_RATE_IMAGE_READ_BIT_NV|EAF_FRAGMENT_DENSITY_MAP_READ_BIT_EXT)
 };
+NBL_ENUM_ADD_BITWISE_OPERATORS(E_ACCESS_FLAGS)
 
 enum E_DEPENDENCY_FLAGS
 {

include/nbl/video/IAPIConnection.h

@@ -28,6 +28,17 @@ class NBL_API2 IAPIConnection : public core::IReferenceCounted
 
             // VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_validation (instance layer) 
             bool validations = false;
+                // VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_validation (instance extension) 
+                /* TODO: Possibly bring in all as Validation extensions enum
+                typedef enum VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT {
+                    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_EXT = 0,
+                    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_RESERVE_BINDING_SLOT_EXT = 1,
+                    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_BEST_PRACTICES_EXT = 2,
+                    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_DEBUG_PRINTF_EXT = 3,
+                    VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZATION_VALIDATION_EXT = 4,
+                } VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT;
+                */
+                bool synchronizationValidation = false;
 
             // VK_EXT_debug_utils
             // When combined with validation layers, even more detailed feedback on the application�s use of Vulkan will be provided.

src/nbl/video/CVulkanConnection.cpp

@@ -138,7 +138,11 @@ namespace nbl::video
         };
 
 
-        if(featuresToEnable.debugUtils)
+        if(featuresToEnable.synchronizationValidation /* || other flags taht require VK_EXT_VALIDATION_FEATURES_EXTENSION_NAME */)
+        {
+            insertToFeatureSetIfAvailable(VK_EXT_VALIDATION_FEATURES_EXTENSION_NAME, "synchronizationValidation");
+        }
+        if (featuresToEnable.debugUtils)
         {
             insertToFeatureSetIfAvailable(VK_EXT_DEBUG_UTILS_EXTENSION_NAME, "debugUtils");
         }
@@ -161,28 +165,67 @@ namespace nbl::video
         if(!allRequestedFeaturesSupported)
             return nullptr;
 
+
+        VkBaseInStructure* structsTail = nullptr;
+        VkBaseInStructure* structsHead = nullptr;
+        // Vulkan has problems with having features in the feature chain that have all values set to false.
+        // For example having an empty "RayTracingPipelineFeaturesKHR" in the chain will lead to validation errors for RayQueryONLY applications.
+        auto addStructToChain = [&structsHead, &structsTail](void* feature) -> void
+        {
+            VkBaseInStructure* toAdd = reinterpret_cast<VkBaseInStructure*>(feature);
+
+            // For protecting against duplication of feature structures that may be requested to add to chain twice due to extension requirements
+            const bool alreadyAdded = (toAdd->pNext != nullptr || toAdd == structsTail);
+
+            if (structsHead == nullptr)
+            {
+                structsHead = toAdd;
+                structsTail = toAdd;
+            }
+            else if (!alreadyAdded)
+            {
+                structsTail->pNext = toAdd;
+                structsTail = toAdd;
+            }
+        };
+
+
+        VkValidationFeaturesEXT validationFeaturesEXT = { VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_VALIDATION_FEATURES_EXT, nullptr };
+        VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT validationsEnable[16u] = {};
+        VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT validationsDisable[16u] = {};
+        validationFeaturesEXT.pEnabledValidationFeatures = validationsEnable;
+
+        // TODO: Do the samefor other validation features as well(?)
+        if (enabledFeatures.synchronizationValidation)
+        {
+            validationsEnable[validationFeaturesEXT.enabledValidationFeatureCount] = VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZATION_VALIDATION_EXT;
+            validationFeaturesEXT.enabledValidationFeatureCount += 1u;
+            addStructToChain(&validationFeaturesEXT);
+        }
+        
+        uint32_t instanceApiVersion = MinimumVulkanApiVersion;
+        vkEnumerateInstanceVersion(&instanceApiVersion); // Get Highest
+        if(instanceApiVersion < MinimumVulkanApiVersion)
+        {
+            assert(false);
+            return nullptr;
+        }
+
         std::unique_ptr<CVulkanDebugCallback> debugCallback = nullptr;
-        VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT debugMessengerCreateInfo = { VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSENGER_CREATE_INFO_EXT };
+        VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT debugMessengerCreateInfo = { VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DEBUG_UTILS_MESSENGER_CREATE_INFO_EXT, nullptr };
         if (logger && enabledFeatures.debugUtils)
         {
             auto logLevelMask = logger->getLogLevelMask();
             debugCallback = std::make_unique<CVulkanDebugCallback>(std::move(logger));
 
-            debugMessengerCreateInfo.pNext = nullptr;
             debugMessengerCreateInfo.flags = 0;
             auto debugCallbackFlags = getDebugCallbackFlagsFromLogLevelMask(logLevelMask);
             debugMessengerCreateInfo.messageSeverity = debugCallbackFlags.first;
             debugMessengerCreateInfo.messageType = debugCallbackFlags.second;
             debugMessengerCreateInfo.pfnUserCallback = CVulkanDebugCallback::defaultCallback;
             debugMessengerCreateInfo.pUserData = debugCallback.get();
-        }
-        
-        uint32_t instanceApiVersion = MinimumVulkanApiVersion;
-        vkEnumerateInstanceVersion(&instanceApiVersion); // Get Highest
-        if(instanceApiVersion < MinimumVulkanApiVersion)
-        {
-            assert(false);
-            return nullptr;
+
+            addStructToChain(&debugMessengerCreateInfo);
         }
 
         VkInstance vk_instance;
@@ -196,7 +239,7 @@ namespace nbl::video
             applicationInfo.engineVersion = NABLA_VERSION_INTEGER;
 
             VkInstanceCreateInfo createInfo = { VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_INSTANCE_CREATE_INFO };
-            createInfo.pNext = enabledFeatures.debugUtils ? (VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT*)&debugMessengerCreateInfo : nullptr;
+            createInfo.pNext = structsHead;
             createInfo.flags = static_cast<VkInstanceCreateFlags>(0);
             createInfo.pApplicationInfo = &applicationInfo;
             createInfo.enabledLayerCount = requiredLayerNameCount;