Trace app problem if no errors reported?

drudge · 10-14-2007, 03:16 PM

Sorry about the vague subject heading, I'm not even sure how to word this problem.

I'm using Mepis 6.5, some apps installed with synaptic with no problems and can be started from a terminal with
no error messages, but the interfaces have no text/font showing anywhere, all buttons, widgets etc are blank.
Menus are empty of text, although the empty spaces can be clicked and bring up dialogs with more empty buttons.

The apps so far are Rezound, Gmorgan and Horgand (All audio apps)
I even managed to compile/build rezound from source, but still the same.

Any ideas on where I should start looking for the problem?

Thanks

matthewg42 · 10-14-2007, 05:46 PM

I looked up the dependencies of these apps, and they all use OpenGL. Do you have an ATI graphics card? I ask because I have come across font rendering problems with ATI cards and OpenGL apps in the past.

drudge · 10-15-2007, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthewg42

I looked up the dependencies of these apps, and they all use OpenGL. Do you have an ATI graphics card? I ask because I have come across font rendering problems with ATI cards and OpenGL apps in the past.

No, an old Nvidia Geforce4, OpenGL screensavers and Quake2 (SDL OpenGL video) work, which I'm assuming means OpenGL is working OK.

Thanks for looking.

matthewg42 · 10-15-2007, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drudge

No, an old Nvidia Geforce4, OpenGL screensavers and Quake2 (SDL OpenGL video) work, which I'm assuming means OpenGL is working OK.

Thanks for looking.

Did you do the command I suggested? OpenGL will work even if you do not have the 3D driver enabled - that is what MESA is - a software implementation of what the hardware in the card does. It is used as a fall-back should a GL extension not be provided by your hardware (or accessible because of the driver).

drudge · 10-15-2007, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthewg42

Did you do the command I suggested? OpenGL will work even if you do not have the 3D driver enabled - that is what MESA is - a software implementation of what the hardware in the card does. It is used as a fall-back should a GL extension not be provided by your hardware (or accessible because of the driver).

Not sure what command you suggested, but after much googling it does seem
that many people have problems with mepis6.5/nvidia legacy glx driver/3d.

I tried using fluxbox and that had all text missing, also quake2 runs fine
with SDL OpenGL video, but not with OpenGL GLX which I guess is the 3d prob.

I've just installed mepis 6.0 kernel 2.6.15-26-386 nvidia-glx driver and
all apps inc fluxbox work normally, but quake still only works with SDL OpenGL (not sure what that can tell you).

Sorry to keep referring to quake but it's the only way I can think of to test OpenGL.

Thanks

matthewg42 · 10-15-2007, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drudge

Not sure what command you suggested

Doh, sorry - I think I am confusing thread!

Run this in a terminal:

Code:

glxinfo |grep -i -e direct -e "vendor string"

My apologies.

drudge · 10-15-2007, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthewg42

Doh, sorry - I think I am confusing thread!

Run this in a terminal:

Code:

glxinfo |grep -i -e direct -e "vendor string"

My apologies.

Code:

glxinfo |grep -i -e direct -e "vendor string"
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
client glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation

I assume it's the 'direct rendering: Yes' that we wanted to see.
That means I do have 3d hardware rendering enabled, correct?
So my font problem is something else?

matthewg42 · 10-15-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drudge

Code:

glxinfo |grep -i -e direct -e "vendor string"
direct rendering: Yes
server glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
client glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation

I assume it's the 'direct rendering: Yes' that we wanted to see.
That means I do have 3d hardware rendering enabled, correct?
So my font problem is something else?

Precisely. Well, it's one possibility out of the way...

drudge · 10-15-2007, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matthewg42

Precisely. Well, it's one possibility out of the way...

Well I may be no further forward, but at least I've learnt a bit more linuxy stuff (every bit helps)!
Thanks