Getting openGL apps working.

gauntalus · 01-12-2005, 04:43 PM

Hey, I'd like to get openGL apps running on my laptop. I've just started programming in openGL, but I currently have to run all my apps under windoze whitch just isn't cool. I've got an ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 in my Dell Inspiron 5150. I don't really know where to begin, as I don't know that much about handling video drivers in linux. I've run and rerun my xorgconfig, but that's just not doing the trick.

I figured we could use the xscreensaver to provide error messages, and if we get that working, we'll have opengl working in general right? :-D So here's a few hints that might help us troubleshoot. If I click on any of the screensavers prefixed by 'GL', in the little preview window I get a message "No Preview Available", and if I click the preview button I get some errors, one recurring one:

Code:

Xlib:     extension "GLX" missing on display ":0.0"
glknots: display ":0.0" does not support the GLX extension.

Caeda · 01-12-2005, 04:46 PM

You should start with ati.com and the rather easy to find "Linux Drivers"

gauntalus · 01-12-2005, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Caeda
You should start with ati.com and the rather easy to find "Linux Drivers"

Aready tried it, when I go to ATI.com, I get this page: http://ati.com/support/products/pc/laptops/index.html, which pretty much tells me that they don't provide video drivers for this card for linux, and that I should contact my hardware manufacturer. When I go to dell.com, they give me the message "There is no download information for the selected system." This pretty much leaves me between a rock and a hard place.

Caeda · 01-12-2005, 04:59 PM

Oh, oops, mobility.
Well, you can try installing the desktop drivers but, most likely, since you have a laptop with an ati card. (soup nazzi style) No Acceleration for you!

gauntalus · 01-12-2005, 06:10 PM

oh common, there's gotta be a way! I hope

kierl · 01-12-2005, 08:58 PM

Check /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Is the line 'Load "glx"' in the "Module" section?

Also, I've heard that the driver at http://mirror.ati.com/support/driver...e&cmdNext=Next works but requires a bit of tweaking

gauntalus · 01-14-2005, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kierl
Check /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Is the line 'Load "glx"' in the "Module" section?

Also, I've heard that the driver at http://mirror.ati.com/support/driver...e&cmdNext=Next works but requires a bit of tweaking

hey, sorry it took me so long to reply, but one thing kierl. I'm using xorg, as opposed to Xfree. Is that going to pose any problems when I try and install the driver? I got openGL workin on my current setup, but on the most basic of openGL apps, e.g. the GLText screen saver, I only get about 13fps... Should switching to the driver you suggested help me out?

madluther · 01-14-2005, 05:54 PM

The radeon mobility should have dri support in xorg, no need for ati's driver, ( all R100, R200 based chipsets do ). This includes the M6 thru M9+ mobility chipsets. While it does not have all the features of the closed source ati driver, it is stable and open source, see http://dri.sf.net for more info.

Mad.