[Dropped] On what does glx version depend?

kuschelkriterium · n00b Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 33

Today, I wanted to check out Project Looking Glass. In the instructions, it reads:

sish · n00b Joined: 07 Aug 2006 Posts: 18

You are mixing OpenGL and GLX here. GLX is the part that enables X applications to use OpenGL.
If you're looking for the OpenGL Version:

kuschelkriterium · n00b Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 33

Thanks for your answer. But I'm still confused...

If it is like you said: Then why do the Java people want me to check the GLX version, instead of the OpenGL version?
And, moreover, why does starting looking glass give me the following:

drhirsch · n00b Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 66 Location: Germany

The driver for your graphics card does indeed support OpenGL 1.3.

The version depends only on the driver. Besides, 1.3 is pretty ancient... 2.0 is currently in widespread use, and 2.1 soon to be expected. I don't know details about the 915, you may get better results with a proprietary driver from Intel. Otherwise you'll have to get some "real" 3D hardware.

GLX is a extension to OpenGL, and you have 2 possible sources: Either it comes bundled with the X server or bundled with the graphics driver. The latter is usually the better choice (if there is a vendor supplied graphics driver at all).

To switch between the implementations, use

sish · n00b Joined: 07 Aug 2006 Posts: 18

I was curious, so I downloaded it. I've got the same problem as you:
Java 3D WARNING : reported GLX version = 1.2

lg3d-app keeps crashing, while lg3d-dev works fine.

kuschelkriterium · n00b Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 33

Just checked my desktop, running ~x86, Xorg 7.1, RADEON 9500 Pro with up-to-date ati-drivers, showing the same:

drhirsch · n00b Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 66 Location: Germany

Maybe I wasn't clear enough.

kuschelkriterium · n00b Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 33

Thanks for your answer, drhirsch. Still, I fear I'm a little confused, so I beg you to have some patience with me. I don't really get the difference between GLX and OpenGL.

According to the help,

drhirsch · n00b Joined: 08 May 2004 Posts: 66 Location: Germany

You might have a look at http://www.opengl.org/documentation/specs/ then :-)

OpenGL ist a graphics library, not only for 3D, but for any graphics operation, like programming the GPU directly (for the latter a own language GLSL is used, these programs are commonly called vertex or pixel "shaders") or just drawing a simple line. It has almost no abstraction, it is very basic (but not simple :-)

). For example you can't draw a simple cube, let alone something more complex. OpenGL ist platform independent.
The latest version is 2.1.

GLX is the X extension for OpenGL. GLX makes OpenGL usable for X. A part of it resides in the X Server, a part of it is your application. It contains function for setting up the rendering context or buffer swapping, for example. Compared to OpenGL, it is a tiny library.
The latest version is 1.4.

As you may imagine, both are strongly related :-)

What version of which you have, depends on your hardware, on your graphics driver, on your X version.

As you see, even the developers of Looking Glass don't get it right, and the Java3D guys neither. What you want to know as a application developer is usually the OpenGL version you have. As a developer of a library you a probably interested in the GLX version, too.

I think the error message should read "GLX 1.2 no longer supported", since GLX 1.3 introduced pbuffers, which make rendering into textures simpler.

kuschelkriterium · n00b Joined: 16 Nov 2004 Posts: 33

Thanks again for your answer, drhirsch. Things are somewhat clearer now.

After reading more about this topic and about Looking Glass, I have decided to drop experimenting with it until

a) I have a new computer with a decent 3d graphics card (meaning nvidia, I guess :wink:

)
b) Looking Glass is more evolved

Still, thanks again for helping a noob and for your patience.