VMD-L Mailing List

From: John Stone (johns_at_ks.uiuc.edu)
Date: Mon Jan 13 2003 - 17:14:06 CST

Hi,
  Judging from your glxinfo output your results are exactly what I would expect.
VMD is finding visuals with multisample antialiasing, but since the NVidia drivers
cannot supply both stereo and multisample antialiasing at the same time, the particular
sequence in which VMD queries results in finding antialiasing, but not stereo. I'm going
to build you guys another VMD binary that favors stereo instead of antialiasing, that should
cure the problem, though you will still only be able to have one or the other.
(hint, email linux-bugs_at_nvidia.com and tell them you want to see future drivers support both
 stereo and multisample antialiasing at the same time... :-)

I'll let you guys know when I have a binary for you to try. I'm in the middle of updating
VMD to Tcl 8.4, so that's held me up for a few days.

Thanks,
  John Stone
  vmd_at_ks.uiuc.edu

On Mon, Jan 13, 2003 at 04:32:28PM +0100, Magnus Kreth wrote:
> Hi,
>
> first, I'd like to say a big thank you for your efforts. VMD really is a
> great piece of software.
>
> We use a PC with a NVidia Quadro4 900XGL graphics adapter. After installing
> the drivers released by NVidia in Sep. 2002 we succeeded to use the
> Quadbuffered OpenGL stereo feature in most of our applications including
> PyMOL. However, VMD still does not like our configuration. Attached is the
> output of "glxinfo -t". I'm not an expert, but to me it looks like their are
> plenty of visuals with stereo support. Nonetheless, the output of VMD does
> not contain STEREO in the list of OpenGL extensions. Starting VMD gives
> the same output as reported by K. Suhre.
>
> Am Dienstag, 7. Januar 2003 16:42 schrieb John Stone:
> > Dear Karsten,
> > The fact that you don't get "STEREO" in the list of OpenGL extensions
> > indicates that your card can't do both stereo and multisample antialiasing
> > simultaneously. You might see if you can make changes to the NVidia
> > environment variables to disable antialiasing, that should free up enough
> > video memory to allow you to use stereo. VMD is a bit trickier than
> > programs like O, in that it wants a number of OpenGL extensions, some of
> > which are mutually exclusive. In the case of the NVidia drivers on Linux,
> > it can end up with antialiasing but not stereo as a result of the way the
> > NVidia drivers are written presently. If you're unable to force the NVidia
> > driver to disable antialiasing in favor of stereo, let me know and I can
> > give you a version that'll give stereo higher priority than antialiasing.
>
> I tried to disable antialiasing by "export __GL_FSAA_MODE=0" prior to
> starting VMD as written in the file README in the NVidia driver package. This
> does not help. It doesn't even change VMD's output upon startup which still
> contains "MSAA(4)" (which means multi-sample antialiasing?).
>
> Any further help to get stereo working would be very much appreciated.
>
> >
> > Thanks,
> > John Stone
> > vmd_at_ks.uiuc.edu
>
> Thank you!
>
> Magnus Kreth
>
> >
> > On Tue, Jan 07, 2003 at 12:32:22PM +0100, Karsten Suhre wrote:
> > > Hello!
> > >
> > > I am trying to get VMD (latest version) running in stereo mode using an
> > > NVIDIA Quadro4 750 XGL graphics card under SuSE Linux 8.1 using the
> > > latest NVIDIA driver.
> > >
> > > My card should be working properly in quad-buffered mode, since I can
> > > view stereo images using O correctly.
> > >
> > > When I start VMD, I get the following messages:
> > >
> > > Info) OpenGL renderer: Quadro4 750 XGL/PCI/3DNOW!
> > > Info) Features: STENCIL MSAA(4) RN MTX TCM
> > > Info) Textures: 2-D (4096x4096), 3-D (512x512x512), Multitexture (4)
> > >
> > > However, when I try to switch to "CrystallEyes" in the Display pull-Down
> > > menu, I only obtain two separate pictures of my molecule (one above the
> > > other, as without a stereo board).
> > >
> > > Am I missing something (e.g. setting some environment variable)???
> > >
> > > Thank you very much for any suggestion,
> > >
> > > Kind regards,
> > >
> > > Karsten Suhre.

> name of display: :0.0
> display: :0 screen: 0
> direct rendering: Yes
> server glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
> server glx version string: 1.2
> server glx extensions:
> GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig,
> GLX_SGIX_pbuffer, GLX_ARB_multisample
> client glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
> client glx version string: 1.2
> client glx extensions:
> GLX_ARB_get_proc_address, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_EXT_visual_info,
> GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_EXT_import_context, GLX_SGI_video_sync,
> GLX_SGIX_swap_group, GLX_SGIX_swap_barrier, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig,
> GLX_SGIX_pbuffer
> GLX extensions:
> GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig,
> GLX_SGIX_pbuffer, GLX_ARB_multisample, GLX_ARB_get_proc_address
> OpenGL vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation
> OpenGL renderer string: Quadro4 900 XGL/PCI/SSE2
> OpenGL version string: 1.3.1 NVIDIA 31.23
> OpenGL extensions:
> GL_ARB_depth_texture, GL_ARB_imaging, GL_ARB_multisample,
> GL_ARB_multitexture, GL_ARB_shadow, GL_ARB_texture_border_clamp,
> GL_ARB_texture_compression, GL_ARB_texture_cube_map,
> GL_ARB_texture_env_add, GL_ARB_texture_env_combine,
> GL_ARB_texture_env_dot3, GL_ARB_transpose_matrix, GL_S3_s3tc,
> GL_EXT_abgr, GL_EXT_bgra, GL_EXT_blend_color, GL_EXT_blend_minmax,
> GL_EXT_blend_subtract, GL_EXT_compiled_vertex_array,
> GL_EXT_draw_range_elements, GL_EXT_fog_coord, GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays,
> GL_EXT_packed_pixels, GL_EXT_paletted_texture, GL_EXT_point_parameters,
> GL_EXT_rescale_normal, GL_EXT_secondary_color,
> GL_EXT_separate_specular_color, GL_EXT_shadow_funcs,
> GL_EXT_shared_texture_palette, GL_EXT_stencil_wrap, GL_EXT_texture3D,
> GL_EXT_texture_compression_s3tc, GL_EXT_texture_edge_clamp,
> GL_EXT_texture_env_add, GL_EXT_texture_env_combine,
> GL_EXT_texture_env_dot3, GL_EXT_texture_cube_map,
> GL_EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic, GL_EXT_texture_lod,
> GL_EXT_texture_lod_bias, GL_EXT_texture_object, GL_EXT_vertex_array,
> GL_EXT_vertex_weighting, GL_HP_occlusion_test,
> GL_IBM_texture_mirrored_repeat, GL_KTX_buffer_region, GL_NV_blend_square,
> GL_NV_copy_depth_to_color, GL_NV_evaluators, GL_NV_fence,
> GL_NV_fog_distance, GL_NV_light_max_exponent,
> GL_NV_multisample_filter_hint, GL_NV_occlusion_query,
> GL_NV_packed_depth_stencil, GL_NV_point_sprite, GL_NV_register_combiners,
> GL_NV_register_combiners2, GL_NV_texgen_reflection,
> GL_NV_texture_compression_vtc, GL_NV_texture_env_combine4,
> GL_NV_texture_rectangle, GL_NV_texture_shader, GL_NV_texture_shader2,
> GL_NV_vertex_array_range, GL_NV_vertex_array_range2, GL_NV_vertex_program,
> GL_NV_vertex_program1_1, GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap, GL_SGIS_multitexture,
> GL_SGIS_texture_lod, GL_SGIX_depth_texture, GL_SGIX_shadow
> glu version: 1.3
> glu extensions:
> GLU_EXT_nurbs_tessellator, GLU_EXT_object_space_tess
>
> Vis Vis Visual Trans buff lev render DB ste r g b a aux dep ste accum buffers MS MS
> ID Depth Type parent size el type reo sz sz sz sz buf th ncl r g b a num bufs
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 0x21 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x22 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x23 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 1 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x24 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x25 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 1 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x26 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 0 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x27 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 1 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x28 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 0 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x29 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 1 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x2a 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x2b 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 1 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x2c 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x2d 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 1 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x2e 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 0 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x2f 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 1 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x30 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 0 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x31 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 1 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x32 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x33 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x34 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x35 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x36 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x37 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x38 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x39 24 TrueColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x3a 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 1 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x3b 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x3c 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 1 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x3d 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 0 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x3e 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 1 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x3f 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 0 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x40 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 1 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x41 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x42 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 1 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x43 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x44 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 1 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x45 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 0 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x46 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 1 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x47 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 0 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x48 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 0 1 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x49 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x4a 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x4b 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x4c 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x4d 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x4e 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 24 8 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x4f 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 0 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0
> 0x50 24 DirectColor 0 32 0 rgba 1 0 8 8 8 8 0 16 0 16 16 16 16 0 0 

-- 
NIH Resource for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics
Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
University of Illinois, 405 N. Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801
Email: johns_at_ks.uiuc.edu                 Phone: 217-244-3349              
  WWW: http://www.ks.uiuc.edu/~johns/      Fax: 217-244-6078