Linux Client & ATI

I'm running Debian, I get the SecondLife client running, but the graphics are just all messed up, like, Objects don't appear and I can only see half my body along with Graphics "smearing" across the screen... Is there gonna be better support for ATI anytime soon? Or is there a way for me to fix that now? :/

To best honest, ATI drivers under Linux just aren't excellent. If you're not already running the 'official' ATI drivers then try those, though they're still not considered too great by most Linux gamers.

If that gives you no joy, there may be SL feature-disabling hacks that'll help out (for one thing, turn off Avatar Vertex Programs in the SL Prefs). The ultimate solution is to hope that ATI drivers get good some time soon.

No kidding eh, Yeah i'm already using the official ATI drivers, ATI is just not up to date with Linux i suppose, I think it's time I invest in an nVidia card... but it would be cool to be able to use SL (atleast get it to a state so that i cant actually see things heh) but the whole idea of a Linux Client just tickles me insides. the ONLY reason I boot to Windows is because of this game.. once everything is straightened out, my Windows partition is gone.

I have the same experiences as Xavier, but using Ubuntu 5.04 (Breezy; Radeon 9200)

Using the ATI drivers (got them working today! )

Other thing I noticed in game preferences, that it seems to detect that my video card only has 16 MB of memory, while it has 128. (Besides the ATI AGP thing of course).

But anyway, I can IM with my friends again, which is awesome! I lost my Windows partition 1 month ago and no time/real desire to install it again just for this game...so this Alpha version is surely a wonderful thing to see, no matter how many bugs it might still have.

As soon as SL is working stable under Linux, I can finally say that I've completely switched!

Interesting... i have a 9200SE and have that problem, but a friend of mine has a 9600 and his is working perfect he says (i think it's a 9600)...either way it frustrates me

Well, I installed Ubuntu 5.10 and installed the ATI drivers (sudo apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx)
and then did sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg and select the fglrx driver and cruised threw the setup, and the game is running perfect. hope that helps you aswell.

Glad you've got it running, but I pretty much did the same thing Xavier.

Could you perhaps tell me what information the command 'fglrxinfo' yields on your computer?

display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON 9200 DDR Generic
OpenGL version string: 1.3.1041 (X4.3.0-8.21.7)

The game starts up fine, menu's are fine.. I can IM.. but everything smears and is very very dark.

(Or could you perhaps post the contents of your /etc/X11/xorg.conf file?)

Thank you in advance!

(too bad I can't post attachments, so that I can show a screenshot)

display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON 9200 DDR Generic
OpenGL version string: 1.3.1010 (X4.3.0-8.16.20)


thats from fglrxinfo


and then, here is my xorg.conf


# /etc/X11/xorg.conf (xorg X Window System server configuration file)
#
# This file was generated by dexconf, the Debian X Configuration tool, using
# values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the /etc/X11/xorg.conf manual page.
# (Type "man /etc/X11/xorg.conf" at the shell prompt.)
#
# This file is automatically updated on xserver-xorg package upgrades *only*
# if it has not been modified since the last upgrade of the xserver-xorg
# package.
#
# If you have edited this file but would like it to be automatically updated
# again, run the following command:
# sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh xserver-xorg

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"
# paths to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "GLcore"
Load "bitmap"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon 9200 (RV280)"
Driver "fglrx"
BusID "PCI:1:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "eView 17f"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon 9200 (RV280)"
Monitor "eView 17f"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection


ok thats it, if you need anything else let me know.

Thank you very much Xavier!

Seems our configuration is virtually identical, except for:

OpenGL version string: 1.3.1010 (X4.3.0-8.16.20) (yours)
OpenGL version string: 1.3.1041 (X4.3.0-8.21.7) (mine)

and mouse button emulation and monitor name..

Now what could cause this behaviour *pondering*, especially since it appears to be working on your friends video card..

I've no idea, But after I upgraded to ubuntu 5.10, it worked smoothly, what kernel image are you using?

Ubuntu 5.10 with the 2.6.12-10-k7 kernel

And a screenshot of my black SL world

http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/5794/screenshot3uq.png

(you can see that it's not completely dark, because the sky(dome) is partially visible)


I still don't know though, how you Xavier are up and running, while I'm having this problem with virtually the same X11/visual configuration.

EDIT:

just re-ran the xserver-xorg configuration, but still no luck. This is my configuration now:

Anyone with suggestions on settings to inspect/check?!?

----------------

sudo apt-get install xorg-driver-fglrx:

xorg-driver-fglrx is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.

----------------

fglrxinfo

display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: ATI Technologies Inc.
OpenGL renderer string: RADEON 9200 DDR Generic
OpenGL version string: 1.3.1041 (X4.3.0-8.21.7)

----------------

/etc/X11/xorg.conf

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/misc"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/100dpi"
FontPath "/usr/share/X11/fonts/75dpi"
# paths to defoma fonts
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/TrueType"
FontPath "/var/lib/defoma/x-ttcidfont-conf.d/dirs/CID"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "GLcore"
Load "bitmap"
Load "ddc"
Load "dri"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx"
Load "int10"
Load "type1"
Load "vbe"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
Driver "kbd"
Option "CoreKeyboard"
Option "XkbRules" "xorg"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Configured Mouse"
Driver "mouse"
Option "CorePointer"
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon 9200 (RV280)"
Driver "fglrx"
BusID "PCI:3:0:0"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "SyncMaster"
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Default Screen"
Device "ATI Technologies, Inc. Radeon 9200 (RV280)"
Monitor "SyncMaster"
DefaultDepth 24
SubSection "Display"
Depth 1
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 4
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Default Layout"
Screen "Default Screen"
InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection


----------------

Ubuntu 5.10, 2.6.12-10-k7 kernel
on
AthlonXP 2800+
512MB RAM
ATI Radeon 9200 card (128MB, dual head thingy)

try forcing SL to see the 128mb vram on your gfx card by editing the settings.ini file and altering the agpmemorydetected number from 0 to 3.

also, the other guy had BusID "PCI:1:0:0", whereas yours is on BusID "PCI:3:0:0". would that make a diffrence at all ? -- do you have xinerama installed ?

long shots, but maybe it'll help.

"GraphicsCardMemorySetting 3 for 128Mb" had no effect.

Oh, and 'xdpyinfo' reports that I've got " X.Org version: 6.8.2"

Will check a few other settings right now and edit this post accordingly

The BusID parameter has no impact. I discovered that it can even be commented if you've got only one video card in your system.

Clearing cache, flying around and changing draw distance settings and so on, I finally got a bit of color!

But my avatar doesn't have legs and there is still an enormous amount of smearing.. about what Xavier described in the first post of this thread.

Hmm..

was just trying to check that you've no dual head type settings which might impact, like compiling X with xinerama support. i think theres a fix on here for that bug with the avatar though.

All shots are more than welcome.. I prefer not having to install Windows again

I'll search for the avatar fix.. but that might leave the smearing across the screen. Any ideas about that one ?

Hmmm Odd, don't realy know what to say. I know I can get simular effects in windows if I turn off some of the rendering types, like ground, sky, solids, and alpha (I think it has been a while) I was able to take some tripy screen caps in windows during a party that way .. so don't know if that helps someone who knows linux and the way that the graphics work or not.

Thank you for that suggestion AcidRaven. I'll try to see if I can do something with when I have some time.

As another approach: I am running my client in a window, could that possibly have an effect?
Xavier, are you running in windowed mode or full screen?

Thanks again

version 101
AudioStreamingVideo TRUE
BusyModeResponse The%Resident%you%messaged%is%in%'busy%mode'%which%means%they%have%requested%not%to%be%disturbed.%%Your%message%will%still%be%shown%in%their%IM%panel%for%later%viewing.
CameraPosOnLogout 243014 251764 23.7265
ChatFontSize 0
ChatMode TRUE
FirstLoginThisInstall FALSE
FirstName Xavier
FirstRunThisInstall FALSE
FloaterAboutRect 341 229 470 440
FloaterBuildOptionsRect 528 470 272 130
FloaterBuyRect 426 324 300 250
FloaterChatRect 2 24 440 173
FloaterCustomizeRect 0 60 482 540
FloaterFindRect2 297 224 780 570
FloaterFriendsRect 0 190 250 400
FloaterGestureRect 0 120 320 480
FloaterInventoryRect 194 129 300 400
FloaterLandRect4 0 230 400 370
FloaterMapRect 956 648 196 146
FloaterMoveRect 320 0 160 58
FloaterMuteRect 17 319 289 504
FloaterPayRect 431 401 290 96
FloaterSnapshotRect 70 200 400 200
FloaterTalkToRect 0 470 330 130
FloaterViewBottom 52
FloaterWorldMapRect 360 34 792 546
FocusPosOnLogout 243014 251772 21.805
FullScreen TRUE
FullScreenAutoDetectAspectRatio FALSE
FullScreenHeight 864
FullScreenWidth 1152
GraphicsCardMemorySetting 3
LastFeatureVersion 8
LastFindPanel 5
LastName Bugaboo
LastPrefTab 4
LastRunVersion 1.8.4
LoginLastLocation FALSE
MapScale 256
MeanCollisionBump TRUE
MeanCollisionPushObject TRUE
MeanCollisionScripted TRUE
NumSessions 27
RenderAvatarMode 0
RenderFarClip 64
RenderLocalLighting FALSE
RenderMaxPartCount 0
RenderMinFPS 0
RenderObjectBump FALSE
RenderTreeLODFactor 0
RenderUseAGP FALSE
RenderUseFarClip TRUE
RenderVolumeLODFactor 0
ServerChoice 2
TalkPanelRect 0 631 396 163
ToolboxSmallRect2 0 628 272 166
VFSSalt 277307883
WarnFirstAppearance FALSE
WarnFirstBalanceDecrease FALSE
WarnFirstBuild FALSE
WarnFirstInventory FALSE
WarnFirstLeftClickNoHit FALSE
WarnFirstMap FALSE
WarnFirstOverrideKeys FALSE
WarnFirstSit FALSE
WarnFirstStreamingVideo FALSE
WarnFirstTeleport FALSE
WindowX 0
WindowY 0


theres my exact settings, heh,,,,if my pass is in there, uhm, dont look. lol

Weird thing is, I'm reading all these problems with ATi cards, but I'm running Secondlife on my laptop, which has a ATi mobility m6 LY (Secondlife wouldn't run under this, with the latest drivers under windows). But I'm using Mandriva Linux (with of course the alternative repositories such as SoS and PLF), with ATi's latest proprietary drivers. It runs perfectly fine for me.

Hello,

I'm just reporting that I followed what Xavier did, and I have the client running as well as expected. I'm running Ubuntu 5.1, with a Radeon 9600.

Issues I still have, which I think are commonplace:

-16mb memory, no matter what (performance still seems to be OK, though, but maybe I've been using the Mac client for too long and it just seems great).

-Window manager seems to supercede alt-click, so I can't mouse my camera around.

The window manager can be set up to use the meta key, instead of alt. On KDE I have done this, for the same reason. If you are using gnome or whatever, it should also be possible.

As was mentioned in anothwer thread, for even better performance, use a minimalist window manager. I use fvwm sometimes, and start SL from the command line. The resources that the window manager does not use, are available for SL

And dumb window managers also don't hog so many special key combinations.

to change it to the meta key on KDE, open up the control center, click on Destop then Window Behavior then click the window action tab and change the Window Modifier key from alt to meta.


as for the 16mb memory thing, you can change that in the SecondLife/user_settings/settings.ini file.

I'm trying to bring SL up on my Radeon Xpress 200M based laptop, when I run it I get some spew ending with:

2006-03-08T08:17:05Z INFO: Initializing window...
2006-03-08T08:17:05Z INFO: QUEUED THREAD STARTING
2006-03-08T08:17:05Z INFO: createContext: creating window 800x600x32
Loading required GL library /usr/lib/libGL.so.1
2006-03-08T08:17:05Z INFO: createContext: window creation failure. SDL: Couldn't find matching GLX visual
2006-03-08T08:17:05Z INFO: Unloading all GL symbols...
2006-03-08T08:17:05Z WARNING: OSMessageBox: Window creation error
2006-03-08T08:17:05Z INFO: Unloading all GL symbols...
2006-03-08T08:17:05Z WARNING: LLWindowManager::create() : Error creating window.
2006-03-08T08:17:05Z WARNING: Unable to create window, be sure screen is set at 32-bit color in Control Panels->Display->Settings
2006-03-08T08:17:05Z INFO: remove_marker_file()

I've gone through a few combinations of module settings including loading all the ones mentioned earlier and even added libmesa to try to go through that route. My current fglrx reads:

Loading required GL library /usr/lib/libGL.so.1
display: :0.0 screen: 0
OpenGL vendor string: Mesa project: www.mesa3d.org
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa GLX Indirect
OpenGL version string: 1.2 (1.5 Mesa 6.4.1)

Though I just put in Mesa today so it would have been different before.

To me it looks like GL is not setup properly, but I don't have a good idea where to take it next, anyone?

first you need the ATI Driver for your kernel installed, and you need to use that OpenGL rather then mesa, if you already have the driver installed for your card I'd just google "ATI and Mesa" you'll most likely find out how to use ATI instead of mesa... i hate mesa ha, it's definately the problem tho.