OpenGL graphics pipeline on Vista?

OpenGL Development JOGL Development
#1

I’m going to use JOGL extensively in my application so I would also like to use the OpenGL graphics pipeline. I’ve enabled it giving this command to the JVM (using Eclipse),

-Dsun.java2d.opengl=True

When the program starts I get this information,

Java version: 1.6.0_10
OpenGL pipeline enabled for default config on screen 0

If I have the Windows Vista theme on my computer only an empty translucent window frame is shown. When I change to the Windows Classic theme the program window appears as it should. I’ve tried both SystemLookAndFeel and NimbusLookAndFeel but there’s no difference.

It seems the OpenGL graphics pipeline doesn’t work with Windows Vista Aero. Is there some setting I’ve missed or something?

#2

i also have vista aero and pretty much every jogl application works fine.

did you try starting without that jvm-flag?

#3

You can have a check easily by running the JoGL swing demo (JRefract) both with the java2d OpenGL pipeline enable or not.
For enable version: http://download.java.net/media/jogl/builds/archive/jsr-231-webstart-current/JRefract.jnlp
For disable verion: http://download.java.net/media/jogl/builds/archive/jsr-231-webstart-current/JRefractNoOGL.jnlp

#4

I haven’t started using JOGL yet but I will in a moment and I’m confident it will work fine. What doesn’t work right now is the OpenGL graphics pipeline generally. Nothing renders at all. All I get is a translucent Windows application frame.

All (or at least many) guides to JOGL say that it may be a good idea to use the OpenGL pipeline together with JOGL so that everything becomes rendered with OpenGL. But, as I’ve reported, the OpenGL pipline doesn’t seem to work with Vista Aero. I would like to establish whether this is a known issue or if it’s related to some problem with my computer.

I hope that someone will be able to confirm this. Is there some issue with the OpenGL graphics pipeline and Vista Aero? Has Sun officially announced there is or has someone had the same experience as me?

#5

If I use the Vista theme (Aero) on my computer none of those demo applications works. When I switch to the Classic theme, both work.

I guess this means I’m in for some serious trouble getting JOGL to work with Aero? Strange, it’s a mainstream computer. It’s a Dell XPS 420 with an nVidia GeForce 8800 GTX.

#6

the opengl pipeline isn’t very stable, you will usually get the “bad drivers are the reason” answer if you ask devs. Thats probably true, I am only asking myself how the compiz devs are able to deliver a GL hardware accelerated linux desktop which just works…

[edit]

no you only need the opengl pipline if you want swing-jogl interoperability, jogl alone should work perfectly

#7

I’ve installed JOGL now and it works fine with Vista Aero, but not with the OpenGL graphics pipeline enabled. Well, I’ll have to accept this for the time being.

Thanks for your help!

#8

The OpenGL pipeline <-Dsun.java2d.opengl=True> is a mechanism that was put in place to speed up rendering in swing. You do NOT need it enabled to render with OpenGL.

#9

I know I don’t need it. The problem is I can’t use it even if I wanted to because it doesn’t work with Vista Aero. My question here was to figure out whether others had the same problem.

Why would I want to have the OpenGL pipeline switch on for Swing rendering? Well, why not if I’m using JOGL for my application specific rendering. Then the whole application would be rendered uniformly using OpenGL. I find a certain beauty in that. :wink:

#10

You might also find a certain interference and a certain bunch of unexpected results…

Cas :slight_smile:

#11

Yes I’ve noticed but isn’t that a drag. There’s this impressive command line setting raising expectations but when you try it out it doesn’t work and you wonder - is it me they’re after! Fortunately I’ve been in the trenches for a while so I don’t take it personally. ;D

#12

You can run JOGL applications under Vista without activating the OpenGL pipeline but by disabling DirectDraw with noddraw=true, it is enough.

#13

Actually I consider the current implementation of the OpenGL pipeline broken. It simply doesn’t work with some (most?) OpenGL drivers out there. I read somewhere on this forum, that this is a known problem and there might be an update which uses a more robust OpenGL path, but ETA is unknown.