====== VirtualGL / Nvidia OpenGL ======

   * Category: Vendor provision
   * Access method: Loaded from Linux module software
   * License: Open Source
   * Command Line: **No**
   * Desktop GUI: **Yes** (via [[:advanced:interactive|Open OnDemand]])

The VirtualGL module may be used on [[:advanced:interactive|Open OnDemand]] desktop sessions to provide hardware accelerated OpenGL functionality to Linux desktop applications. This allows applications to provide 3D rendering/display functionality when running on a GPU node.

If you do not need hardware accelerated 3D / OpenGL, then you may instead use [[:advanced:software:mesa|MESA OpenGL]], which is available on all Open OnDemand partition types.

<WRAP important round>
**Allocating GPU Cards**

To make use of hardware Nvidia OpenGL you //must// run your session in a GPU partition and allocate //at least one// GPU card. If you do not do this then VirtualGL will fallback to [[:advanced:software:mesa|MESA software OpenGL]].
</WRAP>
===== Running =====

=== Versions ===

The VirtualGL software is available in one module:

<code lang=shell-session>
$ module avail VirtualGL

---------------------------------------- /opt/software/easybuild/modules/all ----------------------------------------
   VirtualGL/3.1.1-GCC-13.3.0    VirtualGL/3.1.3-GCC-13.3.0 (D)
   
</code>

=== Loading ===

<code lang=shell-session>
$ module load VirtualGL
</code>

=== Testing ===

<code lang=shell-session>
$ module load VirtualGL
$ vglrun glxgears
...
</code>

<WRAP round tip>
**Automatically Loading VirtualGL**

If you choose one of the Open OnDemand sessions which end in **(GPU)**, for example **VNC Desktop Session (GPU)** then VirtualGL is already loaded for you and you //do not need to do anything to take advantage of it//.
If you choose an Open OnDemand session //without// the **(GPU)** suffix, then you will need start a terminal in that session, do a ''module load VirtualGL'' and prefix all commands with ''vglrun'' __as outlined above__.

The **(GPU)** sessions are provided as a convenience for this reason.
</WRAP>
===== Questions & Problems =====

== I Don't Get Any Acceleration ==

You must be on an Open OnDemand session on a GPU partition, with at least one GPU card allocated. In your Open OnDemand desktop session open a terminal and run ''nvidia-smi'', this should show you //at least// one Nvidia card available.

== Requests for new / alternate versions ==

Please see our [[policies:software|Software Policy Page]]

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