[NTLUG:Discuss] half way off topic - SGI server and Linux client graphical library problem

[Steve Baker]

Fred James wrote:
> Server OS: IRIX 6.4
> Client OS: RH Linux 7.1
> Situation [Note: IP addresses masked as x.x.x.x]:
> (1) X server is working (i.e., xclock, winterm, and toolchest, all 
> work), although I get some complaints about certain colors and fonts.
> (2) Attempt to run gr_osview (dynamic graphical view of resource usage 
> on the server) returns the following 2 error lines:
>     (a) dgl error (protocol): remote machine not DGL capable - x.x.x.x:0.0
>     (b) dgl error (default init): default dglopen(x.x.x.x:0.0,4) 
> returned -13
> (3) SGI's answer is that "The DGL protocol that supports the IRIS GL 
> remote rendering is proprietary to SGI and the only interpreter for it 
> (dgld) runs only on SGI workstations. This is why you are seeing this 
> error when trying to display gr_osview to a non-SGI system."  [Note that 
> the client is considered the "remote machine" in this case]

That's a complicated explanation - but it's correct.

> The question, on the off change that someone may have had some 
> experience with this:  any suggestions?

Trying to simplify their explanation:

   * When you log into one X machine to another X machine, the
     graphics commands are sent from one machine to the other using
     a standardized X protocol - so everything works OK.

   * HOWEVER, if you run programs that us some other graphics system
     (such as OpenGL - which is not a part of X) - then some other protocol
     is required.

   * The 'gr_osview' program (gross-view to it's friends!) uses OpenGL
     rendering...so it's not using the X protocol.

   * Now - the OpenGL remote protocol under IRIX is 'dgl' (distributed GL).
     But Linux uses a different OpenGL remote protocol.

Hence, you can run any X program that DOESN'T use OpenGL.

Specifically, you can use 'osview' (which is the text-only version
of 'gr_osview').

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