How do I install OpenGL 4+?

Question

I've spent the past 3 days searching and can't find anything. I have an optimus setup with ironhide and a GT520M nVidia card; how do I install the latest version of OpenGL?

I keep getting "GLX_ARB_create_context_profile is unavailable" when I try to run the program, because mesa implements an ancient library.

$ glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"
$ OpenGL version string: 2.1 Mesa 7.11

Example:

optirun ./assign1
* Starting Ironhide X server ironhide                                  DON         
Enabling nVidia card succeeded.
.                                                                     [ OK ]
OpenGL profile requested but GLX_ARB_create_context_profile is unavailable
ERROR: Could not open window
ERROR: Could not initialize UI.
* Stopping Ironhide X server ironhide                                  DOFF
Disabling nVidia card succeeded.

Solution

The nvidia proprietary driver comes with its own OpenGL library, which should provide support for the latest OpenGL standard that your card is capable of. The free drivers use the OpenGL implementation in Mesa, which only supports OpenGL 2 (3.0 is coming in Mesa 8.0 for Intel only - progress is typically slow on this front).

You can use the Additional Drivers tool to install the nvidia binary-only driver.

Comments

[Zoke]

Are you using the proprietary drivers for NVIDIA?

[kumako]

I installed the binary NVIDIA driver as pablomme mentioned.

[kumako]

Thanks! I installed the binary driver and it now glxinfo shows OpenGL version 4.2.0. However, I still get the error: GLX_ARB_create_context_profile is unavailable.

[kumako]

I noticed that in glxinfo, my OpenGL Vendor says NVIDIA, while my GLX Vendor says VirtualGL. Why is it not also NVIDIA? I'm certain this is the problem.

[pablomme]

Interesting. In my case it says "NVIDIA corporation" for all of {glx server,glx client,OpenGL} vendor string. As far as I can tell, VirtualGL has to do with TurboVNC, but I can't find anything of the like in the repositories. Have you installed TurboVNC in your system?

[pablomme]

..or Bumblebee, which you may have installed for Optimus support. I'm afraid this is an either-or situation - you either get OpenGL 4+ without Bumblebee, or Optimus support with Bumblebee..

[kumako]

I've installed Ironhide - the successor to Bumblebee - so, that would explain it. I suppose I will have to try uninstalling Ironhide, and try it from there. Thanks for your help.