OpenGL canvas flashing

[thewyliestcoyote]

What I am using the OpenGL canvas in PCBnew it flashes from the PCB layout to some other frame buffer it seems. It is not always that background that the canvas is replaced with. Sometimes it goes to a the default black back ground as if nothing has been placed there.

I am not sure if this is related or not (I think it is) but the 3D viewing only works for smaller views.

Here is my Kicad version info:
Application: kicad
Version: 0.201508290901+6132~28~ubuntu14.04.1-product release build
wxWidgets: Version 3.0.2 (debug,wchar_t,compiler with C++ ABI 1002,GCC 4.8.4,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
Platform: Linux 3.16.0-46-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
Boost version: 1.54.0
USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
USE_FP_LIB_TABLE=HARD_CODED_ON
BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON

Here is some basic system info:
OS: Ubuntu 14.04LTS
Processor: Install i7-5820K
Graphics: AMD Radeon R9 290x
Memory: 64GB
Disk: 210GB

$ glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"
 OpenGL version string: 4.4.13374 Compatibility Profile Context 15.20.1046

$ lshw -c video

PCI (sysfs)

  *-display
       description: VGA compatible controller
       product: Hawaii XT [Radeon R9 290X]
       vendor: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:04:00.0
       version: 00
       width: 64 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm pciexpress msi vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
       configuration: driver=fglrx_pci latency=0
       resources: irq:44 memory:e0000000-efffffff memory:f0000000-f07fffff ioport:e000(size=256) memory:fbe00000-fbe3ffff memory:fbe40000-fbe5ffff

My screen resolution is 3840 x 2160.

If there is any more information that I can provide please let me know.

[Maciej Suminski (orsonmmz)]

Hi thewyliestcoyote,

Are you able to see anything or use the OpenGL canvas at all? How often does the flash occurs or is there any particular operation that causes it to happen?

Regards,
Orson

[Maciej Suminski (orsonmmz)]

Two more questions:
- What happens if you 3D view in a big window? You mentioned there are problems, please tell us some more details.
- Does pcbnew work fine if it runs in a smaller window?

[thewyliestcoyote (thewyliestcoyote)]

I am able to seen the board that I am trying to layout, however if seems to flashing 2 to 4 times per second. This makes it unusable to me. The rate is about 2 to 4 times per second if I had to guess but I have no real way as of yet of measuring it. It does seem to be effected by use inputs like mouse and keyboard. When moving the cursors the canvas seems stable, however when I stop this is not the case.

Attached is a screen shot of what the 3D view does.

I had not checked this until now but it seems that both problems go away when I make the size of the windows smaller. That is kind of odd. I had not thought of that as a work around. This will let me keep working until a better fix is found.

Thanks,
Wylie

[thewyliestcoyote (thewyliestcoyote)]

Almost forgot, here is a screen shot of the PCBnew and 3D views working and about the largest size they can be and not cause problems.

Thanks,
Wylie

[Maciej Suminski (orsonmmz)]

Do you know what drivers do you use? (proprietary/free)
Usually proprietary drivers are known to cause less problems, perhaps it is worth to try them out.

[thewyliestcoyote (thewyliestcoyote)]

I am using the proprietary drivers form AMD.

[Maciej Suminski (orsonmmz)]

Have you tried other OpenGL applications? How about glxgears? I am wondering if the problem is really specific to KiCad.

[thewyliestcoyote (thewyliestcoyote)]

I just did and seems to work just fine, I cant see anything wrong with it

$ glxgears
18978 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3795.371 FPS
17282 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3456.318 FPS
23749 frames in 5.0 seconds = 4749.730 FPS
25034 frames in 5.0 seconds = 5005.312 FPS
25247 frames in 5.0 seconds = 5049.342 FPS

However glxdemo seems to have a problem with larger windows. Does not have the same problem as kicad. I guess maybe this is a driver problem? Any ideas on where I could begin trouble shooting?

Thanks,
Wylie

[Maciej Suminski (orsonmmz)]

What is the problem with larger windows? And how does it differ from the KiCad problem?
I am wondering if lowering the display resolution helps here.

[thewyliestcoyote (thewyliestcoyote)]

It goes black, when I resize it back to a more reasonable size it displays
as intended.

On Fri, Sep 11, 2015 at 8:45 AM, Maciej Sumiński <email address hidden>
wrote:

> What is the problem with larger windows? And how does it differ from the
> KiCad problem?
> I am wondering if lowering the display resolution helps here.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1492117
>
> Title:
> OpenGL canvas flashing
>
> Status in KiCad:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> What I am using the OpenGL canvas in PCBnew it flashes from the PCB
> layout to some other frame buffer it seems. It is not always that
> background that the canvas is replaced with. Sometimes it goes to a
> the default black back ground as if nothing has been placed there.
>
> I am not sure if this is related or not (I think it is) but the 3D
> viewing only works for smaller views.
>
> Here is my Kicad version info:
> Application: kicad
> Version: 0.201508290901+6132~28~ubuntu14.04.1-product release build
> wxWidgets: Version 3.0.2 (debug,wchar_t,compiler with C++ ABI 1002,GCC
> 4.8.4,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
> Platform: Linux 3.16.0-46-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
> Boost version: 1.54.0
> USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
> USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
> KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
> KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
> KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
> USE_FP_LIB_TABLE=HARD_CODED_ON
> BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
>
> Here is some basic system info:
> OS: Ubuntu 14.04LTS
> Processor: Install i7-5820K
> Graphics: AMD Radeon R9 290x
> Memory: 64GB
> Disk: 210GB
>
> $ glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"
> OpenGL version string: 4.4.13374 Compatibility Profile Context
> 15.20.1046
>
> $ lshw -c video
>
> PCI (sysfs)
>
> *-display
> description: VGA compatible controller
> product: Hawaii XT [Radeon R9 290X]
> vendor: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]
> physical id: 0
> bus info: pci@0000:04:00.0
> version: 00
> width: 64 bits
> clock: 33MHz
> capabilities: pm pciexpress msi vga_controller bus_master
> cap_list rom
> configuration: driver=fglrx_pci latency=0
> resources: irq:44 memory:e0000000-efffffff
> memory:f0000000-f07fffff ioport:e000(size=256) memory:fbe00000-fbe3ffff
> memory:fbe40000-fbe5ffff
>
> My screen resolution is 3840 x 2160.
>
> If there is any more information that I can provide please let me
> know.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/kicad/+bug/1492117/+subscriptions
>

[Maciej Suminski (orsonmmz)]

If there are other applications that exhibit similar symptoms (problems with rendering to a big area), then I am afraid it might be a bug in the video driver or an issue with Xorg configuration.

[thewyliestcoyote (thewyliestcoyote)]

Makes sense to me, any idea where I can start troubleshooting this problem?

On Sat, Sep 12, 2015 at 2:01 PM, Maciej Sumiński <email address hidden>
wrote:

> If there are other applications that exhibit similar symptoms (problems
> with rendering to a big area), then I am afraid it might be a bug in the
> video driver or an issue with Xorg configuration.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1492117
>
> Title:
> OpenGL canvas flashing
>
> Status in KiCad:
> New
>
> Bug description:
> What I am using the OpenGL canvas in PCBnew it flashes from the PCB
> layout to some other frame buffer it seems. It is not always that
> background that the canvas is replaced with. Sometimes it goes to a
> the default black back ground as if nothing has been placed there.
>
> I am not sure if this is related or not (I think it is) but the 3D
> viewing only works for smaller views.
>
> Here is my Kicad version info:
> Application: kicad
> Version: 0.201508290901+6132~28~ubuntu14.04.1-product release build
> wxWidgets: Version 3.0.2 (debug,wchar_t,compiler with C++ ABI 1002,GCC
> 4.8.4,wx containers,compatible with 2.8)
> Platform: Linux 3.16.0-46-generic x86_64, 64 bit, Little endian, wxGTK
> Boost version: 1.54.0
> USE_WX_GRAPHICS_CONTEXT=OFF
> USE_WX_OVERLAY=OFF
> KICAD_SCRIPTING=ON
> KICAD_SCRIPTING_MODULES=ON
> KICAD_SCRIPTING_WXPYTHON=ON
> USE_FP_LIB_TABLE=HARD_CODED_ON
> BUILD_GITHUB_PLUGIN=ON
>
> Here is some basic system info:
> OS: Ubuntu 14.04LTS
> Processor: Install i7-5820K
> Graphics: AMD Radeon R9 290x
> Memory: 64GB
> Disk: 210GB
>
> $ glxinfo | grep "OpenGL version"
> OpenGL version string: 4.4.13374 Compatibility Profile Context
> 15.20.1046
>
> $ lshw -c video
>
> PCI (sysfs)
>
> *-display
> description: VGA compatible controller
> product: Hawaii XT [Radeon R9 290X]
> vendor: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI]
> physical id: 0
> bus info: pci@0000:04:00.0
> version: 00
> width: 64 bits
> clock: 33MHz
> capabilities: pm pciexpress msi vga_controller bus_master
> cap_list rom
> configuration: driver=fglrx_pci latency=0
> resources: irq:44 memory:e0000000-efffffff
> memory:f0000000-f07fffff ioport:e000(size=256) memory:fbe00000-fbe3ffff
> memory:fbe40000-fbe5ffff
>
> My screen resolution is 3840 x 2160.
>
> If there is any more information that I can provide please let me
> know.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/kicad/+bug/1492117/+subscriptions
>

[Maciej Suminski (orsonmmz)]

If you feel adventurous, I would give a try updating Xorg and/or fglrx driver. For the moment, I do not have any better idea - I did a bit of googling and noticed that in general there are problems with 4K displays, not necessarily related to ATI cards.

[Maciej Suminski (orsonmmz)]

Note to myself: it might be related to the max texture size supported by the video card.