I need some information/ guidance. I am having no luck getting a computer to run GC. My first try was an older Windows 7 laptop. I could not get past the OpenGL error message. I then tried a newer laptop with Windows 10. Still could not get past that problem. Even with a few trips to the local computer experts that didn’t come up with a cure.
Can someone give me an idea of what I need to run GC? Am I going to have to get a desktop that I can build up?
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Sorry I can’t help with windows, but the guys will jump in here soon.
As a good resource for testing hardware for GC without installing anything is @Bee Linux on a USB stick. http://www.disciplesofcnc.com
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I have a link for it in the wiki -
https://www.disciplesofcnc.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Site.LinuxOnUSB
&
https://www.disciplesofcnc.com/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Site.KivyProblems
FYI - It helps me to help you if you first create an account so I have your information when you need support. You can do that from the main page:
https://www.disciplesofcnc.com
Thank you
Hmmm, I’m sorry to hear that. Open GL 2+ is really the only requirement. Open GL 2.0 came out in 2004 (current is 4.6) so it shouldn’t require a cutting edge machine. Are driver updates available for either computer?
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FYI - I’ve seen a hand full of computers where they are on open GL2 or grater but Kivy reports it will not recognize it. This is documented in several Kivy dev groups.
I’ve been able to work around it with linux on a stick on some of the systems. I have one the user didn’t get back to me on it was running Ubuntu 17.
Thank you
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Yes it does, if you don’t have a machine that cuts the edges, groundcontrol won’t really do anything, no matter what machine you run it on 
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I have a Dell OptiPleax FX160 (TinyPC). Runs Windows 7 Pro. Ground Control will not load on it, message comes up with the GL message on it. I don’t want to start messing with other OS’s on sticks. Any ideas?
If your system has the SiS Mirage 3 Graphics, then you are out of luck. Kivy requires opengl 2 and the specs for mirage say opengl 1.5
Suddenly I realize that the discourse forum software is missing a needed feature. Next to the “Like” icon should be a “Groan” icon. 
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But why does it work when i install linux? I thought opengl was hardware dependant, so if it doesn’t work in windows it shouldn’t work in linux either, i assumed.
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Oh Bugger 
Time to have a look what is available on eBay then…
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If the chip can’t do it, this is correct. On windows there are cases that the chip can do 2.0 it but kivy does not recognize that and complains. If a driver update does not fix it in windows, then linux can come to rescue.
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Kivy really needs a use at your own risk force 2.0 setting if they can’t sort out the version issue.
For a desktop you should be able to find a cheap replacement graphics board. Not familiar with USB video but there might be a cheap laptop option.
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Sometimes when I plug my laptop into a USB docking station (standard DisplayLink version), I can’t run GC because of the OpenGL issue. But it isn’t consistent (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t). I think Kivy just has a problem detecting whether or not the display is OpenGL 2.0 compliant or not.
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Yeah, that’s what i thought, i can’t find any never drivers, this is what opelgl extensions viewer tells me, but if i install ubuntu it just works.
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Same computer 2 hours later, so problem fixed, but now i don’t know how to operate the rest of my computer 
I don’t even know how to make a shortcut in ubuntu so i don’t have to open the terminal every time i want to open GC.
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Oh, you have Ubuntu with all the bloatware 
(time to learn how to get rid of things)
Borrow the icon from the top left of the forum and make it 48x48 and store it somewhere.
If you ‘rightclick’ on the desktop you should see an option to create a launcher.
The command for GC should be python /home/your-user-name/GC-folder-name/main.py
Click on the icon in the top left of ‘create launcher’ and choose the borrowed icon.
Name as you wish.
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@Gero, what’s your process for updating the contents of the folder pointed to by the launcher when a new release comes out? Is there a way to have a simple (separate) launcher for that as well?
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Since my folder is always GroundControl-master, no update needed. The last weeks folder gets renamed to GroundControl-master109 or so before I unzip.
This is all on the simulator in my home office. In the workshop I start CG with the terminal and newly with a -tail terminal on the log file.
Linux includes a software emulator for OpenGL (mesa), so even if you don’t have
a opengl card, linux will make your software work (speed may suffer, but that’s
not critical for GC)
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