Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Problems building or running the engine, queries about how to use features etc.
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SpaceRoach
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Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Post by SpaceRoach »

Previous threads
http://www.ogre3d.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=75659
http://www.ogre3d.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=66688

I can't get ogre to detect my nvidia card (optimus) in the tutorial application's config options. Saw nvidia's OptimusrRenderingPolicies whitepaper, tried everything except the static linking part

-Set high performance processor in NV's control panel global settings
-Set high performance processor in application profiles
-Exported the Nvoptimusenablement variable( Not sure about this, just including the lines in the baseapplication.cpp enough?)
-Right click context menu

They also list a "Forced Rendering mode" option wherein they provide the OEMs with a driver to switch GPUs, but I couldn't figure out how to do that
Anyone had any success atleast detecing the nvidia card, let alone forcing it?
I've read that Nvidia whitelists games for this, but is there no other way around? How do other non-listed apps go around this?
Didn't want to necro the old threads, so made a new one

My laptop:
ASUS u43j
i5 450m
Nvidia GT310m
4GB Ram

Thanks
TheSHEEEP
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Re: Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Post by TheSHEEEP »

Are you on Windows or on Linux?

On Linux, optimus cards simply do not work correctly.
At least not without using Bumblebee. And even with Bumblebee, it is a PITA. I'll certainly never buy a laptop with an optimus card again...
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SpaceRoach
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Re: Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Post by SpaceRoach »

I'm on windows 7 (x64)
Sorry forgot to mention that :/
So do nvidia whitelist each and every game that is released?
Maybe some API call can do the trick, right? RIGHT?
;_;
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c6burns
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Re: Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Post by c6burns »

I've used switchable graphics, but not optimus. The vendor of the laptop supplies utilities to switch graphics and they just work (though clearly not in your case :( ). My wife figured out how to run my game on the higher end GPU of her vaio and she's not some programmer or hardware superstar, just an average user. IMHO open a support request with nvidia or your vendor because it's supposed to just work.
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Re: Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Post by al2950 »

i have an optimus powered laptop with an intel cpu and geforce 555M, running Win7 64bit and I have not had any problems. I usually right click on the app and use the "Use graphics processor" option. (Cant remember the exact option as I dont have my laptop with me).

The one thing I did note is that it does not matter what gpu you choose Ogre will always report it is using the intel one, but that is just a string, it defiantly does use the nvidia gpu when asked to, even if it says its using the intel one.

I should also mention that I rebuilt my laptop and did not install the laptop software as it was causing me a few issues, the result is my 'optimus' button does not work but everything else does :).
SpaceRoach
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Re: Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Post by SpaceRoach »

Thanks for the replies.

c6burns: I've been searching but I don't think ASUS provides any kind of utility for switching

al2950: If I run the tutorial app exe(without any additional code) with the high performance processor option, I get 300~350 fps. Card is gt310m. Is this normal?
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Re: Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Post by al2950 »

SpaceRoach wrote:Thanks for the replies.
al2950: If I run the tutorial app exe(without any additional code) with the high performance processor option, I get 300~350 fps. Card is gt310m. Is this normal?
I am not sure, I will have a look when I back tonight, but sounds about right. What frame rate do you get if you run it without the performance mode option?
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Re: Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Post by Herb »

I would think as a last resort there is a way to disable the basic video card entirely in windows...to get the app to use the higher end card all the time. I know on my ASUS laptop running Ubuntu Linux, I had to install the nvidia prime package (not using bumblebee) to basically disable the intel graphics chipset and always use the nvidia card. The downside is battery life, but I don't use it very often unplugged, so not an issue for me.
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Re: Ogre & Switchable graphics ( UGH! )

Post by SpaceRoach »

@al Tried both integrated as well the nv gpu, got identical framerate

@herb that is what I want to do, but it's the system temperature(usually reaches 80-85 even with the integrated) that discouraged me till now. Happens when I run too many apps at the same time

EDIT: ok wow, just uninstalled the intel driver, rebooted and IT STILL SHOWS INTEL. The Driver is gone from control panel as well. wow

EDIT2: "Nvidia can't continue. You need to install an intel driver first"

GG no re nvidia

Thanks everyone for chiming in. Guess I'll have to continue with intel now.
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