Plotting and OpenGL error on Linux. How to resolve?

Hi I am unable to plot with Matlab. I have been getting this message:

MATLAB has experienced a low-level graphics error, and may not have drawn correctly. Read about what you can do to prevent this issue at Resolving Low-Level Graphics Issues then restart MATLAB.

When I followed the instructions to resolve this issue, I got this message:

Error using opengl Switching to software OpenGL rendering at runtime on unix is not supported.

I am running debian wheezy on a lenovo T440s. Please let me know what I can do to resolve this issue.

Answer 1

[Willi Mutschler]

I also ran into this issue on my Dell XPS 13 9360 which neither has a NVIDIA or AMD card, but an on-board intel graphics card.

I filed a bug report with MATHWORKS and they proposed two solutions:

1. Create a file with the name 'java.opts' in the directory where MATLAB is executed (for me this is in '/usr/local/MATLAB/R2020a/bin/glnxa64') with the following line: -Djogl.disable.openglarbcontext=1
2. If this does not work, then the above solution using export MESA_LOADER_DRIVER_OVERRIDE=i965 is working.

For me both solve my issue.

[Eyal]

Thank you for number 1!!

Solved it for me :)

[Avinash]

The 1st solution resolved it, Thank you !!

[Abhishek]

Hello!! How did you create that particular file. Is it just like the normal .txt file?

[Walter Roberson]

@Abhishek

yes, java.opts is a normal text file.

[Armaghan]

The 1st solution worked for me. Thank you!!!

[Atharva]

The second option worked for me. Thanks for helping!!

[Kadapalla]

The 1st solution worked for me. Thank you!!!

[Rafael]

The first solution error:

Unrecognized option: Djogl.disable.openglarbcontext=1
Unable to start the JVM because of a bad Java option or unknown error.
Please check your java.opts file.

So don't forget the dash in java.opts:

-Djogl.disable.openglarbcontext=1

Answer 2

[Willi Mutschler]

Hi,

I am on Ubuntu 20.04 beta and running the nvidia on-demand prime profile, and get the same error. I can solve this (see the Archwiki) by starting matlab from terminal:

export MESA_LOADER_DRIVER_OVERRIDE=i965; matlab

Or (additionaly) you can change the EXEC in /usr/share/applications/matlab.desktop to:

Exec=env MESA_LOADER_DRIVER_OVERRIDE=i965 matlab -desktop

[V S S Sri Krishna Telikicherlakandalai]

How can I edit matlab.desktop It is not giving access to edit and save

[Walter Roberson]

@V S S Sri Krishna Telikicherlakandalai

You get someone with system administration access to change the file.

Answer 3

[Walter Roberson]

Try starting your MATLAB with the -softwareopengl flag. If the crash goes away then you have an OpenGL problem and might need a driver update.

Which MATLAB release are you using?

[yuanb]

I am using R2014b. How do I start MATLAB with the -softwareopengl flag? The instructions said to run matlab -softwareopengl in my console, but it says command not found when I do that.

Thank you!

[Walter Roberson]

Inside MATLAB, give the command

matlabroot

The result will tell you where your MATLAB is installed. You might have to look inside a subfolder such as 'bin' to find the matlab executable.

For example on OS-X it shows up for me as

/Applications/MATLAB_R2014a.app/bin/matlab