OpenGL applications flicker when using ati cards (GNOME only)

True. It's actually the popups. You know, the notification balloons? It's those.

I just verified that it happens in UT2004 in windowed mode, and there were no popups. Attached is a demo file from Nexuiz. I don't know how to view them, but if someone else does, you can see what is happening. The same thing occurs both in Windowed and fullscreen UT2k4.

Try setting desktop effects to none, this fixes the problem for me. Compiz doesn't play well with apps that use fullscreen 3D with ATI driver.

Patrick,

This fixed the issue (so to speak). I will file a bug with Compiz, if it has not been done already.

Can you do me a favor and either comment with the location of the upstream bug report or add it yourself with the "Also affects: +Project" link above? Thank you.

It turns out it's the common glitch with Compiz and fullscreen apps. This occurs in some form with both nv and ati cards.

Perhaps related to Bug #216322?

This seems to be related to #153204.

Could you check if the following workaround works for you?

Type the following line in a Terminal
sudo apt-get install compizconfig-settings-manager

Start Advance Desktop Effects Settings (System->Preferences->Advance Desktop Effects Settings).
Click on "General Options" under "General", uncheck "Unredirect Fullscreen Windows" (should be 3rd from the bottom).
Click on Back and Close.

Does the flicking still happens?

Hello,
Thanks, but this did not solve the problem for me. OpenGL apps like Google Earth (windowed & fullscreen) or even glxgears still flicker.
This bug is also described here : http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=769020

Dear Rui Boon,
Thanks a lot!

For me it solved the problem with fullscreen mode of evince reported here:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/compiz/+bug/203805
(that is a dublicate of this bug)

The flicker doesn't appear any more!

There seems to be 2 different issues here.
bug 224893 (this bug) seems to be referring to fullscreen OpenGL application flickering with ATI cards
bug 153204 seems to be referring to fullscreen application flickering (not necessary OpenGL apps nor ATI cards.) Workaround for this bug has been described in 3 posts above.

markbuntu in http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=4990372&postcount=27 mentioned that

"The problem is between compiz and the ATI driver. It has to do with a compiz call to GL_pixmaps... that is not recognized and so compiz defaults to indirect rendering which uses a lot of cpu resources and causes a vastly reduced frame rate. This in turn causes ANY process that needs a rapid frame rate to flicker if compiz is running. One solution is to switch to metacity when using Google Earth or any other ap that flickers in compiz."

I am marking this as confirmed as I believe that there is enough information both here and in the forum lined above.

Hello,
On my computer, this bug (ATI+OpenGL applications) doesn't only appear in fullscreen. Google Earth in windowed mode or glxgears also cause the display to flicker.

Sorry that i did'nt notice that it happen with windowed application as well. Updating summary to reflect that.

are you using the fglrx driver? ( Bug 219009 )

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. This particular bug has already been reported and is a duplicate of bug 179042, so it is being marked as such. Please look at the other bug report to see if there is any missing information that you can provide, or to see if there is a workaround for the bug. Additionally, any further discussion regarding the bug should occur in the other report. Feel free to continue to report any other bugs you may find.