[Paraview] Can pvserver run without X server?

[Kent Eschenberg]

Weiguang Guan wrote:
> Has anyone run Paraview in client/server mode where the pvserver run on 
> a computer (or cluster) without X server running? It seems to me that 
> DRI can let an application access video hardware directly without going 
> through X server.

I think the answer is no. When composite is off the client does the 
rendering and the graphics card has to be at the client. When composite 
is on the server does the rendering but it only works through OpenGL or 
through Mesa which emulates OpenGL.

I think both must reach the graphics card through the X server. In other 
words, the X server "owns" the graphics card and manages all access to it.

The last system I know of that would do what you wanted was from SGI 
using their GL language, the precursor to OpenGL.

Kent
Pittsburgh Supercomputer Center