Why do I get a low level graphics error when I use MATLAB with ssh -X?

When I use MATLAB on a remote machine I have connected to using ssh -X or ssh -Y, the following error appears in the terminal:

libGL error: failed to open drm device: Permission denied

libGL error: failed to load driver: i965

libGL error: failed to open drm device: Permission denied

libGL error: failed to load driver: i965

libGL error: failed to open drm device: Permission denied

libGL error: failed to load driver: i965

        at com.mathworks.hg.uij.OpenGLUtils$MyGLListener.getGLValid(OpenGLUtils.java:430)

        at com.mathworks.hg.uij.OpenGLUtils.getGLValid(OpenGLUtils.java:89)

And

>> opengl info

returns the following error:

javax.media.opengl.GLException: main: X11GLXContext.createContextImpl ctx !ARB but ARB is used, profile > GL2 requested (OpenGL >= 3.0.1). Requested: GLProfile[GL3bc/GL3bc.sw], current: 3.0 (Compat profile, ES2 compat, FBO, software) - 3.0 Mesa 17.2.4

        at jogamp.opengl.x11.glx.X11GLXContext.createImpl(X11GLXContext.java:390)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLContextImpl.makeCurrentWithinLock(GLContextImpl.java:699)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLContextImpl.makeCurrent(GLContextImpl.java:592)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLContextImpl.makeCurrent(GLContextImpl.java:541)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLDrawableHelper.invokeGLImpl(GLDrawableHelper.java:1263)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLDrawableHelper.invokeGL(GLDrawableHelper.java:1131)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLAutoDrawableBase.defaultDisplay(GLAutoDrawableBase.java:465)

        at com.jogamp.opengl.GLAutoDrawableDelegate.display(GLAutoDrawableDelegate.java:190)

        at com.mathworks.hg.uij.OpenGLUtils$MyGLListener.getGLInformation(OpenGLUtils.java:285)

        at com.mathworks.hg.uij.OpenGLUtils$MyGLListener.getGLValid(OpenGLUtils.java:430)

        at com.mathworks.hg.uij.OpenGLUtils.getGLValid(OpenGLUtils.java:89)

javax.media.opengl.GLException: main: X11GLXContext.createContextImpl ctx !ARB but ARB is used, profile > GL2 requested (OpenGL >= 3.0.1). Requested: GLProfile[GL3bc/GL3bc.sw], current: 3.0 (Compat profile, ES2 compat, FBO, software) - 3.0 Mesa 17.2.4

        at jogamp.opengl.x11.glx.X11GLXContext.createImpl(X11GLXContext.java:390)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLContextImpl.makeCurrentWithinLock(GLContextImpl.java:699)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLContextImpl.makeCurrent(GLContextImpl.java:592)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLContextImpl.makeCurrent(GLContextImpl.java:541)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLDrawableHelper.invokeGLImpl(GLDrawableHelper.java:1263)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLDrawableHelper.invokeGL(GLDrawableHelper.java:1131)

        at jogamp.opengl.GLAutoDrawableBase.defaultDisplay(GLAutoDrawableBase.java:465)

        at com.jogamp.opengl.GLAutoDrawableDelegate.display(GLAutoDrawableDelegate.java:190)

        at com.mathworks.hg.uij.OpenGLUtils$MyGLListener.getGLInformation(OpenGLUtils.java:285)

My other applications (such as Firefox) also have trouble loading OpenGL correctly. Other computers are able to access MATLAB on this remote machine correctly, and my computer is able to access it using ssh, just not ssh -X and ssh -Y. 

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

This error is likely indicative of an underlying issue with your system's setup where you cannot load OpenGL properly, rather than an issue with MATLAB specifically. 

As a workaround, open MATLAB using '-softwareopengl'.