Panda3D Manual: Installing Panda in Linux
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The Installation Process - Linux

The easiest way to install panda is to use the RPM or DEB packages. This is only possible if your version of Linux is one of the provided versions of Linux. If not, you will need to compile from source. If there is an installer available, download and install the RPM or DEB appropriate to your version of Linux.

It has been discovered that some of the DEB and RPM files work on versions other than the one for which they were intended. For example, the package for Debian Sarge has also been found to work with Debian Sid. If you have a slight variant of one of the supplied operating systems, it may be easier to try the package before you bother with compiling panda yourself.

After installing panda, you should run the sample programs to verify that the installation is good. To do so, you need to change directory to the panda samples directory, select a sample program, change directory to that sample, and run the sample using Python:

$ cd /usr/share/panda3d/samples
$ ls
Sample-Programs--Asteroids
Sample-Programs--Ball-in-Maze
Sample-Programs--Boxing-Robots
Sample-Programs--Carousel
Sample-Programs--Cartoon-Shader
Sample-Programs--Chessboard
Sample-Programs--Disco-Lights
Sample-Programs--Fireflies
Sample-Programs--Fractal-Plants
Sample-Programs--Glow-Filter
Sample-Programs--GUI
Sample-Programs--Infinite-Tunnel
Sample-Programs--Looking-and-Gripping
Sample-Programs--Media-Player
Sample-Programs--Motion-Trails
Sample-Programs--Music-Box
Sample-Programs--Normal-Mapping
Sample-Programs--Particles
Sample-Programs--Procedural-Cube
Sample-Programs--Roaming-Ralph
Sample-Programs--Shadows
Sample-Programs--Solar-System
Sample-Programs--Teapot-on-TV
Sample-Programs--Texture-Swapping
$ cd Sample-Programs--Boxing-Robots
$ python Tut-Boxing-Robots.py

What to do if you see the Error Message:
display(error): The application requested harware acceleration, but your OpenGL
display(error): driver, GDI Generic, only supports software rendering.
display(error): You need to install a hardware-accelerated OpenGL driver, or,
display(error): if you actually *want* to use a software renderer, then
display(error): alter the hardware/software configuration in your Config.prc file.
display(error): Window wouldn't open; abandoning window.

This error is fairly self-explanatory: it means your video drivers are inadequate. Obtain better drivers.

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