The GPU-Viewer is a free, open-source project to create an easy-to-use interface for glxinfo, vulkaninfo, and clinfo. The program will be developed using Python 3 with GTK3 to display all the crucial details extracted from these programs on one page alongside other valuable tools like grep or AWK. This project aims to make it easy for users to access information about their GPUs without opening multiple programs or using the command line. The GPU-Viewer will be particularly useful for people who are new to Linux or not comfortable using the terminal.
However, even experienced users will find the program handy as a quick way to check on the status of their GPUs. The project is still in its early stages, but the developers have already made significant progress in creating a functional and user-friendly interface. The GPU-Viewer is expected to be released later this year and will be available for free download from the project website.
The following tutorial will teach you how to install the latest GPU-Viewer on Linux Mint 21 LTS release series with a third-party PPA from LaunchPAD using the command line terminal.
Table of Contents
Update Linux Mint
Before proceeding, ensure your system is up-to-date using the following command.
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -yInstall GPU-Viewer
Import GPU-Viewer PPA
The software is not available on Linux Mint’s default repositories but from a PPA by Arun Sivaraman that constantly features the latest version.
First, make sure the following dependencies are installed.
sudo apt install dirmngr ca-certificates software-properties-common gnupg gnupg2 apt-transport-https -yNext, import the GPG key needed for all the repositories.
sudo gpg --no-default-keyring --keyring /usr/share/keyrings/gpuviewer.gpg --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 125E48D66C5B656D41D67EEB7B5C8CB04AB5A282If you have issues importing the GPG key from LaunchPAD, please see the end section on GPG troubleshooting at the end of the article.
Example output:
gpg: keybox '/usr/share/keyrings/gpuviewer.gpg' created
gpg: key 7B5C8CB04AB5A282: public key "Launchpad PPA for Arun Sivaraman" imported
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg: imported: 1
Next, import the PPA.
echo 'deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/gpuviewer.gpg] https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/arunsivaraman/gpuviewer/ubuntu jammy main' | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gpuviewer.listInstall GPU-Viewer Command
Run an APT update to sync the newly imported PPA before running the install command.
sudo apt-get updateBegin the installation in your terminal by executing the following command.
sudo apt install gpu-viewer -yHow to Launch GPU-Viewer
Launching the application can be done in a few different methods, while in your terminal, you can use the following command.
gpu-viewerFor desktop users, find the icon application and possibly add it to your favorites.
The location path can be found in Taskbar > Administration > GPU-Viewer.
Example:
Once open, you will see the default landing screen. Remember, this will be vastly different for each user.
Example:
Example 2:
Congratulations, you have installed GPU-Viewer on Linux Mint 21.
How to Remove (Uninstall) GPU-Viewer
First, remove using the following command in your terminal for users that no longer wish to have the software installed.
sudo apt autoremove gpu-viewer --purgeOnce complete, optionally remove the PPA with the following command for users that will never re-install the software.
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gpuviewer.listAnd that is it; you have removed GPU-Viewer from your system.
How to Fix Broken LaunchPAD GPG Import
Users that have installed Linux Mint for the first time or have not imported a GPG key before using the command line terminal will often have issues importing GPG keys from LaunchPAD PPAs due to the directories not being created. This is an easy fix. Use the following command that will, in turn, generate the directories.
sudo gpg --list-keysExample output:
As mentioned above, the necessary directories have been created. This can be skipped, and use the following GPG import command below. If you have any issues with directories missing for this and any other PPA GPG key in the future, just run the above command.
Comments and Conclusion
The GPU-Viewer promises to be a valuable asset for any gamer or system administrator. Putting all the important information from glxinfo, vulkaninfo, and clinfo into one easy-to-understand interface will save time and energy. Developed using Python 3 with GTK3, the project is also open source so that anyone can contribute. The GPU-Viewer is still developing, but you can check the code on GitHub.
