Matlab 2014b in Ubuntu 14.04: solution to NVIDIA graphic card support problem

For the installation of matlab2014b in ubuntu, please follow the instructions in the following link:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MATLAB

When I tried to plot 3D image (2D density surface), the rendering of the image was bad. It looks like that there are missing pixels. 

This is because Nouveau kernel driver does not support matlab. As a result, matlab is using its OpenGL software option for rendering.

The following gives the instruction to install Nvidia driver in ubuntu and reset OpenGL in matlab.

1. in a ubuntu terminal run the following commands:

• sudo apt-add-repository ppa:xorg-edgers/ppa
• sudo apt-get update
• sudo apt-get install nvidia-current nvidia-settings

1. reboot your PC
2. run matlab
3. in matlab, run the command line:

• opengl('save','hardware')

The matlab2014b should produce nice 3D images now.
Enjoy!

Leave me a comment if you think this post is useful for you.

-shun