# Can't use vtkExternalOpenGLRenderer - vtkRenderingExternalModule.h is missing

**URL:** https://discourse.vtk.org/t/cant-use-vtkexternalopenglrenderer-vtkrenderingexternalmodule-h-is-missing/14790
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [October 30, 2024, 3:22pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/cant-use-vtkexternalopenglrenderer-vtkrenderingexternalmodule-h-is-missing/14790 "2024-10-30T15:22:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Seb-surgar](https://discourse.vtk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Seb-surgar](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/Seb-surgar)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2024, 3:22pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/cant-use-vtkexternalopenglrenderer-vtkrenderingexternalmodule-h-is-missing/14790/1 "2024-10-30T15:22:23Z")

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Hello,  
I am on ubuntu and I can’t use the vtkExternalOpenGLRenderer (or other vtkExternal… class) because the file vtkRenderingExternalModule.h is missing.

Is this file supposed to be automatically generated during build ? Or can you tell me where to find it ?

I have recompiled the VTK lib from source with no problem but this file is always missing.

Thanks in advance

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### Author: ![mwestphal](https://discourse.vtk.org/user_avatar/discourse.vtk.org/mwestphal/32/19_2.png) [@mwestphal](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/mwestphal)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/cant-use-vtkexternalopenglrenderer-vtkrenderingexternalmodule-h-is-missing/14790/2 "2024-10-30T15:37:35Z")

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you need to enable the following cmake variable:

`VTK_MODULE_ENABLE_VTK_RenderingExternal`

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Seb-surgar](https://discourse.vtk.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Seb-surgar](https://discourse.vtk.org/u/Seb-surgar)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2024, 9:05am UTC](https://discourse.vtk.org/t/cant-use-vtkexternalopenglrenderer-vtkrenderingexternalmodule-h-is-missing/14790/3 "2024-10-31T09:05:01Z")

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Ok, it’s working.  
Thanks !
