• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Linux registry project

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
xmms's volume stuff isn't a good example.

The XMMS developers are a bit pig-headed about stuff, they are still mostly OSS and OSS was designed to be single user enviroment on a very simple sound card. The alsa support is a plug-in for them and doesn't have anything to do with the volume control.

If a app wants control over the master volume and the uid/guid has rights then it's the job of Alsa to provide access to the master volume. Of course if it was Windows I suppose you would do a hack to detect the XMMS app and then force it to act to what you would considure "correct" behavior. Which wouldn't be that hard to do with Alsa, but that's just not how you do things in Linux.

If you want to see something cool, check out how users can have their own .asoundrc configuration file that alsa apps can use.

It's actually very very cool. As a user you can create your own Alsa devices without having to have rights to any hardware or /dev/ stuff.
 
After I get slightest idea of what I am talking about, stop spreading FUD I might even take a look at Linux one day.

What a waste of thread and time...
 
Originally posted by: Haden
After I get slightest idea of what I am talking about, stop spreading FUD I might even take a look at Linux one day.

What a waste of thread and time...


Don't be so bitter. If the registry stuff has merit it will stand on it's own.
 
The registry thing has merit, if for no other reason, because it gets people into the various parts of the system hacking around. Atleast they should learn something. If it doesn't go anywhere, there will be a couple of people that know a little bit more than before.

The ALSA stuff is way above me. And I'm not a big fan of XMMS. It changes my volume for me, and I don't like it doing that.
 
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
The registry thing has merit, if for no other reason, because it gets people into the various parts of the system hacking around. Atleast they should learn something. If it doesn't go anywhere, there will be a couple of people that know a little bit more than before.

Definately. If you take the good ideas from Gconf and LR and some other stuff and get rid of the parts that don't work, then you can create something realy cool.

The ALSA stuff is way above me. And I'm not a big fan of XMMS. It changes my volume for me, and I don't like it doing that.


.asoundrc stuff
That's why I know alsa is cool stuff. Check out dmix plugin for crappy soundcards. It lets me use multiple sound sources (like play music and play a game at the same time with no conflicts) for a card that normally this wouldn't be possible. All within my users preferences.. cool stuff.
 
Originally posted by: drag
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
The registry thing has merit, if for no other reason, because it gets people into the various parts of the system hacking around. Atleast they should learn something. If it doesn't go anywhere, there will be a couple of people that know a little bit more than before.

Definately. If you take the good ideas from Gconf and LR and some other stuff and get rid of the parts that don't work, then you can create something realy cool.

The ALSA stuff is way above me. And I'm not a big fan of XMMS. It changes my volume for me, and I don't like it doing that.


.asoundrc stuff
That's why I know alsa is cool stuff. Check out dmix plugin for crappy soundcards. It lets me use multiple sound sources (like play music and play a game at the same time with no conflicts) for a card that normally this wouldn't be possible. All within my users preferences.. cool stuff.

It's definitely cool, but I would have to get a new sound card. I don't think the Linux box has an onboard one, and I like the SB Live! being in my desktop machine. 😉
 
Originally posted by: Haden
After I get slightest idea of what I am talking about, stop spreading FUD I might even take a look at Linux one day.

What a waste of thread and time...

And here I was thinking that this thread was quite informative and interesting...
 
I think it would be worth to do a little explanation.

It was pretty good thread, until perfectly valid alsa example got flamed going off topic.
As I've mentioned, "software volume control" you see in xmms alsa plugin is based on my patch,
so it's insulting to get called clueless, not to me, but to all developers who have come with similar solutions.

The ALSA stuff is way above me. And I'm not a big fan of XMMS. It changes my volume for me, and I don't like it doing that.

It is not XMMS fault, it does what it can, every multimedia application does the same (mplayer, alsaplayer, xine, zinf...).

But it seems that closing eyes is considered best solution, how can something be fixed if problem isn't admitted in the first place?
I thought that this situation (every multimedia application inventing wheel because of drawback in backend) is perfect example of how backend/frameworks/APIs affect many end user applications - this is why I brought it up.
I have analyzed code of all above mentioned applications, and what I saw is devs struggling to get this basic capability (call it "cooperative volume" if you wish) - it ain't right.

If someone still doesn't get it, I have more problems with my English than I thought.
 
Originally posted by: Haden
I think it would be worth to do a little explanation.

It was pretty good thread, until perfectly valid alsa example got flamed going off topic.
As I've mentioned, "software volume control" you see in xmms alsa plugin is based on my patch,
so it's insulting to get called clueless, not to me, but to all developers who have come with similar solutions.

The ALSA stuff is way above me. And I'm not a big fan of XMMS. It changes my volume for me, and I don't like it doing that.

It is not XMMS fault, it does what it can, every multimedia application does the same (mplayer, alsaplayer, xine, zinf...).

Not all multimedia applications affect my volume. In fact, XMMS is the only one I've noticed that does this. I haven't tried a whole lot of those applications though, and I haven't tried it lately because it was just too annoying. I am 100% sure it is not an ALSA problem. 😉

But it seems that closing eyes is considered best solution, how can something be fixed if problem isn't admitted in the first place?
I thought that this situation (every multimedia application inventing wheel because of drawback in backend) is perfect example of how backend/frameworks/APIs affect many end user applications - this is why I brought it up.
I have analyzed code of all above mentioned applications, and what I saw is devs struggling to get this basic capability (call it "cooperative volume" if you wish) - it ain't right.

If someone still doesn't get it, I have more problems with my English than I thought.

I get it, and got it. And I don't think you'll see any of the experienced admins and users here disagreeing with the general point. It was the implimentation of the registry we didn't like. 😉

Also, not all applications have to worry about this since many of them are coded for Linux and that's about it, but there are several different systems that will not be willing to switch to another API. The BSDs, Solaris, Mac OS X, etc. don't/can't/won't use ALSA. So we would either have yet another case of "Linux only" or the coders will have to continue trying to support a number of solutions.
 
Not all multimedia applications affect my volume.

If you would go back, you will see why it is so (list of apps which have implemented some sort software volume control).
Drop zinf and xine to that list too.
 
Originally posted by: Haden
Not all multimedia applications affect my volume.

If you would go back, you will see why it is so (list of apps which have implemented some sort software volume control).
Drop zinf and xine to that list too.

I saw the list you posted (mplayer, alsaplayer, xine, zinf...), and I'm telling you they don't affect me. 😉 mplayer doesn't atleast.
 
Would it have helped if I had explained the problem? 😛

When I press play or xmms moves on to the next mp3, the volume jumps to 100%. Seting it to something lower through XMMS or the OS (mixerctl) does not help. mplayer doesn't however.
 
Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey
mpg321 -@ myplaylist.m3u

But I much prefer mpd.

Word. I'll have to check it out.

That looks nice.

Looks like a answer to a problem I didn't know that I had up till now.

With the command line commands I can bind my multimedia keys to control the playlist stuff.

edit:

See. it's little things like this. A music playing deamon with basic controls that are easily implimented in a veriaty of tools in a veriaty of ways. Simple, cool, usefull...

Stuff like that is what makes using Linux (and unix in general) cool. Simple solutions for simple minds in slackers bodies, and it works very well (I am betting). Does one thing, does it well.
 
Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey
Originally posted by: drag
With the command line commands I can bind my multimedia keys to control the playlist stuff.

or with your gamepad 😀

Bah. My keyboard is my gamepad.

I like having lots of buttons you see. 😀

Although I wish my keyboard came with 2 joysticks sticking up on either side. 🙁

(edit: although now that I think about it... There is always ducktape. Any recommendations on a couple simplistic USB-based joysticks?)
 
I like using a playstation (dual shock or ps2) controller, with a usb adapter ($10 or so). I've never seen any computer gamepads that can compare to those of any of the consoles. Console gamepads always seem to have the perfect weight, feeling of sturdiness, and button/d-pad feel.
 
Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey
I like using a playstation (dual shock or ps2) controller, with a usb adapter ($10 or so). I've never seen any computer gamepads that can compare to those of any of the consoles. Console gamepads always seem to have the perfect weight, feeling of sturdiness, and button/d-pad feel.


What games you play with them? (I know I have a old dual shock laying around I haven't touched for a while)
 
I had to double check, but mplayer doesn't blow out my ear drums. mpd compiled nicely (after a little BSD style kung fu, of course).
 
Originally posted by: drag
Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey
I like using a playstation (dual shock or ps2) controller, with a usb adapter ($10 or so). I've never seen any computer gamepads that can compare to those of any of the consoles. Console gamepads always seem to have the perfect weight, feeling of sturdiness, and button/d-pad feel.


What games you play with them? (I know I have a old dual shock laying around I haven't touched for a while)

The only thing I really play anymore is some snes games through zsnes (sim city currently).
 
Back
Top