[Bug 26483] Ubuntu5.10 not configured for Alsa device:surround51; Alsa-esd incompatibilities.

[Manuel Iglesias Alonso]

Public bug report changed:
https://launchpad.net/malone/bugs/26483

Comment:
I don't like this Bugzilla: No obvious way to delete/edit comments; Big
fonts and short lines; Weird auto formatting causes havoc on
indentations; Anybody there?


I post again previous comment hoping it will be more legible this time:


I don't know if I made a mistake when, in my previous comment, I reported: 'using Ubuntu5.10 distribution packages for both kernel and Alsa .... applications using AlsaSurround51Device don't cause alsa to output error messages to .xsession-errors'. I have updated linux-image and now, with linux-image 2.6.12-10-686-smp, version 2.6.12-10.26 and alsa-base 1.0.9b-4, all applications using Alsa device 'surround51', while playing, cause Alsa to output continuously: 'ALSA lib pcm_dmix.c:802:(snd_pcm_dmix_open) unable to open slave' to $HOME/.xsession-errors. Applications checked:

aplay -Dsurround51 File.wav
  #Error messages to .xsession-errors with 2 or 6 channels File.wav.

xmms File.wav
  #Config: OutputPlugin:Alsa;AudioDevice:surround51.
  #Error messages to .xsession-errors with 2 or 6 channels File.wav.

xine File.avi
  #Config: audio-driver alsa;SpeakerArrangement:Surround5.1
  #Error messages to .xsession-errors only if File.avi has 5.1 audio.

mplayer File.avi
  #Options: '-ao alsa:device=surround51 -channels 6'
  #          or '-ao alsa -af surround -channels 6'
  #Error messages to .xsession-errors with 2 or 6 channels File.avi.

I have found the reason some applications behave differently when launched from GnomePanel or gnome-terminal is that the sound device '/dev/dsp' remains closed, for Alsa surround51 device, for about 7 seconds after an application is launched. Gnome-terminal has already been running for more than 7 seconds when the sound application is invoked and it starts right away. Example:
-Launch gnome-terminal
-Type 'aplay -Dsurround51 File.wav'#Sound plays immediately.
-RightClick on GnomePanel. Select '+ Add to Panel'.
  Select 'Custom Application Launcher'
-'Create Launcher window'/Command:'aplay -Dsurround51 File.wav'
-Click on created Gnome launcher. #Sound plays after 7 seconds.

If you write a shell script with
{
#! /bin/bash
until >/dev/dsp
  do
    sleep 1
  done 2>&
audacity
}
and invoke it from a Gnome launcher, Audacity starts, after 7 seconds, without any error message even if 'esd' is runnin (No other sound application should be running or audacity will never start).