[plug] Sound Modules

[Jeff Williams]

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>It works okay, but if i load the modules on boot through /etc/modules I have to use the eSound output plugin in XMMS, using OSS crashes it.  As for all other apps that assume a working sound device, they all crash when trying to output sound.  Recording works fine though (from /dev/dsp using sound-recorder)
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This is because when the modules are forced to load on boot, when gnome 
starts it loads esd which then takes over /dev/dsp and stops any other 
application from accessing it directly. This is why you can't use OSS or 
any other program which tries to send sound straight to /dev/dsp. Since 
esd does not use the sound-recorder, recording is fine.

>*IF*  however I load the modules manually after bootup and only if that is done AFTER gnome complains about no /dev/mixer device, soundcore has (autoclean) along side it and XMMS works with OSS and all the standard sound programs work perfectly - including recording from /dev/dsp
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If you load the modules after gnome has started then esd will not start, 
so all programs have direct access to /dev/dsp, although they will not 
be able to use it at the same time. The reason soundcore has (autoclean) 
is because it gets pulled in when you modprobe your sound card driver. 
I'm sure you load it directly in /etc/modules.

>So then i decide to try modprobe -k and pass autoclean to the soundcore module BEFORE gnome complains about dev/mixer but it does not have the same effect, and it is back to the first eSound scenario.
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Loading sound drivers before gnome and you're back with esd starting up.

In the end, your problem is due to whether esd is running or not, 
nothign to do with your sound modules. I think esd is a 'good thing' 
since it allows multiple problems to output sound at the same time. Have 
a look at esddsp if you need to get other programs running, though I 
think many have esound support. If however you decide you really don't 
want it, then turn off sound server startup in the gnome configuration. 
Otherwise, a good ol' killall esd should do the trick.

Jeff

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