[ALSA - utils 0001900]: alsactl stores incorrect values; overwrites non-writable file; does not set emu10k1 mixer

[bugtrack@alsa-project.org]

A NOTE has been added to this issue.
======================================================================
<https://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/alsa-bug/view.php?id=1900> 
======================================================================
Reported By:                covex
Assigned To:                
======================================================================
Project:                    ALSA - utils
Issue ID:                   1900
Category:                   alsactl
Reproducibility:            sometimes
Severity:                   minor
Priority:                   normal
Status:                     new
======================================================================
Date Submitted:             03-09-2006 17:38 CET
Last Modified:              03-14-2006 21:54 CET
======================================================================
Summary:                    alsactl stores incorrect values; overwrites
non-writable file; does not set emu10k1 mixer
Description: 
I have one main problem with alsa and emu10k1 based SB Live! card. 

It's some time ago I notice that very often (not always) after reboot my
sound card has setup strange values in mixer (e.g wave volume is righ 75
and left 0, see attached asound.state). First I thought it's some
application setting these nonsenses but it's not true - those values are
set SOMETIMES on module removal at reboot.

What I noticed during digging around:
1) Always on user logout I have message in log: ainit: Operation not
permitted
It is not specified what operation.
2) see this situation:
# modprobe -r snd-emu10k1
# modprobe --ignore-install snd-emu10k1 && alsactl restore 0
/usr/sbin/alsactl: load_state:1250: Cannot find soundcard '0'...
The only thing that works is:
# modprobe --ignore-install snd-emu10k1; sleep 1; alsactl restore 0
As the first one is very common situation in all modprobe.conf setups I
see this as fairly bad problem.

3) I set permitions of /etc/asound.state to r--r--r-- to protect it from
being overwriten but issuing alsactl store overwrites this file!

None of these explain why, on module removal the asound is filled with
incorrect values (asound.state is attached). 
BTW: there are three states in that file - for CK804 (it is nForce4
chipset with internal AC97 disabled), for Unknown (guh?!) and Live (finaly
correct).


======================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------------
 tiwai - 03-14-06 15:53 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The delay is because of the udev mechanism.  At the moment modprobe
returns, the modules and devices are still not ready.  Better to call
alsactl from udev rules.

The permission has almost no meaning for root.  The open doesn't return
errors for writing to such a file.

One problem I can see is that you don't use -F option with alsactl.
Without this option, alsactl may keep some controls uninitialized if the
element number is changed in the driver side, which will result in an
incomplete state to be saved.  This could be the cause of your trouble.

The "Unknown" came from the state that your device wasn't detected
properly by the driver due to lack of information in the supported card
list.  This can be removed, of course.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
 covex - 03-14-06 21:54 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for the explanation of the udev issue.

Regarding permitions: I am not sure if this is true. If root sets some
files to not be writeable, then it should not be possible to write in the
file even though you are root.

In man page the -F option is only specified as to be used with restore -
not save.

The CK804 is disabled and there is no other sound device that could be
"unknown". Therefore I do not know how to remove it.

Issue History
Date Modified  Username       Field                    Change              
======================================================================
03-09-06 17:38 covex          New Issue                                    
03-09-06 17:38 covex          File Added: asound.state.wrong                    
03-14-06 15:53 tiwai          Note Added: 0008483                          
03-14-06 21:54 covex          Note Added: 0008517                          
======================================================================




-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.Net email is sponsored by xPML, a groundbreaking scripting language
that extends applications into web and mobile media. Attend the live webcast
and join the prime developer group breaking into this new coding territory!
http://sel.as-us.falkag.net/sel?cmd=lnk&kid=110944&bid=241720&dat=121642