[Audacity-users] Audacity isn't working nicely with Pulse Audio

Discussion:

Aaron Laws

2016-04-19 20:09:23 UTC

I am now able to play audio (sometimes) from audacity, but it seems like
audacity is not sharing the audio server well. If audio is playing when
audacity starts up, the playback device list is limited to those not being
used at startup. If no audio is playing at startup (and pavucontrol is not
open), all the devices are in the playback list, but when audio is playing
(from another application) when I select one of these devices, or when I
try to play audio from audacity, failures ensue. A window shows up saying,
"Error while opening sound device. Please check the playback device
settings and the project sample rate.", and on stdout or stderr, I see

Expression 'ret' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1733
Expression 'AlsaOpen( &alsaApi->baseHostApiRep, params, streamDir,
&self->pcm )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1900
Expression 'PaAlsaStreamComponent_Initialize( &self->playback, alsaApi,
outParams, StreamDirection_Out, NULL != callback )' failed in
'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2171
Expression 'PaAlsaStream_Initialize( stream, alsaHostApi, inputParameters,
outputParameters, sampleRate, framesPerBuffer, callback, streamFlags,
userData )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2836

If I stop the audio in the other application, I'm free to play using
audacity. Also, when playing with audacity, pavucontrol does not show an
audio stream in the "Playback" tab.

All of this makes me think that audacity is attempting to take exclusive
control of the audio device. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that the
selected Audio Host (see device_toolbar.html) is set to "ALSA". This means
that pulse audio is being bypassed by audacity?

If that's the case, how do I get pulse audio to be the Audio Host? How can
I get audacity to play nicely with the rest of the system?

Steve the Fiddle

2016-04-19 21:00:59 UTC

Permalink

If you select "Pulse" as the playback device in the device toolbar
(http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/device_toolbar.html) then Audacity
will use Pulseaudio for playback. If tou select "Pulse" as the
recording device then Audacity will use Pulseaudio for recording. Note
that "ALSA" must be set as the "host" in both cases. If you select one
of the "hw" options, then Audacity will access the hardware directly
via ALSA and bypass Pulseaudio.

Audacity is a bit unusual in that it opens and closes its audio ports
"on demand". That is, when you click the Play button, Audacity creates
an output port and attempts to connect to the selected audio server.
When playback stops, Audacity closes the port and the port disappears,
This means that while Audacity is not playing or recording, it will
not show up in Pulseaudio volume control.

Steve

Post by Aaron Laws
I am now able to play audio (sometimes) from audacity, but it seems like
audacity is not sharing the audio server well. If audio is playing when
audacity starts up, the playback device list is limited to those not being
used at startup. If no audio is playing at startup (and pavucontrol is not
open), all the devices are in the playback list, but when audio is playing
(from another application) when I select one of these devices, or when I try
to play audio from audacity, failures ensue. A window shows up saying,
"Error while opening sound device. Please check the playback device settings
and the project sample rate.", and on stdout or stderr, I see
Expression 'ret' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1733
Expression 'AlsaOpen( &alsaApi->baseHostApiRep, params, streamDir,
&self->pcm )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1900
Expression 'PaAlsaStreamComponent_Initialize( &self->playback, alsaApi,
outParams, StreamDirection_Out, NULL != callback )' failed in
'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2171
Expression 'PaAlsaStream_Initialize( stream, alsaHostApi, inputParameters,
outputParameters, sampleRate, framesPerBuffer, callback, streamFlags,
userData )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2836
If I stop the audio in the other application, I'm free to play using
audacity. Also, when playing with audacity, pavucontrol does not show an
audio stream in the "Playback" tab.
All of this makes me think that audacity is attempting to take exclusive
control of the audio device. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that the
selected Audio Host (see device_toolbar.html) is set to "ALSA". This means
that pulse audio is being bypassed by audacity?
If that's the case, how do I get pulse audio to be the Audio Host? How can I
get audacity to play nicely with the rest of the system?
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When asking for help on this list, please include the following information,
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* Exactly what three digit version number of Audacity you are using (Help >
About
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*********** ASKING FOR HELP *************

When asking for help on this list, please include the following information, so we can
help you properly:

* What operating system you are using (for example, Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.5.1)

* Exactly what three digit version number of Audacity you are using (Help > About
Audacity, or Audacity > About Audacity on a Mac computer)

* If this is a recording problem, what equipment you are recording with, and how is it
connected to the computer?

Mailing list: Audacity-***@lists.sourceforge.net
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Aaron Laws

2016-05-06 20:29:44 UTC

Permalink

Post by Steve the Fiddle
If you select "Pulse" as the playback device in the device toolbar
(http://manual.audacityteam.org/man/device_toolbar.html) then Audacity
will use Pulseaudio for playback. If tou select "Pulse" as the
recording device then Audacity will use Pulseaudio for recording. Note
that "ALSA" must be set as the "host" in both cases. If you select one
of the "hw" options, then Audacity will access the hardware directly
via ALSA and bypass Pulseaudio.

Thanks for your response. I leave ALSA as the host, and there is no "pulse"
for a playback device. You can see for yourself here: https://vid.me/IR56

How do I get pulse to show up on that list?

Post by Steve the Fiddle
Audacity is a bit unusual in that it opens and closes its audio ports
"on demand". That is, when you click the Play button, Audacity creates
an output port and attempts to connect to the selected audio server.
When playback stops, Audacity closes the port and the port disappears,
This means that while Audacity is not playing or recording, it will
not show up in Pulseaudio volume control.
Steve

being

Post by Aaron Laws
used at startup. If no audio is playing at startup (and pavucontrol is

not

Post by Aaron Laws
open), all the devices are in the playback list, but when audio is

playing

Post by Aaron Laws
(from another application) when I select one of these devices, or when I

try

Post by Aaron Laws
to play audio from audacity, failures ensue. A window shows up saying,
"Error while opening sound device. Please check the playback device

settings

Post by Aaron Laws
and the project sample rate.", and on stdout or stderr, I see
Expression 'ret' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1733
Expression 'AlsaOpen( &alsaApi->baseHostApiRep, params, streamDir,
&self->pcm )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1900
Expression 'PaAlsaStreamComponent_Initialize( &self->playback, alsaApi,
outParams, StreamDirection_Out, NULL != callback )' failed in
'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2171
Expression 'PaAlsaStream_Initialize( stream, alsaHostApi,

inputParameters,

Post by Aaron Laws
outputParameters, sampleRate, framesPerBuffer, callback, streamFlags,
userData )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2836
If I stop the audio in the other application, I'm free to play using
audacity. Also, when playing with audacity, pavucontrol does not show an
audio stream in the "Playback" tab.
All of this makes me think that audacity is attempting to take exclusive
control of the audio device. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that

the

Post by Aaron Laws
selected Audio Host (see device_toolbar.html) is set to "ALSA". This

means

Post by Aaron Laws
that pulse audio is being bypassed by audacity?
If that's the case, how do I get pulse audio to be the Audio Host? How

can I

Post by Aaron Laws
get audacity to play nicely with the rest of the system?

Gale

2016-05-16 15:44:32 UTC

Permalink

On Tue, Apr 19, 2016 at 5:00 PM, Steve the Fiddle <
>

Thanks for your response. I leave ALSA as the host, and there is no "pulse"
for a playback device. You can see for yourself here: https://vid.me/IR56
How do I get pulse to show up on that list?

"Default" and "dmix" would actually be pulse if pulseaudio was
installed and running correctly.

Try installing pavucontrol, or reinstall pulseaudio then install
pavucontrol.

There is some more help here if you need advanced configurations:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/PulseAudio .

Gale

Post by Aaron Laws
I am now able to play audio (sometimes) from audacity, but it seems

Post by Aaron Laws
audacity is not sharing the audio server well. If audio is playing when
audacity starts up, the playback device list is limited to those not

being

Post by Aaron Laws
used at startup. If no audio is playing at startup (and pavucontrol is

not

Post by Aaron Laws
open), all the devices are in the playback list, but when audio is

playing

Post by Aaron Laws
(from another application) when I select one of these devices, or when

I
try

Post by Aaron Laws
to play audio from audacity, failures ensue. A window shows up saying,
"Error while opening sound device. Please check the playback device

settings

Post by Aaron Laws
and the project sample rate.", and on stdout or stderr, I see

1733

Post by Aaron Laws
Expression 'AlsaOpen( &alsaApi->baseHostApiRep, params, streamDir,
&self->pcm )' failed in 'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 1900
Expression 'PaAlsaStreamComponent_Initialize( &self->playback, alsaApi,
outParams, StreamDirection_Out, NULL != callback )' failed in
'src/hostapi/alsa/pa_linux_alsa.c', line: 2171
Expression 'PaAlsaStream_Initialize( stream, alsaHostApi,

inputParameters,

Post by Aaron Laws
audio stream in the "Playback" tab.
All of this makes me think that audacity is attempting to take

exclusive

Post by Aaron Laws
control of the audio device. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that

the

Post by Aaron Laws
selected Audio Host (see device_toolbar.html) is set to "ALSA". This

means

Post by Aaron Laws
that pulse audio is being bypassed by audacity?
If that's the case, how do I get pulse audio to be the Audio Host? How

can I

Post by Aaron Laws
get audacity to play nicely with the rest of the system?

*********** ASKING FOR HELP *************
When asking for help on this list, please include the following information, so we can
* What operating system you are using (for example, Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.5.1)
* Exactly what three digit version number of Audacity you are using (Help

Post by Steve the Fiddle
About

Audacity, or Audacity > About Audacity on a Mac computer)
* If this is a recording problem, what equipment you are recording with, and how is it
connected to the computer?
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-users

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*********** ASKING FOR HELP *************

When asking for help on this list, please include the following information, so we can
help you properly:

* What operating system you are using (for example, Windows XP or Mac OS X 10.5.1)

* Exactly what three digit version number of Audacity you are using (Help > About
Audacity, or Audacity > About Audacity on a Mac computer)

* If this is a recording problem, what equipment you are recording with, and how is it
connected to the computer?

Mailing list: Audacity-***@lists.sourceforge.net
To UNSUBSCRIBE, use the form at the bottom of this web page:
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-users