[LAD] qjackctl & server name

[Rui Nuno Capela]

On Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:53:18 -0700, Fernando Lopez-Lezcano
<nando at ccrma.Stanford.EDU> wrote:
> On Tue, 2010-06-15 at 22:37 +0200, fons at kokkinizita.net wrote:
>> On Tue, Jun 15, 2010 at 09:26:16PM +0100, Rui Nuno Capela wrote:
>> > but in a "normal" desktop environment they should not stack up, the
one
>> > just replaces the one before, which stays there for 3 seconds
maximum.
>> 
>> They don't stack up, but even without that the automatic
>> retrial is just a big nuisance. In 99.99% of all cases it
>> doesn't help, it just keeps on repeating itself, and there
>> is no way to stop it.  At least, [Retry?] should be an
>> option, but even that is quite useless as pressing [Start]
>> again is just as easy.
>> 
>> When starting Jackd fails, two windows pop up. My first reaction
>> is to click [Setup] to find out what's wrong. So now we have
>> three windows (plus the main one) open. Editing the setup (if
>> the error is there) doesn't help, and getting out of all this
>> is just a big mess as Qjackctl won't accept the main close 
>> button as long as any other of its windows is open (why ?),
>> and they just keep coming back.
>> 
>> So *please* remove this, it's just a big nuisance and I don't
>> see in what situation it could ever be useful.
> 
> I have found the qjackctl automatic retry to not help at all as well. 
> 
> I would really like for it to go away - is it configurable somehow?
> (sorry if this was mentioned in the thread, I have only had time lately
> to skim through the lists - where does time go??). 
> 
> This is how it (does not) work(s) in my case (0.3.6):
> 
> - point to a non existing card on purpose so that jackd can't start
> - press "Start"
> - jackd does not start :-)
> - qjackctl pops up a window that says:
>   "Error: Jack Audio Connection Kit", etc, etc. 
> - click on "Cancel" (the only option it shows). 
> - click on "Setup" to fix the problem
> - qjackctl pops up the error window again before I'm done
> - it has _focus_ so I can't continue working on the "Setup" panel
> LABEL AGAIN:
> - click on "Cancel" again
> - keep working on "Setup"
> - if (managed to fix problem) GOTO FIXED
> LABEL WHAT?:
> - pop up window shows up again (I'm old and slow)
> - GOTO AGAIN
> 
> LABEL FIXED:
> - if (do nothing and wait a bit) GOTO WHAT?
> 
> - give up and press "Start", jackd starts fine. 
> 
> Not useful. Not even retrying once. I can't think of a situation where
> jackd fails to start on the first time and will on the second try a few
> seconds later. 
> 

oh my,

fwiw, the retry logic is there since dawn. i can assure you it's been
there for half a decade now ;) it's there for making sure qjackctl connects
to the starting jackd server as a client of its own.

indeed, this logic is some kind of a leftover from the early days. when
machines were slower (in errors per second:) and jackd had some
considerable startup overhead before stabilizing to accept client
connections.

the delay between retrials is/was even progressive ie. each retrial takes
a bit longer then the one before, but that's now irrelevant i'm afraid ;)

the retrial code path will be scrapped asap. the only way for you to avoid
qjackctl being stalled due to a (very) slow jackd startup is now giving it
a slack via the start delay configuration setting (cf Setup/Settings/Start
Delay).

cheers
-- 
rncbc aka Rui Nuno Capela
rncbc at rncbc.org