[linux-audio-user] some ALSA questions

Nigel Henry cave.dnb at tiscali.fr
Tue Jul 4 11:05:53 EDT 2006


On Tuesday 04 July 2006 15:54, nigel henry wrote:
> On Tuesday 04 July 2006 15:05, Dave Phillips wrote:
> > Greetings:
> >
> >   I'm preparing a final draft of an article re: ALSA and I started
> > wondering about whatever happened to modules.conf. In my old RH9 (2.4
> > kernel) I was able to freely manipulate the ALSA modules (designate for
> > loading, reorder, set alias, etc) via /etc/modules.conf. Things have
> > changed a lot in 2.6.x, and /etc/modules.conf is apparently not to be
> > edited in Ye Olden Way. Is there a similar single file in the 2.6 file
> > system ? If so, where is it ? On my Debian Etch system I have this file :
> >
> >     /etc/modprobe.d/sound
> >
> > It looks like the file to change a la the old-time modules.conf, but my
> > entries have no effect. Is there another file located elsewhere that I
> > should be editing ? Here's my /etc/modprobe.d/sound :
> >
> > alias snd-card-0 snd-ice1712
> > options snd-ice1712 index=0
> > alias snd-card-1 snd-emu10k1
> > options snd-emu10k1 index=1
> > alias snd-card-2 snd-virmidi
> > options snd-virmidi index=2
>
> Hi Dave. On FC1 using the 2.4 kernel the file was /etc/modudes.conf, and if
> for example you have a usb midi keyboard, you have to create an alias for
> snd-usb-audio, and create 2 options lines, so as to load the sound card
> first, and snd-usb-audio second. This is due to the USB starting early in
> the boot process, and Alsa wrongly seeing the usb midi keyboard using
> snd-usb-audio as a soundcard, and loading it as card 0 if you don't set the
> options.
>
> FC2 and later using the 2.6 kernel use /etc/modprobe.conf, and for FC2 the
> as above applies regarding setting options lines if you are using a usb
> midi keyboard.
>
> FC3, 4, and 5 have fixed the problem regarding the usb midi keyboard, when
> I booted these post install the sound card worked, and the usb midi
> keyboard was also ok. I'm in FC2 at the moment, but I'm pretty sure that
> snd-usb-audio doesn't even show up in /etc/modprobe.conf, just the sound
> card (Ihave only the 1).
>
> In Debian Sarge, and Etch, I've always added snd-usb-audio, and the 2
> options lines to /etc/modutils/sound , which updates, (and I think I've got
> the filename right) /etc/modprobe.conf, which specifically tells you not to
> make changes in it, as anything in /etc/modutils will
> overwrite /etc/modprobe.conf. I've also seen folks saying to
> use /etc/modprobe.d/sound, which obviously works. Perhaps it doesn't
> matter, and you can use either method.
>
> Sorry I can't help with the other ???'s, but the multipurpose Alsa control
> panel sounds a nice idea.
>
> Nigel.
>
> > Also, what's the status of a user-friendly ALSA control and operations
> > panel that might address such matters as ordering multiple soundcards,
> > write/edit .asoundrc, start/stop ALSA services, etc. ? Is the ALSA
> > development group pursuing anything like that ?
> >
> > Best,
> >
> > dp

Hi Dave. Apologies. I missed the point you made about your additions 
to /etc/modprobe.d/sound NOT working.

Secondly. I've booted up Etch to check the files, and can confirm that in my 
case, with one sound card, and the usb midi keyboard, it looks like this 
in /etc/modutils/sound.
alias snd-card-0 snd-emu10k1
options snd-emu10k1 index=0
alias snd-card-1 snd-usb-audio
options snd-usb-audio index=1

Then running update-modules, updates the file /etc/modules.conf (sorry I had 
the filename wrong before. It is not /etc/modprobe.conf). 

Nigel.



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