source: multimedia/libdriv/alsa-utils.xml@ 498a011

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<!DOCTYPE sect1 PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.5//EN"
   "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.5/docbookx.dtd" [
  <!ENTITY % general-entities SYSTEM "../../general.ent">
  %general-entities;

  <!ENTITY alsa-utils-download-http "&alsa-download-http;/utils/alsa-utils-&alsa-utils-version;.tar.bz2">
  <!ENTITY alsa-utils-download-ftp  "&alsa-download-ftp;/utils/alsa-utils-&alsa-utils-version;.tar.bz2">
  <!ENTITY alsa-utils-md5sum        "39cde1fa4fde9f09366737fb089a9053">
  <!ENTITY alsa-utils-size          "1.2 MB">
  <!ENTITY alsa-utils-buildsize     "16 MB">
  <!ENTITY alsa-utils-time          "0.1 SBU">
]>

<sect1 id="alsa-utils" xreflabel="alsa-utils-&alsa-utils-version;">
  <?dbhtml filename="alsa-utils.html"?>

  <sect1info>
    <othername>$LastChangedBy$</othername>
    <date>$Date$</date>
  </sect1info>

  <title>alsa-utils-&alsa-utils-version;</title>

  <indexterm zone="alsa-utils">
    <primary sortas="a-alsa-utils">alsa-utils</primary>
  </indexterm>

  <sect2 role="package">
    <title>Introduction to ALSA Utilities</title>

    <para>
      The <application>ALSA Utilities</application> package contains
      various utilities which are useful for controlling your sound
      card.
    </para>

    &lfs10_checked;

    <bridgehead renderas="sect3">Package Information</bridgehead>
    <itemizedlist spacing="compact">
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Download (HTTP): <ulink url="&alsa-utils-download-http;"/>
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Download (FTP): <ulink url="&alsa-utils-download-ftp;"/>
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Download MD5 sum: &alsa-utils-md5sum;
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Download size: &alsa-utils-size;
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Estimated disk space required: &alsa-utils-buildsize;
        </para>
      </listitem>
      <listitem>
        <para>
          Estimated build time: &alsa-utils-time;
        </para>
      </listitem>
    </itemizedlist>

    <bridgehead renderas="sect3">ALSA Utilities Dependencies</bridgehead>

    <bridgehead renderas="sect4">Required</bridgehead>
    <para role="required">
      <xref linkend="alsa-lib"/>
    </para>

    <bridgehead renderas="sect4">Optional</bridgehead>
    <para role="optional">
      <xref linkend="docutils"/>,
      <xref linkend="fftw"/>,
      <xref linkend="libsamplerate"/>,
      <xref linkend="xmlto"/>, and
      <ulink url="http://hightek.org/dialog/">Dialog</ulink>
    </para>

    <para condition="html" role="usernotes">User Notes:
      <ulink url="&blfs-wiki;/alsa-utils"/>
    </para>
  </sect2>

  <sect2 role="installation">
    <title>Installation of ALSA Utilities</title>

    <para>
      Install <application>ALSA Utilities</application> by
      running the following commands:
    </para>

<screen><userinput>./configure --disable-alsaconf \
            --disable-bat   \
            --disable-xmlto \
            --with-curses=ncursesw &amp;&amp;
make</userinput></screen>

    <para>
      This package does not come with a test suite.
    </para>

    <para>
      Now, as the <systemitem class="username">root</systemitem> user:
    </para>

<screen role="root"><userinput>make install</userinput></screen>

  </sect2>

  <sect2 role="commands">
    <title>Command Explanations</title>

    <para>
      <parameter>--disable-alsaconf</parameter>: This switch disables building
      the <command>alsaconf</command> configuration tool which is incompatible
      with <application>Udev</application>.
    </para>

    <para>
      <parameter>--disable-xmlto</parameter>: Omit this switch if you have
      installed <xref linkend="xmlto"/> and wish to regenerate the man pages.
    </para>

    <para>
      <parameter>--disable-bat</parameter>: Omit this switch if you have
      installed <xref linkend="fftw"/> and wish to
      install the Basic Audio Tester (BAT).
    </para>

    <para>
      <parameter>--with-curses=ncursesw</parameter>: This switch forces the
      use of wide-character ncurses libraries.
    </para>

  </sect2>

  <sect2 role="configuration">
    <title>Configuring ALSA Utilities</title>

    <sect3 id="alsa-utils-config">
      <title>Config Files</title>

      <para>
        <filename>/var/lib/alsa/asound.state</filename>
      </para>

      <indexterm zone="alsa-utils alsa-utils-config">
        <primary sortas="e-var-lib-alsa-asound.state">/var/lib/alsa/asound.state</primary>
      </indexterm>

    </sect3>

    <sect3>
      <title>Configuration Information</title>

      <para>
        Note that all channels of your sound card are muted by default.
        You can use the <command>alsamixer</command> program to change
        this. Use <command>speaker-test</command> to check that your
        settings have been applied correctly. You should hear
        <quote>pink noise</quote> on your speakers.
      </para>

      <para>
        The <filename>alsactl</filename> program is normally run from a
        standard <application>udev</application> rule. The first time it
        is run, it will complain that there is no state in
        <filename>/var/lib/alsa/asound.state</filename>. You can prevent
        this by running the following command as the
        <systemitem class="username">root</systemitem> user:
      </para>

<screen role="root"><userinput>alsactl -L store</userinput></screen>

      <para>
        The volume settings should be restored from the saved state by
        <application>Udev</application> when the device is detected
        (during boot or when plugged in for USB devices).
      </para>

      <para>
        All sound devices are not accessible for any user except
        <systemitem class="username">root</systemitem> and members of the
        <systemitem class="groupname">audio</systemitem> group. Add any
        users that might use the sound devices to that group:
      </para>

<screen role="root"><userinput>usermod -a -G audio <replaceable>&lt;username&gt;</replaceable></userinput></screen>

      <note>
        <para>
          You may need to log out and back in again to refresh your group
          memberships. '<command>su <replaceable>&lt;username&gt;</replaceable></command>'
          should work as well.
        </para>
      </note>

    </sect3>

    <sect3 id="alsa-utils-init" revision="sysv">
      <title>Boot Script</title>

      <indexterm zone="alsa-utils alsa-utils-init">
        <primary sortas="f-alsa">alsa</primary>
      </indexterm>

      <para>
        To automatically store and restore volume settings (if the udev rule 
        doesn't work for you) when the system is rebooted, install the
        <filename>/etc/rc.d/init.d/alsa</filename> boot script from the
        <xref linkend="bootscripts" revision="sysv"/> 
        <xref linkend="systemd-units" revision="systemd"/> package.
      </para>

<screen role="root"><userinput>make install-alsa</userinput></screen>

    </sect3>

  </sect2>

  <sect2 role="content">
    <title>Contents</title>

    <segmentedlist>
      <segtitle>Installed Programs</segtitle>
      <segtitle>Installed Libraries</segtitle>
      <segtitle>Installed Directories</segtitle>

      <seglistitem>
        <seg>
          aconnect, alsactl, alsaloop, alsamixer, alsatplg,
          alsaucm, alsa-info.sh, amidi, amixer, aplay, aplaymidi, 
          arecord (symlink), arecordmidi, aseqdump, aseqnet, axfer, 
          iecset, and speaker-test
        </seg>
        <seg>
          None
        </seg>
        <seg>
          /usr/share/sounds/alsa and /var/lib/alsa
        </seg>
      </seglistitem>
    </segmentedlist>

    <variablelist>
      <bridgehead renderas="sect3">Short Descriptions</bridgehead>
      <?dbfo list-presentation="list"?>
      <?dbhtml list-presentation="table"?>

      <varlistentry id="aconnect">
        <term><command>aconnect</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a utility for connecting and disconnecting two
            existing ports in the ALSA sequencer system.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils aconnect">
            <primary sortas="b-aconnect">aconnect</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="alsactl">
        <term><command>alsactl</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is used to control advanced settings for ALSA sound card drivers.
            Use this if alsamixer cannot utilize all of your sound card's
            features.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils alsactl">
            <primary sortas="b-alsactl">alsactl</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="alsaloop">
        <term><command>alsaloop</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            allows creation of a PCM loopback between a PCM capture
            device and a PCM playback device.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils alsaloop">
            <primary sortas="b-alsaloop">alsaloop</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="alsamixer">
        <term><command>alsamixer</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is an Ncurses based mixer program for use with
            the ALSA sound card drivers.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils alsamixer">
            <primary sortas="b-alsamixer">alsamixer</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="alsatplg">
        <term><command>alsatplg</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a utility used to compile topology configuration files into
            binary files for kernel drivers.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils alsatplg">
            <primary sortas="b-alsatplg">alsatplg</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="alsaucm">
        <term><command>alsaucm</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
          allows applications to access the hardware in an abstracted manner
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils alsaucm">
            <primary sortas="b-alsaucm">alsaucm</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="amidi">
        <term><command>amidi</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is used to read from and write to ALSA
            RawMIDI ports.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils amidi">
            <primary sortas="b-amidi">amidi</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="amixer">
        <term><command>amixer</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            allows command-line control of the mixers for the
            ALSA sound card drivers.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils amixer">
            <primary sortas="b-amixer">amixer</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="aplay">
        <term><command>aplay</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a command-line soundfile player for the
            ALSA sound card drivers.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils aplay">
            <primary sortas="b-aplay">aplay</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="aplaymidi">
        <term><command>aplaymidi</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a command-line utility that plays the specified
            MIDI file(s) to one or more ALSA sequencer ports.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils aplaymidi">
            <primary sortas="b-aplaymidi">aplaymidi</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="arecord">
        <term><command>arecord</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a command-line soundfile recorder for the
            ALSA sound card drivers.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils arecord">
            <primary sortas="b-arecord">arecord</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="arecordmidi">
        <term><command>arecordmidi</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a command-line utility that records a standard
            MIDI file from one or more ALSA sequencer ports.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils arecordmidi">
            <primary sortas="b-arecordmidi">arecordmidi</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="aseqdump">
        <term><command>aseqdump</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a command-line utility that prints the sequencer events it
            receives as text.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils aseqdump">
            <primary sortas="b-aseqdump">aseqdump</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="aseqnet">
        <term><command>aseqnet</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is an ALSA sequencer client which sends and
            receives event packets over a network.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils aseqnet">
            <primary sortas="b-aseqnet">aseqnet</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="axfer">
        <term><command>axfer</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a command-line recorder and player used to transfer audio frames
            between sound devices and files.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils axfer">
            <primary sortas="b-axfer">axfer</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="iecset">
        <term><command>iecset</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a small utility to set or dump the IEC958 (or so-called
            <quote>S/PDIF</quote>) status bits of the specified sound
            card via the ALSA control API.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils iecset">
            <primary sortas="b-iecset">iecset</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

      <varlistentry id="speaker-test">
        <term><command>speaker-test</command></term>
        <listitem>
          <para>
            is a command-line speaker test tone generator for ALSA.
          </para>
          <indexterm zone="alsa-utils speaker-test">
            <primary sortas="b-speaker-test">speaker-test</primary>
          </indexterm>
        </listitem>
      </varlistentry>

    </variablelist>

  </sect2>

</sect1>