[pulseaudio-tickets] [PulseAudio] #232: The alsa plugin doesn't support a "hint" section.

[PulseAudio]

#232: The alsa plugin doesn't support a "hint" section.
--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  tanuk               |       Owner:  ossman
     Type:  defect              |      Status:  new   
 Priority:  normal              |   Milestone:        
Component:  alsa-plugins-pulse  |    Severity:  normal
 Keywords:                      |  
--------------------------------+-------------------------------------------
 Phonon uses `snd_device_name_hint(-1, "pcm", &hints)` to list ALSA's
 virtual devices. The function has existed since libasound 1.0.14. So in
 order to get Phonon to list the pulse device, one needs to put a hint
 section to .asoundrc, like this:

 {{{
 pcm.pulse {
     type pulse
     hint {
         show on
         description "PulseAudio"
     }
 }
 }}}

 However, the pulse plugin can't handle the hint field:

 {{{
 ALSA lib pcm_pulse.c:705:(_snd_pcm_pulse_open) Unknown field hint
 }}}

 I'm rather clueless about this hint stuff, so don't ask me for further
 details. Matthias Kretz, a Phonon developer from who I heard about this,
 hangs on #pulseaudio with nick Vir.

 A workaround exists: create a wrapper device.

 {{{
 pcm.phononpulse {
   type plug
   slave.pcm {
     type pulse
   }
   hint {
     show on
     description "PulseAudio"
   }
 }
 }}}

 Phonon (with xine backend) should eventually use pulseaudio natively, but
 currently it's disabled due to xine's unreliable pulse plugin.

-- 
Ticket URL: <http://www.pulseaudio.org/ticket/232>
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