[pulseaudio-discuss] gnome-shell hangs, waiting for pulse-audio

Sat Nov 3 15:07:01 PDT 2012

On 11/03/12 19:20, Colin Guthrie wrote:
> 'Twas brillig, and Henrik /KaarPoSoft at 10/09/12 21:13 did gyre and gimble:
>> Dear all,
>>
>> I am running gnome 3.4 and pulse-audio 2.1.
>>
>> When closing a window, gnome-shell sometimes hangs,
>> waiting for pulse-audio.
>>
>> To reproduce:
>> Open a gnome-terminal, press backspace which produces a nice beep,
>> press the [X] in the window's title-bar.
>> Now the whole desktop is unresponsive (the cursor moves with the mouse,
>> but button presses are ignored).
>>
>> This also happens with other applications (eg. firefox), and happens
>> both with pulse-audio debugging output turned on and off.
>>
>> The GNU debugger (gdb) gives the following back-trace for gnome-shell:
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> #0  0xb7735424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
>> #1  0xb4ff26cd in pthread_cond_wait@@GLIBC_2.3.2 () at
>> ../nptl/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/i386/i686/../i486/pthread_cond_wait.S:143
>> #2  0xb56aa26b in pa_cond_wait (c=0x9bc3ea0, m=0x9a53bd0) at
>> pulsecore/mutex-posix.c:139
>> #3  0xb570743e in pa_threaded_mainloop_wait (m=0x9bae118) at
>> pulse/thread-mainloop.c:206
>> #4  0xb35a54cb in pulse_driver_play (c=0x9b3c740, id=1,
>> proplist=0x954dd30, cb=0, userdata=0x0) at pulse.c:955
>> #5  0xb6f15733 in driver_play (c=c at entry=0x9b3c740, id=id at entry=1,
>> pl=pl at entry=0x954dd30, cb=cb at entry=0, userdata=userdata at entry=0x0) at
>> dso.c:342
>> #6  0xb6f0dff0 in ca_context_play_full (c=c at entry=0x9b3c740,
>> id=id at entry=1, p=0x954dd30, cb=cb at entry=0, userdata=userdata at entry=0x0)
>> at common.c:522
>> #7  0xb6f0e339 in ca_context_play (c=0x9b3c740, id=id at entry=1) at
>> common.c:462
>> #8  0xb74fb5eb in workspace_switch_sound (to=0x9efbaf0, from=0x9ef6338)
>> at core/workspace.c:496
>> #9  meta_workspace_activate_with_focus
>> (workspace=workspace at entry=0x9efbaf0, focus_this=focus_this at entry=0x0,
>> timestamp=timestamp at entry=0) at core/workspace.c:551
>> #10 0xb74fb73b in meta_workspace_activate
>> (workspace=workspace at entry=0x9efbaf0, timestamp=timestamp at entry=0) at
>> core/workspace.c:686
>> #11 0xb74df414 in meta_screen_remove_workspace (screen=0x911f8b8,
>> workspace=0x9ef6338, timestamp=0) at core/screen.c:1476
>> #12 0xb513f44e in ffi_call_SYSV () at ../src/x86/sysv.S:64
>> #13 0xb513f239 in ffi_call (cif=cif at entry=0xad020864, fn=0xb74df2a0
>> <meta_screen_remove_workspace>, rvalue=rvalue at entry=0xbfd7e154,
>> avalue=avalue at entry=0xbfd7e070) at ../src/x86/ffi.c:413
>> #14 0xb7455e57 in gjs_invoke_c_function
>> (context=context at entry=0x93ad578, function=0xad020858,
>> obj=obj at entry=0xabea1500, js_argc=js_argc at entry=2,
>> js_argv=js_argv at entry=0xac3ff0a8, js_rval=js_rval at entry=0xbfd7e278) at
>> gi/function.c:930
>> #15 0xb74575bd in function_call (context=0x93ad578, js_argc=2,
>> vp=0xac3ff098) at gi/function.c:1245
>> #16 0xb71dcb7c in js::Invoke(JSContext*, js::CallArgs const&, unsigned
>> int) () from //lib/libmozjs185.so.1.0
>> #17 0xb71c6082 in js::Interpret(JSContext*, JSStackFrame*, unsigned int,
>> JSInterpMode) () from //lib/libmozjs185.so.1.0
>> #18 0xb71dad04 in js::RunScript(JSContext*, JSScript*, JSStackFrame*) ()
>> from //lib/libmozjs185.so.1.0
>> #19 0xb71dca59 in js::Invoke(JSContext*, js::CallArgs const&, unsigned
>> int) () from //lib/libmozjs185.so.1.0
>> #20 0xb71dcf0c in js::ExternalInvoke(JSContext*, js::Value const&,
>> js::Value const&, unsigned int, js::Value*, js::Value*) () from
>> //lib/libmozjs185.so.1.0
>> #21 0xb7150056 in JS_CallFunctionValue () from //lib/libmozjs185.so.1.0
>> #22 0xb7455037 in gjs_callback_closure (cif=0x9f09160,
>> result=0xbfd7ea30, args=0xbfd7e9e0, data=0x9f09148) at gi/function.c:291
>> #23 0xb513f2f4 in ffi_closure_SYSV_inner (closure=0xabf5f1c0,
>> respp=0xbfd7ea3c, args=0xbfd7ea50) at ../src/x86/ffi.c:498
>> #24 0xb513f50a in ffi_closure_SYSV () at ../src/x86/sysv.S:188
>> #25 0xb74e6463 in run_repaint_laters (data=0x0) at core/util.c:794
>> #26 0xb65e52ed in _clutter_run_repaint_functions
>> (flags=flags at entry=CLUTTER_REPAINT_FLAGS_PRE_PAINT) at
>> ./clutter-main.c:3572
>> #27 0xb65e77d4 in master_clock_update_stages (stages=0x9f020a8,
>> master_clock=0x9362d28) at ./clutter-master-clock.c:369
>> #28 clutter_clock_dispatch (source=source at entry=0x91475f0, callback=0,
>> user_data=0x0) at ./clutter-master-clock.c:519
>> #29 0xb5089de3 in g_main_dispatch (context=0x9121898) at gmain.c:2539
>> #30 g_main_context_dispatch (context=context at entry=0x9121898) at
>> gmain.c:3075
>> #31 0xb508a180 in g_main_context_iterate (context=0x9121898,
>> block=block at entry=1, dispatch=dispatch at entry=1, self=<error reading
>> variable: Unhandled dwarf expression opcode 0xfa>) at gmain.c:3146
>> #32 0xb508a5db in g_main_loop_run (loop=0x913d4c8) at gmain.c:3340
>> #33 0xb74d5c68 in meta_run () at core/main.c:555
>> #34 0x08049c87 in main (argc=1, argv=0xbfd7ed94) at main.c:334
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> As far as I can see,
>> gnome-shell calls the mutter main loop,
>> which has clutter "repaint",
>> which in turns calls some JavaScript,
>> which ask canberra to play a sound,
>> and pulse-audio is trying to play the sound,
>> but hangs in a condition wait.
>>
>> back-trace for pulseaudio:
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> #0  0xb77be424 in __kernel_vsyscall ()
>> #1  0xb6fffa79 in ppoll (fds=0x8f049e0, nfds=23, timeout=<optimized
>> out>, sigmask=sigmask at entry=0x0) at ../sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/ppoll.c:58
>> #2  0xb76e902b in pa_mainloop_poll (m=m at entry=0x8f03640) at
>> pulse/mainloop.c:881
>> #3  0xb76e97d9 in pa_mainloop_iterate (m=m at entry=0x8f03640,
>> block=block at entry=1, retval=retval at entry=0xbf9933d0) at
>> pulse/mainloop.c:955
>> #4  0xb76e98b4 in pa_mainloop_run (m=m at entry=0x8f03640,
>> retval=retval at entry=0xbf9933d0) at pulse/mainloop.c:973
>> #5  0x0804e1cc in main (argc=3, argv=0xbf9935a4) at daemon/main.c:1135
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> The last 20 entries in the system log:
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>> [pulseaudio] module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
>> alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1e.2.analog-stereo becomes idle, timeout in 5
>> seconds.
>> [pulseaudio] module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
>> alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1e.2.analog-stereo becomes idle, timeout in 5
>> seconds.
>> [pulseaudio] core.c: Hmm, no streams around, trying to vacuum.
>> [pulseaudio] protocol-dbus.c: Interface org.PulseAudio.Core1.Stream
>> removed from object /org/pulseaudio/core1/playback_stream16
>> [pulseaudio] sink-input.c: Freeing input 16 "bell-window-system"
>> [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Increasing wakeup watermark to 40.00 ms
>> [alsa-sink] ratelimit.c: 284 events suppressed
>> [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Wakeup from ALSA!
>> [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Underrun!
>> [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Increasing wakeup watermark to 50.00 ms
>> [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Wakeup from ALSA!
>> [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Underrun!
>> [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Increasing wakeup watermark to 60.00 ms
>> [pulseaudio] module-suspend-on-idle.c: Sink
>> alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1e.2.analog-stereo idle for too long, suspending
>> ...
>> [pulseaudio] sink.c: Suspend cause of sink
>> alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1e.2.analog-stereo is 0x0004, suspending
>> [pulseaudio] flist.c: pulsecore/hashmap.c: entries flist is full (don't
>> worry)
>> [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Device suspended...
>> [pulseaudio] core.c: Hmm, no streams around, trying to vacuum.
>> [pulseaudio] reserve-wrap.c: Device lock status of
>> reserve-monitor-wrapper at Audio0 changed: not busy
>> [pulseaudio] module-udev-detect.c: /dev/snd/controlC0 is accessible: yes
>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Any suggestions as to what the problem might be would be most
>> appreciated!
>>
>> The above happens with KaarPux version 3.0.1.
>> KaarPux is a "linux from source" distro I am developing.
>> See http://kaarpux.kaarposoft.dk/
>>
>> The bug report
>> http://sourceforge.net/p/kaarpux/tickets/2/
>> has full backtraces, straces and log information attached.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any help!
> So this is technically from libcanberra which in turn uses PulseAudio to
> output sound.
>
> It seems it's waiting for the drain before exiting. The drain can take
> longer than the sound for various boring reasons we won't go into just now.
>
> Longer term the intention is to fix the drain behaviour such that
> applications like canberra can exit much quicker, but I wonder if there
> is something that can be done to cancel the wait for drain at the
> canberra side when exiting.
>
> Firstly thing to check I guess is that you're using the latest
> libcanberra (0.29).
>
> Cheers.
>
> Col
>
Hello Colin!
Thanks for the response - I was almost giving up on receiving any input 
on this...
Yes, I am using libcanberra 0.29.
(I now see an upstream libcanberra 0.30, but I have not tried it yet ...)
As mentioned above, I am building my own distro, so I guess I am just 
doing something stupid, but looking into archlinux and fedora for 
pulseaudio patches etc. did not ring any bells here. I just can't grok 
what I am doing differently/wrong.
If it was just the application hanging I guess I would have been able to 
debug somehow, but since it is the whole desktop environment hanging, I 
am somewhat at a loss at figuring out where to look...
Any more hints / requests for more debugging output / suggestions / etc  
would be most appreciated.
/Henrik