Re: How to do Alsa configuration (asoundrc) on-the-run while an application is running?

satmeet.ubhi@xxxxxxxxx staggered into the Black Sun and said:
I am new to [ALSA] and need to know if I can [control] the volume on
different channels dynamically or on-the-fly by modifying [the] file
asoundrc.

Um, no. Adjusting volumes is done by writing to or ioctl()ing
/dev/sound/mixer . Mixer programs like amixer, alsamixer, and kmix
provide a friendlier interface to those write()s and ioctl()s. The
asoundrc file is typically read only on startup, and may not even be
present. I don't have anything matching \*asoundrc\* on my Gentoo
system.

mplayer starts. [Then], I make [the] following changes to the
asoundrc file to change the volume level on the channels while the
application is running. But the changes do not reflect. I need to
restart the application for the changes to take effect.

Yeah, apps typically read their config files only on startup. Some
daemons may monitor config files and automatically re-read them when
they're changed, but this is *not* how things usually work.

Is there any way I can achieve this without having to restart the
application?

The easiest (but least efficient) way to do this is to call amixer
directly with appropriate args when you want to change the volume.

Kindly reply.

Done. If you meant "reply via e-mail", then that is Not Done, because
conversations that start on Usenet should remain on Usenet unless they
get off-topic. HTH,

--
I think I'll have to put on 500 pounds of subwoofers, amps, and other
delicious herbs. --MegaHAL, trained on ASR
My blog and resume: http://crow202.dyndns.org:8080/wordpress/
Matt G|There is no Darkness in Eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see
.