Weird ALSA problem

kailun · 10-11-2003, 02:18 PM

Hi,

I'm using ALSA to try get sound working through my card (It's an ESS Maestro 2E on my laptop).

I've got it to work as root - it's fine there. BUT...

I realised that it wasn't working for any normal users, so I figured it would be the permissions. I have done a chmod 666 on just about every single file ALSA says it uses (mainly all in the dev dir). At first I got a load of permission denied errors for various /dev's, but after some heavy chmodding, they went away. However, now I'm truly stumped... I'm getting a permission denied error for the executables... (they are fine - I check the permissions) amixer and aplay respectively and possibly all the others that ALSA uses.

I have searched for about the whole day on how to fix this, but to no avail. The exact error I'm getting when running amixer is:

amixer: Mixer attach defaul error: Permission Denied

and with aplay:

aplay: main: 484: audio open error: Permission denied

These both work fine when I'm root, but otherwise, no go.

Also, across many posts I have read, they say that usually ALSA sets up a group called 'Audio' which you can add a user to to gain permissions. However, ALSA here on a fresh install of Slackware 9.1, hasn't set up any such groups.

If anyone here can help me, then it would be greatly appreciated.

Kai

LSD · 10-11-2003, 02:52 PM

If you're using the devfs you can add something like this:

Code:

# ALSA/OSS stuff
# Comment/change these if you want to change the permissions on
# the audio devices
LOOKUP          snd          MODLOAD ACTION snd
LOOKUP          dsp          MODLOAD
LOOKUP          mixer        MODLOAD
LOOKUP          midi         MODLOAD
REGISTER        sound/.*     PERMISSIONS root.users 660
REGISTER        snd/.*       PERMISSIONS root.users 660

(It usually defaults to root.audio but I "adjust" it on purpose to make it easier and more convenient)

That'll set the permissions right automatically but chmodding should be enough if you're using the old static device nodes. It definitely sounds like somethings out of whack with the permissions on the audio devices though as that seems to be where the permission denied errors are originating from.

320mb · 10-11-2003, 03:56 PM

uh, slackware 9 and 9.1 have a prob, both installs put /dev/dsp and /dev/mixer in the sys group......it should be in "root' group......change this and give your user exe access to them........they should then work for you.........