reload .asoundrc without logging out and in

waffe · 07-20-2009, 08:29 PM

Hi,

my Ubuntu setup will be used by multiple people and at different places and some people will want to use HDMI audio and other will wan to use the 1/8 inch audio jack(analog). All of my sound is working except I have to change this line of my .asoundrc to switch to either HDMI or analog.

Code:

HDMI
pcm "hw:1,3"

Analog
pcm "hw:0,0"

So I am looking to set up a script that I can call from a button that will use different .asoundrc files or an .asoundrc file that has a conditional in it that switches the output. How can this be done? Can the .asound file use conditionals like "if" and how can I tell Linux to re-read the updated .asoundrc file.

Thanks,
4dplane

O' by the way, all of this is being run with Fluxbox but I don't think that will make a difference.

bathory · 07-21-2009, 03:32 AM

I'm not good in bash scripting, but you can use "case" in a script like this:

Code:

#!/bin/sh

case $* in

HDMI )
/usr/bin/sed -i 's/pcm \"hw\:0\,0\"/pcm \"hw\:1\,3\"/g' ~/.asoundrc
;;

Analog )
/usr/bin/sed -i 's/pcm "\hw\:1\,3\"/pcm \"hw\:0\,0\"/g' ~/.asoundrc
;;
esac

source ~/.asoundrc

You can use it, like "script.sh HDMI", or "script.sh Analog" to change the pcm line of .asoundrc.
The last command (source) is used when you want to re-read settings from a config file like .asoundrc

tredegar · 07-21-2009, 08:30 AM

You might like to take a look at this thread, especially post #8

Once you have changed alsa.conf you'll need (as root) to do

Code:

/etc/init.d/alsa-utils restart

This worked for me, when I had a similar situation.