sound info in conky problem

mezkov · 2011-06-02 13:37:50

I've just switched HDD in my laptop, install fresh OS, copied some configs from old HDD (including conkyrc). Everything seems to work fine except sound in conky:
it doesn't show info about sound - it writes error

Conky: can't open /dev/mixer: No such file or directory

File /dev/mixer is not really aviable, but it wasn't aviable in old system either...

somewhere I found that modprobing snd_pcm_oss should help, but it only changes error message into:

Conky: mixer ioctl: Input/output error

I have fresh system, so there can be something I forgot to do...

PS: I am using conky_lua from AUR...

Last edited by mezkov (2011-06-02 13:38:16)

mezkov · 2011-06-05 13:28:48

OK I solved the problem: Device names for ${mixer} are not "Master", "Mic", ... There were some recent changes, that changed these names, but noone updated conky_objects documentation. Default device is "vol" and there are some others (for me worked "mic", "igain" and "speaker").

Inxsible · 2011-06-05 18:28:30

how did you look up the new device names?

I used amixer, and they still show up as Master, PCM etc... but if I use that, all I get is 0% in conky, but my sound works as expected. Changing the level of Master or PCM in alsamixer correctly increases or decrease volume as well. Only conky keeps showing it as 0%.

rockin turtle · 2011-06-06 05:15:13

I have the same problem as Inxsible; amixer shows the mixer control as 'Master' and ${mixer 'vol'} didn't work as mezkov suggested. What I did was use the following bash script:

#!/bin/bash

vol=$(amixer get 'Master',0 | egrep -o '[0-9]{1,3}%')
echo "${vol%[%]}"

I named the script ~/.amixer, and then added the following line to my .conkyrc

Volume:   ${execbar ~/.amixer}

If you want the volume as a number instead of a bar, do:

${exec ~/.amixer}

and it will show up as a number in the range 0-100.

If you are interested in the PCM settings, which have both a left and a right value, you could use the following script.

#!/bin/bash

pcm=$(amixer get 'PCM',0 | grep "$1:" | egrep -o '[0-9]{1,3}%')
echo ${pcm%[%]}

Then in your .conkyrc:

${exec ~/.amixer-pcm 'Left'}
${exec ~/.amixer-pcm 'Right'}

Edit: Actually, after I thought about this you could use one script for all this.

#!/bin/bash

param=$(amixer get "$1",0 | grep "$2:" | egrep -o '[0-9]{1,3}%')
echo ${param%[%]}

Then in your .conkyrc:

${exec ~/.amixer 'Master' 'Mono'}
${exec ~/.amixer 'PCM' 'Left'}
${exec ~/.amixer 'PCM' 'Right'}

Last edited by rockin turtle (2011-06-06 05:23:17)

Inxsible · 2011-06-06 14:27:25

Thanks rockin turtle. I'll try this out tonight.

RobbeR49 · 2011-06-08 16:35:56

conky started reporting 0% for me recently also, but rockin turtle's fix does work.

I've had problems with that stupid $mixer variable in the past too, dunno why something that simple should screw up so much.

Pank · 2011-06-14 14:39:40

I am having the same problem... Any explanations yet? It's annoying to rely on external scripts!

Going a bit off-topic: does conky feature a built-in calculator? I.e. print sum of var1 and var2.

Inxsible · 2011-06-14 14:41:00

You can use bc to do your math. I tried it out and this works:

${exec echo "5+5" | bc}

JokerBoy · 2011-06-14 15:24:33

mezkov wrote:

OK I solved the problem: Device names for ${mixer} are not "Master", "Mic", ... There were some recent changes, that changed these names, but noone updated conky_objects documentation. Default device is "vol" and there are some others (for me worked "mic", "igain" and "speaker").

this, and modprobe snd-pcm-oss should work.

patroclo7 · 2011-07-13 14:53:11

mezkow+jokerboy solution works for me.

Inxsible · 2011-07-20 23:41:20

thanks jokerboy, worked for me as well. just need to add the module in my array now.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-06-02 13:37:50

sound info in conky problem

#2 2011-06-05 13:28:48

Re: sound info in conky problem

#3 2011-06-05 18:28:30

Re: sound info in conky problem

#4 2011-06-06 05:15:13

Re: sound info in conky problem

#5 2011-06-06 14:27:25

Re: sound info in conky problem

#6 2011-06-08 16:35:56

Re: sound info in conky problem

#7 2011-06-14 14:39:40

Re: sound info in conky problem

#8 2011-06-14 14:41:00

Re: sound info in conky problem

#9 2011-06-14 15:24:33

Re: sound info in conky problem

#10 2011-07-13 14:53:11

Re: sound info in conky problem

#11 2011-07-20 23:41:20

Re: sound info in conky problem

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