Arch Linux

owain

Member

From: Manchester, UK

Registered: 2009-08-24

Posts: 260

Pulseaudio - always prefer default sink?

I've installed Pulseaudio, with much trepidation (after Ubuntu experiences...), but thanks to the wiki it all Just Worked.

However, I'd rather not have individual programs remember their last-used sink.  The reason is that I'm on a laptop, but at home tend to use headphones plugged in to an external USB sound card.  I don't want something (especially Flash) decide to play through the laptop speakers instead, just because it was last used when the external card wasn't plugged in, but rather always use the USB when it's available.  (Especially late at night, when other people are sleeping )  Is this possible?

ngoonee

Forum Fellow

From: Between Thailand and Singapore

Registered: 2009-03-17

Posts: 7,362

Re: Pulseaudio - always prefer default sink?

You could set up a script to delete the 'memory' (its one of the files in ~/.pulse). But what I would do is move everything to the USB sound-card. When you're away from home and don't have that, it'll 'fallback' to your laptop sound-card, but as long as you don't move a stream, next time you plug your USB sound card in it'll remember that that was where its supposed to go.

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Allan-Volunteer on the (topic being discussed) mailn lists. You never get the people who matters attention on the forums.
jasonwryan-Installing Arch is a measure of your literacy. Maintaining Arch is a measure of your diligence. Contributing to Arch is a measure of your competence.
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owain

Member

From: Manchester, UK

Registered: 2009-08-24

Posts: 260

Re: Pulseaudio - always prefer default sink?

OK, I'll give that a go.

owain: { ~/.pulse } $ ls
13f0d1b547f272fce20a0a3f4ac0f42b-card-database.x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.gdbm
13f0d1b547f272fce20a0a3f4ac0f42b-default-sink
13f0d1b547f272fce20a0a3f4ac0f42b-default-source
13f0d1b547f272fce20a0a3f4ac0f42b-device-volumes.x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.gdbm
13f0d1b547f272fce20a0a3f4ac0f42b-runtime
13f0d1b547f272fce20a0a3f4ac0f42b-stream-volumes.x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu.gdbm

Is 'card-database' the one to delete?

ngoonee

Forum Fellow

From: Between Thailand and Singapore

Registered: 2009-03-17

Posts: 7,362

Re: Pulseaudio - always prefer default sink?

Either that or stream-volumes, I believe. You can try it out, deleting anything there doesn't hurt you. DISCLAIMER: that statement applies to ~/.pulse only....

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Allan-Volunteer on the (topic being discussed) mailn lists. You never get the people who matters attention on the forums.
jasonwryan-Installing Arch is a measure of your literacy. Maintaining Arch is a measure of your diligence. Contributing to Arch is a measure of your competence.
Griemak-Bleeding edge, not bleeding flat. Edge denotes falls will occur from time to time. Bring your own parachute.

uwinkelvos

Member

Registered: 2009-06-07

Posts: 129

Re: Pulseaudio - always prefer default sink?

There should be some pulse-module, beeing loaded in /etc/pulse/default.pa (or system.pa if you use it as a daemon), that stores and restores the used sinks.

owain

Member

From: Manchester, UK

Registered: 2009-08-24

Posts: 260

Re: Pulseaudio - always prefer default sink?

Removing those modules threw up other errors....but I realised there's a workaround which is good enough for me, which is to enable simultaneous output in paprefs, have everything set up to use that.  When I unplug the USB card, the silmultaneous output equates to the internal card, and when I replug I just need to mute the internal card and I know I won't be disturbing anyone.  Good enough for now, at least!