Re: [PATCH 2/3 v2] ALSA: usb-audio: avoid setting of sample rate multiple times on bus

From: Takashi Sakamoto
Date: Mon Dec 05 2016 - 04:59:57 EST


On Dec 5 2016 16:32, Jiada Wang wrote:
Hi Sakamoto

On 11/30/2016 02:45 AM, Takashi Sakamoto wrote:
Hi Jiada,

I don't oppose this patch. Nevertheless, your description is not
necessarily correct.

On Nov 30 2016 16:59, Jiada Wang wrote:
From: Daniel Girnus <dgirnus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

ALSA usually calls the prepare function twice before starting the
playback:
1. On hw_params call from userland and
2. internally when starting the stream.

ALSA PCM core in kernel land doesn't perform like this.

In alsa-lib, 'snd_pcm_hw_params()' calls
'snd_pcm_hw_params_internal()' and 'snd_pcm_prepare()' sequentially.
http://git.alsa-project.org/?p=alsa-lib.git;a=blob;f=src/pcm/pcm.c;h=cd87bc759ded95953e332b7e8d56b0f2d5b4185d;hb=HEAD#l853


In system call level (e.g. see by strace(1)), this looks like two
ioctl(2)s with 'SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_HW_PARAMS' and 'SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_PREPARE'.

Well, when applications are written to execute 'snd_pcm_hw_params()'
and 'snd_pcm_hw_prepare()' sequentially, additional ioctl(2) with
'SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_PREPARE' appears. PulseAudio is this kind of
application. I indicated the useless in 2014, but it still remains:
https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/pulseaudio-discuss/2014-January/019773.html


You have the misunderstanding due to a nature of alsa-lib and tendency
of major applications, from my point of view.

Thanks for your indication, so because some of userland applications
call 'snd_pcm_hw_params()' and
'snd_pcm_hw_prepare()' sequentially, means the second
'SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_PREPARE' be called in 'SNDRV_PCM_STATE_PREPARED' state,

Exactly. Furthermore, ALSA PCM core has no code to call .prepare() in contexts unrelated to SNDRV_PCM_IOCTL_PREPARE.

some devices are unable to manage this and stop working.
I will update Changelog in v2 Patchset.


Regards

Takashi Sakamoto