Re: beep makes no sound on xfce

[Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen@web.de>]

Joe Riel <joer@san.rr.com> writes:

> Any idea what mechanism emacs uses to generate a beep on linux?  I'm
> thinking the problem lies there, rather than in emacs.

I think `XTring_bell' in xterm.c is the function implementing this:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
static void
XTring_bell (struct frame *f)
{
  if (FRAME_X_DISPLAY (f))
    {
      if (visible_bell)
	XTflash (f);
      else
	{
	  block_input ();
#ifdef HAVE_XKB
          XkbBell (FRAME_X_DISPLAY (f), None, 0, None);
#else
	  XBell (FRAME_X_DISPLAY (f), 0);
#endif
	  XFlush (FRAME_X_DISPLAY (f));
	  unblock_input ();
	}
    }
}
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

I don't have any background knowledge, AFAICT this calls the system bell
via X.  AFAIK the X bell used to activate some little beeper device that
modern hardware often doesn't have.  It never worked for me, for
example, so I use the visible bell.

There is a news entry about the above function btw:

  2013-03-25  Jan Djärv  <jan.h.d@swipnet.se>

	* xterm.c: Include X11/XKBlib.h
	(XTring_bell): Use XkbBell if HAVE_XKB (Bug#14041).

Others hopefully can help further.


Regards,

Michael.