Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Pierre Neidhardt]

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After a fresh boot, pulseaudio works just fine.  If I log out and log
back again, I systematically get the following odd behaviour:

- When no sound is playing, I hear crackles.
- Instead of one, two pulseaudio processes are running.
- `pavucontrol' fails to start, claiming it cannot connect to the server.
- Power consumption skyrockets.

If I kill all pulseaudio processes, it goes back to normal.  That is to
say, until I log out and in again.

Can anyone reproduce?

-- 
Pierre Neidhardt

Newton's Little-Known Seventh Law:
	A bird in the hand is safer than one overhead.

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Re: Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Leo Famulari]

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On Mon, Apr 23, 2018 at 12:10:37PM +0530, Pierre Neidhardt wrote:
> 
> After a fresh boot, pulseaudio works just fine.  If I log out and log
> back again, I systematically get the following odd behaviour:
> 
> - When no sound is playing, I hear crackles.
> - Instead of one, two pulseaudio processes are running.
> - `pavucontrol' fails to start, claiming it cannot connect to the server.
> - Power consumption skyrockets.
> 
> If I kill all pulseaudio processes, it goes back to normal.  That is to
> say, until I log out and in again.
> 
> Can anyone reproduce?

I can't reproduce this. How are you starting Pulseaudio? Can you include
your config.scm?

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Re: Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Pierre Neidhardt]

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I'm not doing anything to start Pulseaudio since it starts
on demand.  I can't think of anything wrong with how I start my
user session.  I run EXWM via ~/.xsession.  See my dotfiles:

	https://github.com/ambrevar/dotfiles

Find my config.scm attached.

-- 
Pierre Neidhardt

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;; This is an operating system configuration template
;; for a "desktop" setup without full-blown desktop
;; environments.

(use-modules (gnu)
             (gnu packages linux)
             (gnu packages tls)
             (gnu system nss)
             (guix build-system trivial)
             (guix download)
             (guix git-download)
             (gnu services xorg)
             (gnu services networking)
             (gnu packages admin)
             ((guix licenses) #:prefix license:)
             (guix packages)
             (srfi srfi-1))

(use-service-modules desktop)
(use-package-modules bootloaders certs suckless ;; xorg
                     )

(define (linux-nonfree-urls version)
  "Return a list of URLs for Linux-Nonfree VERSION."
  (list (string-append
         "https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/"
         "linux-" version ".tar.xz")))

(define-public linux-nonfree
  (package
    (inherit linux-libre)
    (name "linux-nonfree")
    (version "4.14.33")
    (source
     (origin
      (method url-fetch)
      (uri (linux-nonfree-urls version))
      (sha256
       (base32 "0c88p5vly63jsz62ff7971zl6vqzzbv5q519gi8z17ld66sf5063" ; 4.14.33
        ;; "1hv00176njm4g9m1aj92lvhwqn75c46qwsglsmx95ivbr9qc58av" ; 4.16.1
        ))))))

(define-public linux-nonfree-firmware
  (let ((version "0.0.0")
        (commit "6d5131107f2ba67a13f469ac770a55f101ba654d"))
    (package
     (name "linux-nonfree-firmware")
     (version version)
     (source (origin
              (method git-fetch)
              (uri (git-reference
                    (url "git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/firmware/linux-firmware.git")
                    (commit commit)))
              (sha256
               (base32
                "0nql7rqkx064lsw5bh6n29yfdxmp3hl4nqgp1fxdb4ys76awchg3"))))
     (build-system trivial-build-system)
     (arguments
      `(#:modules ((guix build utils))
                #:builder (begin
                          (use-modules (guix build utils))
                          (let ((source (assoc-ref %build-inputs "source"))
                                (destination (string-append %output "/lib/firmware")))
                            (mkdir-p destination)
                            (copy-recursively source destination #:follow-symlinks? #t)
                            #t))))
     (home-page "")
     (synopsis "Non-free firmware for the Linux kernel")
     (description "Non-free firmware for the Linux kernel")
     (license #f))))

;; Allow members of the "video" group to change the screen brightness.
(define %backlight-udev-rule
  (udev-rule
   "90-backlight.rules"
   (string-append "ACTION==\"add\", SUBSYSTEM==\"backlight\", "
                  "RUN+=\"/run/current-system/profile/bin/chgrp video /sys/class/backlight/%k/brightness\""
                  "\n"
                  "ACTION==\"add\", SUBSYSTEM==\"backlight\", "
                  "RUN+=\"/run/current-system/profile/bin/chmod g+w /sys/class/backlight/%k/brightness\"")))

;; (define my-xorg-modules
;;   ;; Everything but Nouveau.
;;   (delete xf86-video-nouveau %default-xorg-modules))

;; Use the "desktop" services, which include the X11
;; log-in service, networking with Wicd, and more.
(define %my-services
  (modify-services
   %desktop-services
   (udev-service-type config =>
                      (udev-configuration
                       (inherit config)
                       (rules (append (udev-configuration-rules config)
                                      (list %backlight-udev-rule)))))
   (slim-service-type config =>
                      (slim-configuration
                       (inherit config)
                       (auto-login? #f)
                       ;; (startx (xorg-start-command #:modules my-xorg-modules))
                       ;; TODO: Can't slim pre-fill the username?
                       (default-user "ambrevar")))))

(operating-system
 (host-name "mimimi")
 (timezone "Asia/Kolkata")
 (locale "en_US.utf8")

 ;; Use the UEFI variant of GRUB with the EFI System
 ;; Partition mounted on /boot/efi.
 ;; If generating an image to a USB stick, use -bios- instead.
 (bootloader (bootloader-configuration
              (bootloader grub-efi-bootloader)
              (timeout 1)
              (target "/boot/efi")))

 (kernel linux-nonfree)
 (kernel-arguments '("modprobe.blacklist=pcspkr"))
 ;; (kernel-arguments '("modprobe.blacklist=nouveau"))
 ;; (kernel-arguments '("pcie_port_pm=off"))
 (firmware (cons* linux-nonfree-firmware %base-firmware))

 (initrd-modules (append (list "shpchp")
                         %base-initrd-modules))

 ;; Assume the target root file system is labelled "guixsd",
 ;; and the EFI System Partition is specified by its UUID.
 (file-systems (cons* (file-system
                       (device "guixsd")
                       (title 'label)
                       (mount-point "/")
                       (type "ext4"))
                      (file-system
                       (device "home")
                       (title 'label)
                       (mount-point "/home")
                       (type "ext4"))
                      (file-system
                       (device (uuid "8AC2-4252" 'fat))
                       (title 'uuid)
                       (mount-point "/boot/efi")
                       (type "vfat"))
                      %base-file-systems))

 (users (cons* (user-account
                (name "ambrevar")
                (group "users")
                (supplementary-groups '("wheel" "netdev" ; netdev is needed for networking.
                                        "audio" "video"))
                (home-directory "/home/ambrevar"))
               %base-user-accounts))

 (packages (cons* nss-certs             ;for HTTPS access
                  %base-packages))

 (services %my-services)

 ;; Allow resolution of '.local' host names with mDNS.
 (name-service-switch %mdns-host-lookup-nss))

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Re: Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Chris Marusich]

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Pierre Neidhardt <ambrevar@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm not doing anything to start Pulseaudio since it starts
> on demand.

Maybe you can trace the processes back to see what spawned the multiple
Pulseaudio processes?  Try using pstree (from the "psmisc" package).

-- 
Chris

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Re: Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Pierre Neidhardt]

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I've investigated further to come up with a more precise recipe:

- Start the machine afresh.

- Log in, play some music, everything is fine (only one pulseaudio
process, no crackles.)

- Log out and relog _as fast as possible_ (if possible, enter the
  credentials in SLiM in less than 2-3 seconds).

- 4 pulseaudio processes are up.  Sound is crackling when not playing
  anything.  It stops crackling when I play something.

- Log out again and relog (no need to be fast).  This time only one
  process is up but the sound is still crackling.  Killing the process
  fixes it.

- On subsequent logouts+logins, the issue does not seem to be
  reproducible.  I have to reboot.

Another clue:

After a fresh boot, the first time I log out I can see from a TTY that 3
pulseaudio processes are now running.
If I wait some seconds, they all eventually die and I can login without
sound issue.

Subsequent logouts won't spawn those 3 processes.

If however I follow the above receipe and log back in fast enough, an
additional process is spawned (which is normal) but the 3 processes remain.

Puzzling...

--
Pierre Neidhardt

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Re: Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Pierre Neidhardt]

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OK, I've nailed it!

I was mistaken about the "3 pulseaudio processes" I mentioned before,
those actually were

             ├─pulseaudio(500,499,ambrevar)─┬─{alsa-sink-ALC25}(509,499)
             │                              └─{alsa-source-ALC}(510,499)

But htop did not display them that explicitly.  So nothing odd there.

Following Chris suggestion, I used `pstree -ugh` which revealed that the
additional processes were started by my `conky` config.  I have no clue
why this only happens on the first relogging.

Here is the conky config excerpt that I use to query the state/volume:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
${if_match "${exec pactl list sinks | awk '/^\tMute:/ {print $2;exit}'}" == "no"}\
^fg(grey)♪^fg(DeepSkyBlue)\
${exec pactl list sinks | awk '/^\tVolume:/ {print $5;exit}'}\
${endif}\
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

The `pactl` calls triggers pulseaudio.  There is obviously a race
condition when I relog too fast.  Probably a Pulseaudio bug, don't know.

I tried to to add a check whether pulseaudio is running or not:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
${if_match "${exec if pgrep pulseaudio; then pactl list sinks | awk '/^\tMute:/ {print $2;exit}'; fi}" == "no"}\
^fg(grey)♪^fg(DeepSkyBlue)\
${exec if pgrep pulseaudio; then pactl list sinks | awk '/^\tVolume:/ {print $5;exit}'; fi}\
${endif}\
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

It does not seem to work.

Anyways, it's brittle to parse pactl and using conky makes it even
worse.

Would you know any alternative to pactl and/or conky?
i3status does not seem to cut it either.

--
Pierre Neidhardt

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Re: Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Chris Marusich]

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Pierre Neidhardt <ambrevar@gmail.com> writes:

> OK, I've nailed it!
>
> I was mistaken about the "3 pulseaudio processes" I mentioned before,
> those actually were
>
>              ├─pulseaudio(500,499,ambrevar)─┬─{alsa-sink-ALC25}(509,499)
>              │                              └─{alsa-source-ALC}(510,499)
>
> But htop did not display them that explicitly.  So nothing odd there.
>
> Following Chris suggestion, I used `pstree -ugh` which revealed that the
> additional processes were started by my `conky` config.  I have no clue
> why this only happens on the first relogging.
>
> Here is the conky config excerpt that I use to query the state/volume:
>
> ${if_match "${exec pactl list sinks | awk '/^\tMute:/ {print $2;exit}'}" == "no"}\
> ^fg(grey)♪^fg(DeepSkyBlue)\
> ${exec pactl list sinks | awk '/^\tVolume:/ {print $5;exit}'}\
> ${endif}\
>
>
> The `pactl` calls triggers pulseaudio.  There is obviously a race
> condition when I relog too fast.  Probably a Pulseaudio bug, don't know.
>
> I tried to to add a check whether pulseaudio is running or not:
>
> ${if_match "${exec if pgrep pulseaudio; then pactl list sinks | awk '/^\tMute:/ {print $2;exit}'; fi}" == "no"}\
> ^fg(grey)♪^fg(DeepSkyBlue)\
> ${exec if pgrep pulseaudio; then pactl list sinks | awk '/^\tVolume:/ {print $5;exit}'; fi}\
> ${endif}\
>
> It does not seem to work.
>
> Anyways, it's brittle to parse pactl and using conky makes it even
> worse.
>
> Would you know any alternative to pactl and/or conky?
> i3status does not seem to cut it either.

I'm afraid I don't know anything else that might help at this time.  If
you suspect this is a Guix bug, it may be worth recording your findings
in a proper bug report sent to bug-guix@gnu.org.

Thank you for looking into it!

-- 
Chris

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Re: Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Pierre Neidhardt]

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Chris Marusich <cmmarusich@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm afraid I don't know anything else that might help at this time.  If
> you suspect this is a Guix bug, it may be worth recording your findings
> in a proper bug report sent to bug-guix@gnu.org.

While I haven't tested on another distribution (yet, and chances are low
that I'm ever gonna leave Guix :p), I cannot be certain, but the
symptoms seem to be very independent of Guix.

I'd put the blame on conky / Pulseaudio for now :)

-- 
Pierre Neidhardt

The animals are not as stupid as one thinks -- they have neither
doctors nor lawyers.
		-- L. Docquier

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Re: Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Oleg Pykhalov]

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Hello Pierre,

Pierre Neidhardt <ambrevar@gmail.com> writes:

[…]

> I'd put the blame on conky / Pulseaudio for now :)

I have a different Pulseaudio behavior.  Sometimes I use a program which
does not use Pulseaudio but Alsa, then I need to start Pulseaudio
manually if there is no program which produces a sound, e.g. with
‘pulsemixer’.  In ‘pulsemixer’ I'll have ‘PROGRAM_NAME: AudioStream’
string after launching Alsa only program, which means I can contol Alsa
only program with Pulseaudio.  If I don't run Pulseaudio manually, then
Alsa only program will still a device until the program will be killed.
I don't use any desktop environment, which usually run Pulseaudio
automatically as I know.

Does Conky show you a Pulseaudio current volume?  Conky probably runs
Pulseaudio to do it.  Also, it will be better to test a Pulseaudio
behavior in a clean environment, e.g. by using a window manager like
Ratpoison.

Oleg.

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Re: Multiple pulseaudio process after re-loging

[Pierre Neidhardt]

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I don't use a desktop environment.  Pulseaudio starts on demand for me,
but I rarely use anything but mpv to play sound.

Conky does not seem to support Pulseaudio, so I parse `pactl` output
instead.  It's dirty but I can't figure out anything better.

-- 
Pierre Neidhardt

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