[meego-packaging] Proposal for change in PulseAudio packaging of configuration

[Marko Saukko]

On 12/02/2010 02:32 PM, Carsten Munk wrote:
> ...
> And this is naturally bad for reasons such as:
>
> * It ruins upgrade-ability of these configurations (once /etc/skel has
> been copied to a user's $HOME we can't touch it anymore)
>
> * It's ugly.
>
> * We should never ship something like this and ask device porters to
> follow same pattern
>

Agreed.

> So, I'd like to propose these changes:
>
> * Establish hardware adaptation interface: provide package that contains:
>
> /etc/pulse/default.pa
> /etc/pulse/daemon.conf
>
> and
>
> Provides: pulseaudio-config
>
> * In pulseaudio package, Add requires: pulseaudio-config
>

My question is do we want to support devices without any audio 
configurations? Because pulseaudio is in the MeeGo compliance and 
because of that should exist in every platform. However, if we use 
"Requires:" field in pulseaudio package we also require adaptation to do 
dummy pulseaudio-config package which is not necessary.

I would suggest that all this kind of configurations should be in the 
device specific package groups such as "Nokia N900 Support" or "MRST 
Support" and that we would not introduce "Requires:" field to pulseaudio 
package.

> * Ship default /etc/pulse/default.pa and /etc/pulse/daemon.conf
> currently in 'pulseaudio' package in pulseaudio-config-default
>

What is default? Is some adaptation on higher priority than other?

> * Change existing hacks for N900 to ship /etc/pulse/default.pa and
> /etc/pulse/daemon.conf and Provides: pulseaudio-config
>
> If there's suggestions how we handle global detection of what device
> we run and configure accordingily, especially inside PulseAudio
> configuration. I'd like to know this as well - I don't think we can
> rely on autodetect for something as complex as audio configuration
> when modems etc are involved.

I think we should have /etc/pulse/pa.d/ directory or something similar 
from which all the .pa files would be loaded (need to merge the files to 
one first?) based on the filename order for example. And if no files are 
found then loading the default.pa or loading the default.pa anyway if 
all device specific stuff is removed from it and it works as a base for 
all devices.

>
> Options for that include asking the pulseaudio startup script to use
> specific configuration, based on device configuration
> /etc/pulse/default.pa-N900 , /etc/pulse/daemon.conf-MFLD.. But this
> requires a central place we can ask what device it is.
>
> Comments/suggestions/anything?
>
> If no comments are received by end of next week I'll assume you all
> agree this is the way to go and submit a patch for this to PulseAudio
> package and nokia-n900-configs.
>
> Best regards,
> Carsten Munk
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