I've finally gotten to the bottom of the (single) MIDI controller problem in 
SoaS (Sugar-on-a-Stick).

What was causing me much confusion was the fact that when the controller was 
plugged in prior to boot, MIDI didn't work. When plugged in *after* stick 
boot, it *did* work. (Strange, but true.)

The trick was to consult ls -lR /dev/snd/* as several of you suggested.

Using the : -rtmidi=alsa -M hw:1,0 in all cases:

Inserting stick before boot gave these values in ls -lR /dev/snd/*:
midiC0D0 and hwC1D0

Inserting *after* boot:
hwC0D0 and midiC1D0

Switching the USB MIDI device in and out after boot, doesn't change any of 
these data.

Obviously, the above discrepancy is a problem.

The log file (of failures) shows this:
ALSA lib rawmidi_hw.c:233:(snd_rawmidi_hw_open) open /dev/snd/midiC1D0 
failed: No such file or directory
ALSA: error opening MIDI input device
 *** error opening MIDI in device: -1 (Unknown MIDI error)

What's the solution? It's important that both scenarios work.

Art Hunkins

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "victor" 
To: 
Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 3:48 AM
Subject: [Csnd] Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: csound on Fedora 11 and 
rawhide


> It's a lot more than I normally get. It seems to indicate your rawmidi 
> device
> as hw:0,0. Try running it without the usb MIDI card and see if it is 
> different,
> as it should be.
>
> Also try installing another program that uses MIDI to see if you can get 
> it
> to work (eg. PD).
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Art Hunkins" 
> To: 
> Cc: 
> Sent: Wednesday, September 09, 2009 4:57 AM
> Subject: [Csnd] Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: csound on Fedora 11 and 
> rawhide
>
>
>> Victor and Felipe especially,
>>
>> The command: amidi -L
>> gives the following output: (with a USB MIDI controller plugged in and 
>> on; please interpret!)
>>
>> RawMIDI list:
>>
>> default {
>>
>> type hw
>>
>> card {
>>
>> @func getenv
>>
>> vars {
>>
>> 0 ALSA_RAWMIDI_CARD
>>
>> 1 ALSA_CARD
>>
>> }
>>
>> default {
>>
>> @func refer
>>
>> name 'defaults.rawmidi.card'
>>
>> }
>>
>> }
>>
>> device {
>>
>> @func igetenv
>>
>> vars {
>>
>> 0 ALSA_RAWMIDI_DEVICE
>>
>> }
>>
>> default {
>>
>> @func refer
>>
>> name 'defaults.rawmidi.device'
>>
>> }
>>
>> }
>>
>> }
>>
>> hw {
>>
>> @args.0 CARD
>>
>> @args.1 DEV
>>
>> @args.2 SUBDEV
>>
>> @args.CARD {
>>
>> type string
>>
>> default {
>>
>> @func getenv
>>
>> vars {
>>
>> 0 ALSA_RAWMIDI_CARD
>>
>> 1 ALSA_CARD
>>
>> }
>>
>> default {
>>
>> @func refer
>>
>> name 'defaults.rawmidi.card'
>>
>> }
>>
>> }
>>
>> }
>>
>> @args.DEV {
>>
>> type integer
>>
>> default {
>>
>> @func igetenv
>>
>> vars {
>>
>> 0 ALSA_RAWMIDI_DEVICE
>>
>> }
>>
>> default {
>>
>> @func refer
>>
>> name 'defaults.rawmidi.device'
>>
>> }
>>
>> }
>>
>> }
>>
>> @args.SUBDEV {
>>
>> type integer
>>
>> default -1
>>
>> }
>>
>> type hw
>>
>> card $CARD
>>
>> device $DEV
>>
>> subdevice $SUBDEV
>>
>> hint {
>>
>> description 'Direct rawmidi driver device'
>>
>> device $DEV
>>
>> }
>>
>> }
>>
>> virtual {
>>
>> @args.0 MERGE
>>
>> @args.MERGE {
>>
>> type string
>>
>> default 1
>>
>> }
>>
>> type virtual
>>
>> merge $MERGE
>>
>> }
>>
>>
>>
>> Art Hunkins
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: 
>> To: 
>> Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 5:58 PM
>> Subject: [Csnd] Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: csound on Fedora 11 and 
>> rawhide
>>
>>
>>>
>>> amidi -L
>>>
>>> should list the MIDI devices.
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: Felipe Sateler 
>>> Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 10:46 pm
>>> Subject: [Csnd] Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: csound on Fedora 11 and rawhide
>>> To: csound@lists.bath.ac.uk
>>> Cc: pbrobinson@gmail.com, sugar-devel@lists.sugarlabs.org
>>>
>>>> I think that alsa is not picking up your MIDI device. I know
>>>> practically nothing about MIDI, so I can't really help on this one...
>>>> Can you execute "ls -lR /dev/snd/*
>>>>
>>>> Saludos,
>>>> Felipe Sateler
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 17:00, Art Hunkins wrote:
>>>> > Followup:
>>>> > I've now got audio with SoaS on my Windows box. (I think I
>>>> used a
>>>> > differently prepared stick, probably one that was updated
>>>> *correctly*). All
>>>> > results were as described below on my Asus EeePC900.
>>>> >
>>>> > My remaining problem is MIDI input. Here are my :
>>>> > -odac -+rtaudio=alsa -+rtmidi=alsa -M hw:1,0 -m0d --expression-
>>>> opt -b128
>>>> > -B2048 -+raw_controller_mode=1
>>>> > (It seems that *both* -+rtaudio=alsa and -+rtmidi=alsa are
>>>> required here.)
>>>> >
>>>> > No sound, and the log shows real confusion on the MIDI front.
>>>> Here is the
>>>> > relevent portion:
>>>> > ALSA lib rawmidi_hw.c:233:(snd_rawmidi_hw_open) open
>>>> /dev/snd/midiC1D0> failed: No such file or directory
>>>> >
>>>> > ALSA: error opening MIDI input device
>>>> >
>>>> > *** error opening MIDI in device: -1 (Unknown MIDI error)
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Seems like there is something missing for alsa MIDI.
>>>> >
>>>> > BTW, both -+rtmidi=pulse and -+rtmidi=portmidi fail;
>>>> apparently these
>>>> > options don't exist.
>>>> >
>>>> > Art Hunkins
>>>> >
>>>> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Art Hunkins"
>>>> > To: ;
>>>> > Cc: 
>>>> > Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 2:10 PM
>>>> > Subject: Re: [Csnd] Re: Re: Re: Re: csound on Fedora 11 and rawhide
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >> I've finally got sound, out of my Asus EeePC900 (Linux) -
>>>> wonderful.>>
>>>> >> I'm also in a position to comment on much of what has been
>>>> communicated>> over the last few hours.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> 1) The pulseaudio module *must* be downloaded/installed for
>>>> Csound to work
>>>> >> at all. Pulseaudio-libs is not required.
>>>> >> 2) Pulseaudio works with either -+rtaudio=pulse, or nothing
>>>> (I guess that
>>>> >> means it is "patched").
>>>> >> 3) As long as the separate pulseaudio module is present, ALSA
>>>> also works
>>>> >> (via -+rtaudio=alsa). ALSA is obviously in the main package already
>>>> >> (apparently as part of pulseaudio).
>>>> >> 4) Portaudio is indeed completely absent; if you specify -
>>>> +rtaudio=pa [or
>>>> >> portaudio], Csound crashes.
>>>> >> 5) IMPORTANT: Pulseaudio latency is very poor; at the end of random
>>>> >> envelopes, it even gives a short additional burst of sound
>>>> (as if needing to
>>>> >> empty an old buffer). ALSA (-+rtaudio=alsa), OTOH, is very
>>>> responsive and
>>>> >> totally satisfactory.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Bottom line: if I had my druthers, I'd vote for ALSA as the
>>>> default.>> Nonetheless, I agree with Victor; there is no real
>>>> problem - as long as we
>>>> >> remember to specify -+rtaudio=alsa, and install the
>>>> pulseaudio module. (I do
>>>> >> admit this seems a bit convoluted, but such is life and Csound.)
>>>> >>
>>>> >> As an aside: I'm still working on getting sound from my
>>>> Windows box.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Art Hunkins
>>>> >>
>>>> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: 
>>>> >> To: 
>>>> >> Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 11:48 AM
>>>> >> Subject: [Csnd] Re: Re: Re: Re: csound on Fedora 11 and rawhide
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> But there is no problem then, we just have to install the
>>>> >> csound-alsa package (possibly if the alsa module is not in
>>>> >> the main package) and use -+rtaudio=alsa.
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Victor
>>>> >>
>>>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> >> From: Felipe Sateler 
>>>> >> Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 4:45 pm
>>>> >> Subject: [Csnd] Re: Re: Re: csound on Fedora 11 and rawhide
>>>> >> To: csound@lists.bath.ac.uk
>>>> >>
>>>> >>> AFAIK, yes, it was patched. The thing is that apparently the SoaS
>>>> >>> package is exactly the same one as in fedora. In fedora it
>>>> might make
>>>> >>> sense to use pulseaudio (since pulseaudio will be running
>>>> anyway and
>>>> >>> lots of soundcards/drivers do not allow multiple applications
>>>> >>> writing to
>>>> >>> them at the same time). I agree that pulseaudio in Sugar does
>>>> >>> not make
>>>> >>> much sense, but as long as it's the same package as in
>>>> fedora, I think
>>>> >>> it will keep being pulse.
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>> On Tue, 2009-09-08 at 08:01 +0100, victor wrote:
>>>> >>> > Well, you can try adding -+rtaudio=pulse. If Csound was not
>>>> >>> patched, it
>>>> >>> > would
>>>> >>> > still look for portaudio.
>>>> >>> >
>>>> >>> > Was it patched to find pulseaudio by default? My only
>>>> >>> misgiving about this
>>>> >>> > is
>>>> >>> > that pulseaudio is very high-latency.
>>>> >>> >
>>>> >>> > Victor
>>>> >>> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Art Hunkins"
>>>> >>> > To: "Peter Robinson"
>>>> ; "Felipe
>>>> >>> Sateler"
>>>> >>> > 
>>>> >>> > Cc: 
>>>> >>> > Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 2009 1:46 AM
>>>> >>> > Subject: [Csnd] Re: csound on Fedora 11 and rawhide
>>>> >>> >
>>>> >>> >
>>>> >>> > > I'm really excited that Csound now seems to be working on
>>>> >>> > > Sugar-on-a-Stick.
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > I'm getting sound written to -odac, but unfortunately am
>>>> >>> still not hearing
>>>> >>> > > audio. I imagine my problem is my audio setup.
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > My  are:
>>>> >>> > > -odac -m0d --expression-opt -b128 -B2048
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > This set of options work fine on the XO-1, which is of
>>>> >>> course Csound5.08
>>>> >>> > > with alsa as default rtaudio.
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > SoaS default is now Pulseaudio, about which I know nothing;
>>>> >>> my log shows
>>>> >>> > > it is being used, as expected.
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > I noted that there were also "updates" available for
>>>> >>> pulseaudio and
>>>> >>> > > pulseaudio-libs. (I don't believe they were part of Soas
>>>> >>> Strawberry.) Not
>>>> >>> > > knowing whether these are now needed, I installed them as
>>>> >>> well. Still no
>>>> >>> > > audio.
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > FWIW, I'm on my WindowsXP system, which has several audio
>>>> >>> drivers
>>>> >>> > > installed on it along with a specified (Windows) default.
>>>> >>> I've no idea if
>>>> >>> > > this matters.
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > What am I missing? I assume it's something in .
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > I'm hoping that for purposes of my Sugar activity, that the
>>>> >>> additional
>>>> >>> > > pulseaudio files will not need to be installed. For kids and
>>>> >>> their
>>>> >>> > > teachers and support people, the less that needs to be done
>>>> >>> the better.
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > Art Hunkins
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Peter Robinson"
>>>> >>> > > 
>>>> >>> > > To: "Art Hunkins" ; "Felipe Sateler"
>>>> >>> > > 
>>>> >>> > > Cc: ; "Sugar devel"
>>>> >>> > > 
>>>> >>> > > Sent: Sunday, September 06, 2009 5:12 PM
>>>> >>> > > Subject: csound on Fedora 11 and rawhide
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > >> Hi All,
>>>> >>> > >>
>>>> >>> > >> I think (with the help of Felipe) and after around a
>>>> >>> million test
>>>> >>> > >> recompiles :-) I've finally fixed the issues with the
>>>> >>> csound python
>>>> >>> > >> bindings on Fedora. The build is now in rawhide and
>>>> fedora-
>>>> >>> testing for
>>>> >>> > >> Fedora 11 as of today. The build that your after is
>>>> 5.10.1-
>>>> >>> 12. For me
>>>> >>> > >> at least it seems to work OK on Fedora 11 rawhide.
>>>> >>> PulseAudio is set
>>>> >>> > >> as the default. I would like to know how it looks to
>>>> >>> everyone else.
>>>> >>> > >>
>>>> >>> > >> Cheers,
>>>> >>> > >> Peter
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > >
>>>> >>> > > Send bugs reports to this list.
>>>> >>> > > To unsubscribe, send email sympa@lists.bath.ac.uk with body
>>>> >>> "unsubscribe
>>>> >>> > > csound"
>>>> >>> >
>>>> >>> >
>>>> >>> >
>>>> >>> > Send bugs reports to this list.
>>>> >>> > To unsubscribe, send email sympa@lists.bath.ac.uk with body
>>>> >>> "unsubscribe csound"
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Dr Victor Lazzarini, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Music,
>>>> >> National University of Ireland, Maynooth
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >>
>>>> >> Send bugs reports to this list.
>>>> >> To unsubscribe, send email sympa@lists.bath.ac.uk with body
>>>> "unsubscribe>> csound"=
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Send bugs reports to this list.
>>>> > To unsubscribe, send email sympa@lists.bath.ac.uk with body
>>>> "unsubscribe> csound"
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Send bugs reports to this list.
>>>> To unsubscribe, send email sympa@lists.bath.ac.uk with body
>>>> "unsubscribe csound"
>>>
>>> Dr Victor Lazzarini, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Music,
>>> National University of Ireland, Maynooth
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Send bugs reports to this list.
>>> To unsubscribe, send email sympa@lists.bath.ac.uk with body "unsubscribe 
>>> csound"
>>
>>
>>
>> Send bugs reports to this list.
>> To unsubscribe, send email sympa@lists.bath.ac.uk with body "unsubscribe 
>> csound"
>
>
>
> Send bugs reports to this list.
> To unsubscribe, send email sympa@lists.bath.ac.uk with body "unsubscribe 
> csound" 



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On Fri, 2009-09-11 at 14:26 -0400, Art Hunkins wrote:
> I've finally gotten to the bottom of the (single) MIDI controller problem in 
> SoaS (Sugar-on-a-Stick).
> 
> What was causing me much confusion was the fact that when the controller was 
> plugged in prior to boot, MIDI didn't work. When plugged in *after* stick 
> boot, it *did* work. (Strange, but true.)
> 
> The trick was to consult ls -lR /dev/snd/* as several of you suggested.
> 
> Using the : -rtmidi=alsa -M hw:1,0 in all cases:
> 
> Inserting stick before boot gave these values in ls -lR /dev/snd/*:
> midiC0D0 and hwC1D0
> 
> Inserting *after* boot:
> hwC0D0 and midiC1D0

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do about this, AFAIK. These
devices get created by udev, and you cannot predict the order in which
it will see them appear (ie, in the first case it sees first the MIDI
device, and in the second case it sees first the audio card). It is
possible to fix this *for your own machine*, I think, but a generic fix
is not possible.

> 
> Switching the USB MIDI device in and out after boot, doesn't change any of 
> these data.
> 
> Obviously, the above discrepancy is a problem.
> 
> The log file (of failures) shows this:
> ALSA lib rawmidi_hw.c:233:(snd_rawmidi_hw_open) open /dev/snd/midiC1D0 
> failed: No such file or directory
> ALSA: error opening MIDI input device
>  *** error opening MIDI in device: -1 (Unknown MIDI error)
> 
> What's the solution? It's important that both scenarios work.

Waiting for the next csound release (which includes -Ma for alsa) seems
the most reliable (although highly annoying). Another option is that
(I'm assuming this is part of an Activity, and thus you already have to
program in python) you parse the contents of /dev/snd, pick the right
MIDI device, and modify the csd accordingly. Yet another option is to
ask Peter to include the patch (I'm pretty sure the patch is easily
backportable... Andrés?) in a Fedora update so you can rely on -Ma
without waiting for the next release.

-- 
Saludos,
Felipe Sateler