Date: Mon, 4 Oct 2021 10:48:03 +0200 From: Mateusz Piotrowski <0mp@FreeBSD.org> To: Hans Petter Selasky <hps@selasky.org>, src-committers@FreeBSD.org, dev-commits-src-all@FreeBSD.org, dev-commits-src-main@FreeBSD.org Cc: Christos Margiolis <christos@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: git: 903873ce1560 - main - Implement and use new mixer(3) library for FreeBSD. Message-ID: <e48b1538-db29-50a4-9cf2-57615144132d@FreeBSD.org> In-Reply-To: <487fa0f2-d845-438f-a035-8b7ccba4285a@selasky.org> References: <202109221803.18MI3gdA013391@gitrepo.freebsd.org> <3d6a23c3-ad2c-4c5b-849e-1ef12dbf8955@FreeBSD.org> <487fa0f2-d845-438f-a035-8b7ccba4285a@selasky.org>
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Hi Hans, On 03/10/2021 21:08, Hans Petter Selasky wrote: > On 10/3/21 6:03 PM, Mateusz Piotrowski wrote: >> On 22/09/2021 20:03, Hans Petter Selasky wrote: >>> The branch main has been updated by hselasky: >>> >>> URL: https://cgit.FreeBSD.org/src/commit/?id=903873ce15600fc02a0ea42cbf888cff232b411d >>> >>> commit 903873ce15600fc02a0ea42cbf888cff232b411d >>> Author: Hans Petter Selasky <hselasky@FreeBSD.org> >>> AuthorDate: 2021-09-22 13:42:51 +0000 >>> Commit: Hans Petter Selasky <hselasky@FreeBSD.org> >>> CommitDate: 2021-09-22 17:43:56 +0000 >>> >>> Implement and use new mixer(3) library for FreeBSD. >>> Wiki article: https://wiki.freebsd.org/SummerOfCode2021Projects/SoundMixerImprovements >>> This project was part of Google Summer of Code 2021. >> >> This may be a bit late to discuss but the new mixer has a completely different >> set of options and command-line arguments. In addition to that, >> the output of the command is different. >> >> Shouldn't we keep supporting the previous way of interacting with mixer? >> I know that people are scripting mixer and its output in production >> in order to control soundcards. Are there any good reasons to keep the new >> mixer(8) as it is now while keeping the old name? Perhaps we could change >> the name of the new mixer to, e.g., newmixer. Users are going to have to >> rewrite their scripts for mixer(8) anyway for 14.0. >> > > It depends what level of compatibility you need. > > If you have a script parsing mixer output, then it needs to be binary compatible so to speak. That > means some new features like "mute" won't work. Hmm, I agree that mute and volume controls in the new CLI interface are very consistent. However, in case of the old CLI interface, the mute functionality could also be added without a problem (at least by looking at the manual pages, the "mute" command could look like this: "mixer mute vol"). My point is that I feel that the CLI interface should be backwards-compatible in this case. > > Would it help to make a port, like "oldmixer", under "audio" ? That's a good idea. I've committed the "old" mixer to the ports tree: https://cgit.freebsd.org/ports/commit/?id=e9a0efe4509b8dbdef0b4e4b5b94abf0aebd78a9. However, I feel that it is a solution to a problem that could have been avoided. The mixer improvements should have been introduced in a way that users do not have to do anything to keep their scripts working. At the moment, it does not really matter if a user has to install an additional port or patch their scripts. In the end, it's extra work and potential bugs. On the other hand, from what I understand so far, mixer(8) needed a redesign. Also, usually people don't script mixer(8) too heavily so the changes in the interface are going to be only a minor annoyance when FreeBSD 14.0 is released. An entry in the release notes and the availability of the old mixer in the ports tree should be enough. Best, Mateusz Piotrowskihome | help
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