../FeatureDefinitions

Ubuntu Studio Controls Feature Definition

Resources

• UbuntuStudio/ControlsRedesign (outdated but shows direction)

Graphical Design:

AppIndicator

On systems that support it, there will be a menu in the app-indicator area:

Features

Complete list of planned features. See further down the page for a more complete explanation.

System Info:

• Full system check script - make sure everything is in order
• Monitor system resources, such as DSP, CPU, Memory, Temp, CPU Hz

System Settings:

• System setup wizard:
  • Analyze system:
    • if ok, show rt configuration toggle
    • if not ok, ask to clean the system, and set default rt configuration
  • Make Settings for each audio server (pulseaudio, jack) (alsa???)
    • Jack Specific Settings:
      • Select jack (jackd1, jackd2, jackdmp)
      • Select and test default audio device (button to a alsa mixer for that card, for setting levels)
      • Enable/disable autostart at login
      • Enable/disable alsa to jack midi bridge
    • Pulseaudio Specific Settings:
      • Select and test default audio device (button to a pulseaudio mixer, for setting levels
      • Enable/disable autostart at login
    • Enable/disable pulseaudio to jack bridge (greyed out when using jack1, perhaps even jack2)
  • Select default kernel
  • Select default CPU governor
  • Set Swappiness

  • Perform a system test, and ask if to send it <somewhere> (anonymous info only)

• Realtime Administration (per user control: audio group and security/limits file)
• swappiness
• CPU governor

Third Party Application Settings:

• jack

  • set device I/O (hw:<name>, preferably also by pci number)

  • samplerate
  • latency (simple and advanced control)
  • take snapshot of connections
• pulseaudio
  • set device I/O
  • volume control
• a2jmidi
• zita-a2j

Third Party Application Launchers:

• pulseaudio (desktop audio) mixer
• card alsa/ffado mixer (correct mixer is launched, based on running audio device)
• patchage, for making jack connections

Session Settings:

• Profiles/Modes (each profile can have different session settings)
  • autostart jack y/n
    • autostart a2jmidid y/n
  • autostart pulseaudio y/n
    • autostart pulse-to-jack-bridge y/n
    • auto-set jack as input y/n
    • auto-set jack as output y/n
  • default CPU governor mode

Quick buttons:

• (Desktop audio volume - pulseaudio)
• Profile/Mode - Low Latency(monitoring), High Latency(mixing), Power Saving(desktop usage)
• Reset (resets everything, and possibly restarts all audio servers)

System Info

System Check Script

Abstract: A system script for making sure there are no problems in the system. Great for troubleshooting.

Actions:

• autorun at login (silently in the background)
• print full report in home folder
• check: kernel type
• check: irq conflicts
• check: (etc..)

Graphical IF:

• toggle for notifying of errors/problems at login
• button for manual check

Monitor System Resources

Abstract:

Actions:

Graphical IF:

System Settings

Realtime Administration

Abstract:

Actions:

• list only "real" users
• add selected user to correct group
• make sure correct group has rtprio and memlock privileges
• check the kernel if rtprio and memlock are the same as settings
  • if there is no rtprio or memlock at all, ask the user to reboot for changes to have effect
  • if there are conflicting values, advice the user that there is a conflicting settings file in /etc/security/

Graphical IF:

Select user from a menu, and toggle rt privilege for that user.

Swappiness

This setting requires root privilege, and a reboot for changes to have effect

Abstract: The default Ubuntu setting is no good for desktop/multimedia production use. 10 is a good value. But, the user could be allowed to change it to something else too. What are good values here, and what are min-max values?

Actions:

• Set a new value for swappiness in a custom file at /etc/sysctl.d/*

Graphical IF:

• Slider to set swappiness from 0-?

CPU governor

Abstract: In order to change the cpu governor on the fly, we'll need access to do so.

Actions:

• ?

Graphical IF:

• Display available governors as radio buttons.

Third Party Application Control

The makeup of Linux Audio requires the use of several different applications/servers. Ubuntu Studio Controls will try to simplify setting those up, by including controls for the most useful ones.

Jack

Abstract:

Actions:

• autostart option
• set audio device (persistent between boots)
• set samplerate
• set latency (two settings)
• make snapshot of connections
• Choose between jackd and jackdbus (and show info on what is installed)

Graphical IF:

Pulseaudio

Abstract:

Actions:

• autostart option
• set audio I/O (jack should be persistent)
• pulse to jack bridge enable/disable

Graphical IF:

a2jmidid

Abstract:

Actions:

• autorun when jack starts option

Graphical IF:

zita-a2j

Abstract:

Actions:

Graphical IF:

Third Party Application Launchers

As there already are lots of good guis for different functions, we can make use of those as a part of the Ubuntu Studio Controls solution for controlling and setting up audio.

pavucontrol

Abstract:

Actions:

Graphical IF:

card mixer

Abstract: Some cards have special mixers, such as firewire devices, and some pci cards.

Actions:

• launch appropriate mixer for card in use

Graphical IF

patchage

Abstract:

Actions:

Graphical IF:

Session Settings

Abstract:

Actions:

• save profile
• select profile
• select default profile

Graphical IF:

Systray/Indicator App Menu

Abstract:

Buttons/Submenus:

• Profiles/Modes
  • Profile1
  • Profile2
  • etc..
• Settings
• Help/Troubleshooting
  • Help Documentation
  • Chat with other users
  • Full Systemcheck
• Reset Audio