I am trying to capture and play audio using C program. For this I got this tutorial.. Here is the program which I am running:-

/**
 * Jan Newmarch
 */

#define PERIOD_SIZE 1024
#define BUF_SIZE (PERIOD_SIZE * 2)

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <alsa/asoundlib.h>

void print_pcm_state(snd_pcm_t *handle, char *name) 
 switch (snd_pcm_state(handle)) 
 case SND_PCM_STATE_OPEN:
 printf("state open %sn", name);
 break;

 case SND_PCM_STATE_SETUP:
 printf("state setup %sn", name);
 break;

 case SND_PCM_STATE_PREPARED:
 printf("state prepare %sn", name);
 break;

 case SND_PCM_STATE_RUNNING:
 printf("state running %sn", name);
 break;

 case SND_PCM_STATE_XRUN:
 printf("state xrun %sn", name);
 break;

 default:
 printf("state other %sn", name);
 break;

 



int setparams(snd_pcm_t *handle, char *name) 
 snd_pcm_hw_params_t *hw_params;
 int err;


 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc (&hw_params)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot allocate hardware parameter structure (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_any (handle, hw_params)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot initialize hardware parameter structure (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access (handle, hw_params, SND_PCM_ACCESS_RW_INTERLEAVED)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set access type (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format (handle, hw_params, SND_PCM_FORMAT_S16_LE)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set sample format (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 unsigned int rate = 48000; 
 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near (handle, hw_params, &rate, 0)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set sample rate (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 
 printf("Rate for %s is %dn", name, rate);

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels (handle, hw_params, 2)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set channel count (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 snd_pcm_uframes_t buffersize = BUF_SIZE;
 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size_near(handle, hw_params, &buffersize)) < 0) 
 printf("Unable to set buffer size %li: %sn", BUF_SIZE, snd_strerror(err));
 exit (1);;
 

 snd_pcm_uframes_t periodsize = PERIOD_SIZE;
 fprintf(stderr, "period size now %dn", periodsize);
 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near(handle, hw_params, &periodsize, 0)) < 0) 
 printf("Unable to set period size %li: %sn", periodsize, snd_strerror(err));
 exit (1);
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params (handle, hw_params)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set parameters (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 snd_pcm_uframes_t p_psize;
 snd_pcm_hw_params_get_period_size(hw_params, &p_psize, NULL);
 fprintf(stderr, "period size %dn", p_psize);

 snd_pcm_hw_params_get_buffer_size(hw_params, &p_psize);
 fprintf(stderr, "buffer size %dn", p_psize);

 snd_pcm_hw_params_free (hw_params);

 if ((err = snd_pcm_prepare (handle)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot prepare audio interface for use (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 return 0;


int set_sw_params(snd_pcm_t *handle, char *name) 
 snd_pcm_sw_params_t *swparams;
 int err;

 snd_pcm_sw_params_alloca(&swparams);

 err = snd_pcm_sw_params_current(handle, swparams);
 if (err < 0) 
 fprintf(stderr, "Broken configuration for this PCM: no configurations availablen");
 exit(1);
 

 err = snd_pcm_sw_params_set_start_threshold(handle, swparams, PERIOD_SIZE);
 if (err < 0) 
 printf("Unable to set start threshold: %sn", snd_strerror(err));
 return err;
 
 err = snd_pcm_sw_params_set_avail_min(handle, swparams, PERIOD_SIZE);
 if (err < 0) 
 printf("Unable to set avail min: %sn", snd_strerror(err));
 return err;
 

 if (snd_pcm_sw_params(handle, swparams) < 0) 
 fprintf(stderr, "unable to install sw params:n");
 exit(1);
 

 return 0;


/************** some code from latency.c *****************/

main (int argc, char *argv)

 int i;
 int err;
 int buf[BUF_SIZE];
 snd_pcm_t *playback_handle;
 snd_pcm_t *capture_handle;
 snd_pcm_hw_params_t *hw_params;
 FILE *fin;
 size_t nread;
 snd_pcm_format_t format = SND_PCM_FORMAT_S16_LE;
 if (argc != 3) 
 fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s in-card out-cardn", argv[0]);
 exit(1);
 

 /**** Out card *******/
 if ((err = snd_pcm_open (&playback_handle, argv[2], SND_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK, 0)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot open audio device %s (%s)n", 
 argv[2],
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 setparams(playback_handle, "playback");
 set_sw_params(playback_handle, "playback");


 /*********** In card **********/

 if ((err = snd_pcm_open (&capture_handle, argv[1], SND_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE, 0)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot open audio device %s (%s)n", 
 argv[1],
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 setparams(capture_handle, "capture");
 set_sw_params(capture_handle, "capture");

 if ((err = snd_pcm_link(capture_handle, playback_handle)) < 0) 
 printf("Streams link error: %sn", snd_strerror(err));
 exit(0);
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_prepare (playback_handle)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot prepare playback audio interface for use (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 /**************** stuff something into the playback buffer ****************/
 if (snd_pcm_format_set_silence(format, buf, 2*BUF_SIZE) < 0) 
 fprintf(stderr, "silence errorn");
 exit(1);
 

 int n = 0;
 while (n++ < 2) 
 if (snd_pcm_writei (playback_handle, buf, BUF_SIZE) < 0) 
 fprintf(stderr, "write errorn");
 exit(1);
 
 

 /************* COPY ************/
 while (1) 
 int nread;
 if ((nread = snd_pcm_readi (capture_handle, buf, BUF_SIZE)) != BUF_SIZE) 
 if (nread < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "read from audio interface failed (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (nread));
 else 
 fprintf (stderr, "read from audio interface failed after %d framesn", nread);
 
 snd_pcm_prepare(capture_handle);
 continue;
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_writei (playback_handle, buf, nread)) != nread) 
 if (err < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "write to audio interface failed (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 else 
 fprintf (stderr, "write to audio interface failed after %d framesn", err);
 
 snd_pcm_prepare(playback_handle);
 
 


 snd_pcm_drain(playback_handle); 
 snd_pcm_close (playback_handle);
 exit (0);

I compile it and run with following arguments:-

./playback-capture hw:0 hw:0

Till now my code is running fine, but now I decide to run this program using USB sound card. For this I edit

/etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf

Here are the changes :-

I replace

options snd_usb_audio index=-2
options snd_hda_intel index=-1

with

options snd_usb_audio index=-1
options snd_hda_intel index=-2

And I replace

# Keep snd-usb-audio from beeing loaded as first soundcard
options snd-usb-audio index=-1

with

# Keep snd-usb-audio from beeing loaded as first soundcard
options snd-usb-audio index=-1

Now, when i run my code , I got this output:-

Rate for playback is 48000
period size now 1024
period size 1024
buffer size 2048
Rate for capture is 48000
cannot set channel count (Invalid argument)

So, can anyone tell me what else should I do to run my code using sound card.

Note:- I run command

aplay -l

and got this output:-

card 0: Device [USB PnP Sound Device], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
 Subdevices: 1/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC221 Analog [ALC221 Analog]
 Subdevices: 1/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

As a part of a project i want to have a Full Duplex
ALSA Advance Linux Sound Architecture example that can :

1. Capture sound from a sound card thru microphone jack (pink).


2. Play on other USB sound card output (Line-out green jack).

By performing some little change on your Code i can implement a running version of two-way ALSA Capture-play example.

Here is the code

Code

/**
 * Jan Newmarch
 */


/*
 * File name: rec-play-inline.c
 * 
 * compile: gcc rec-play-inline.c -o rec-play-inline -lasound
 * 
 * run: ./rec-play-inline "plughw:2,0" "plughw:0,0"
 * 
 * 
 * */


#define PERIOD_SIZE 1024
#define BUF_SIZE (PERIOD_SIZE * 2)

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <alsa/asoundlib.h>

void print_pcm_state(snd_pcm_t *handle, char *name) 
 switch (snd_pcm_state(handle)) 
 case SND_PCM_STATE_OPEN:
 printf("state open %sn", name);
 break;

 case SND_PCM_STATE_SETUP:
 printf("state setup %sn", name);
 break;

 case SND_PCM_STATE_PREPARED:
 printf("state prepare %sn", name);
 break;

 case SND_PCM_STATE_RUNNING:
 printf("state running %sn", name);
 break;

 case SND_PCM_STATE_XRUN:
 printf("state xrun %sn", name);
 break;

 default:
 printf("state other %sn", name);
 break;

 



int setparams(snd_pcm_t *handle, char *name) 
 snd_pcm_hw_params_t *hw_params;
 int err;


 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc (&hw_params)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot allocate hardware parameter structure (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_any (handle, hw_params)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot initialize hardware parameter structure (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access (handle, hw_params, SND_PCM_ACCESS_RW_INTERLEAVED)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set access type (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format (handle, hw_params, SND_PCM_FORMAT_S16_LE)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set sample format (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 unsigned int rate = 48000; 
 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near (handle, hw_params, &rate, 0)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set sample rate (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 
 printf("Rate for %s is %dn", name, rate);

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels (handle, hw_params, 2)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set channel count (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 snd_pcm_uframes_t buffersize = BUF_SIZE;
 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_buffer_size_near(handle, hw_params, &buffersize)) < 0) 
 printf("Unable to set buffer size %li: %sn", (long int)BUF_SIZE, snd_strerror(err));
 exit (1);;
 

 snd_pcm_uframes_t periodsize = PERIOD_SIZE;
 fprintf(stderr, "period size now %dn", (int) periodsize);
 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_period_size_near(handle, hw_params, &periodsize, 0)) < 0) 
 printf("Unable to set period size %li: %sn", periodsize, snd_strerror(err));
 exit (1);
 

 if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params (handle, hw_params)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot set parameters (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 snd_pcm_uframes_t p_psize;
 snd_pcm_hw_params_get_period_size(hw_params, &p_psize, NULL);
 fprintf(stderr, "period size %dn", (int)p_psize);

 snd_pcm_hw_params_get_buffer_size(hw_params, &p_psize);
 fprintf(stderr, "buffer size %dn", (int)p_psize);

 snd_pcm_hw_params_free (hw_params);

 if ((err = snd_pcm_prepare (handle)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot prepare audio interface for use (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 return 0;


int set_sw_params(snd_pcm_t *handle, char *name) 
 snd_pcm_sw_params_t *swparams;
 int err;

 snd_pcm_sw_params_alloca(&swparams);

 err = snd_pcm_sw_params_current(handle, swparams);
 if (err < 0) 
 fprintf(stderr, "Broken configuration for this PCM: no configurations availablen");
 exit(1);
 

 err = snd_pcm_sw_params_set_start_threshold(handle, swparams, PERIOD_SIZE);
 if (err < 0) 
 printf("Unable to set start threshold: %sn", snd_strerror(err));
 return err;
 
 err = snd_pcm_sw_params_set_avail_min(handle, swparams, PERIOD_SIZE);
 if (err < 0) 
 printf("Unable to set avail min: %sn", snd_strerror(err));
 return err;
 

 if (snd_pcm_sw_params(handle, swparams) < 0) 
 fprintf(stderr, "unable to install sw params:n");
 exit(1);
 

 return 0;


/************** some code from latency.c *****************/

int main (int argc, char *argv)

 int i;
 int err;
 int buf[BUF_SIZE];
 snd_pcm_t *playback_handle;
 snd_pcm_t *capture_handle;
 snd_pcm_hw_params_t *hw_params;
 FILE *fin;
 size_t nread;
 snd_pcm_format_t format = SND_PCM_FORMAT_S16_LE;

 ///Check for command line arguments
 if (argc != 3) 
 fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s input-soundCard output-soundCardn", argv[0]);
 exit(1);
 


 /**** Out card *******/
 if ((err = snd_pcm_open (&playback_handle, argv[1], SND_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK, 0)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot open audio device %s (%s)n", 
 argv[2],
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 setparams(playback_handle, "playback");
 set_sw_params(playback_handle, "playback");


 /*********** In card **********/

 if ((err = snd_pcm_open (&capture_handle, argv[2], SND_PCM_STREAM_CAPTURE, 0)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot open audio device %s (%s)n", 
 argv[1],
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 setparams(capture_handle, "capture");
 set_sw_params(capture_handle, "capture");


 ///Comment by EE
/*
 if ((err = snd_pcm_link(capture_handle, playback_handle)) < 0) 
 printf("Streams link error: %sn", snd_strerror(err));
 exit(0);
 
*/


 if ((err = snd_pcm_prepare (playback_handle)) < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "cannot prepare playback audio interface for use (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 exit (1);
 

 /**************** stuff something into the playback buffer ****************/
 if (snd_pcm_format_set_silence(format, buf, 2*BUF_SIZE) < 0) 
 fprintf(stderr, "silence errorn");
 exit(1);
 


 ///Comment by EE
/*
 int n = 0;
 while (n++ < 2) 
 if (snd_pcm_writei (playback_handle, buf, BUF_SIZE) < 0) 
 fprintf(stderr, "write errorn");
 exit(1);
 
 
*/
///



 /************* Capture and Play Voice ***************/

 while (1) 
 int nread;
 if ((nread = snd_pcm_readi (capture_handle, buf, BUF_SIZE)) != BUF_SIZE) 
 if (nread < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "read from audio interface failed (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (nread));
 else 
 fprintf (stderr, "read from audio interface failed after %d framesn", nread);
 
 snd_pcm_prepare(capture_handle);
 continue;
 

 ///added by EE
 snd_pcm_prepare(playback_handle);
 ///

 if ((err = snd_pcm_writei (playback_handle, buf, nread)) != nread) 
 if (err < 0) 
 fprintf (stderr, "write to audio interface failed (%s)n",
 snd_strerror (err));
 else 
 fprintf (stderr, "write to audio interface failed after %d framesn", err);
 
 snd_pcm_prepare(playback_handle);
 
 


 snd_pcm_drain(playback_handle); 
 snd_pcm_close (playback_handle);
 exit (0);

 return 0;

Explanation

My onboard sound card is : plughw:0,0 and USB attached external sound card is: plughw:2,0

I found out these name by running following commands:

• To have a list of play devices:aplay --list--devices


• To have a list of capture devices:arecord --list-devices
  

[ToDo]

• Full comment the code to make it clearer.


• Improve code.


• Provide some useful Linux ALSA tutorial links.

Source

By adding snd_pcm_prepare(playback_handle); before call writei() resolve issue from
ALSA: buffer underrun on snd_pcm_writei call