Bug 493128

Summary:	KAlarm 3.9.1 fails to play audio alarm via libVLC
Product:	[Applications] kalarm	Reporter:	everyday <con+bugs.kde.org>
Component:	sound	Assignee:	David Jarvie <djarvie>
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED
Severity:	minor	CC:	ben2talk, pallaswept
Priority:	NOR
Version:	3.6.1
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Arch Linux
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:	https://invent.kde.org/pim/kalarm/-/commit/525efd257114080e2e7a1058c899dc9b4aa49e53	Version Fixed In:	24.08.2
Sentry Crash Report:

Description everyday 2024-09-14 17:59:56 UTC

SUMMARY


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. On Arch Linux install https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/any/kde-applications-meta/, this brings with it https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/kalarm/ package version 24.08.1-1 which installs https://download.kde.org/stable/release-service/24.08.1/src/kalarm-24.08.1.tar.xz from https://download.kde.org/stable/release-service/24.08.1/src/ which in turn installs KAlarm version 3.9.1. Note that the bug report "Version" selector offers versions 3.9.0.x and 3.9.2, not version 3.9.1.
2. https://i.imgur.com/g1HCaqJ.png: In KAlarm UI open config menu for a new audio alarm, e.g. by clicking button File > New Audio Alarm
3. https://i.imgur.com/lD9g5Wp.png: Set an alarm name, pick a sound file, click Try to hear your alarm sound play

OBSERVED RESULT
With KDebugSettings for KAlarm set to Full Debug when clicking the Try button to hear your alarm sound play systemd will log: http://0x0.st/Xxnv.txt. The alarm sound is not audible. The New Audio Alarm dialog can be closed, however, the KAlarm windows cannot be closed gracefully.

Regular cli audio playback via vlc and cvlc binaries of the same test audio file works as expected.

EXPECTED RESULT
Audio alarm plays.

SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Operating System: Arch Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.1.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.5.0
Qt Version: 6.7.2
VLC Version: 3.0.21
libVLC Version: 5.6.1

Comment 1 pallaswept 2024-09-23 01:46:32 UTC

+1

I see this in my journal under normal operation:
Sep 23 11:28:35 Pallas kalarm[12428]: org.kde.pim.kalarm: AudioPlayer::play: Failed to play sound with VLC: "/usr/share/sounds/freedesktop/stereo/alarm-clock-elapsed.oga"

I feel like maybe this should be a little higher priority than normal. An alarm clock failing can be pretty disastrous IRL.

Comment 2 pallaswept 2024-09-23 01:49:50 UTC

Apologies, I left out a possibly important detail: I'm seeing this on openSUSE Tumbleweed. So it's not arch-specific.

Comment 3 Ben Guy-Williams 2024-09-25 02:11:41 UTC

Temporarily fixed by downgrading to 3.9.0

Comment 4 Ben Guy-Williams 2024-09-25 02:15:44 UTC

(In reply to Ben Guy-Williams from comment #3)
> Temporarily fixed by downgrading to 3.9.0

This on Manjaro 
```
Operating System: Manjaro Linux 
KDE Plasma Version: 6.1.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.5.0
Qt Version: 6.7.2
Kernel Version: 6.11.0-3-MANJARO (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 12 × AMD Ryzen 5 5600G with Radeon Graphics
Memory: 15.0 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon Graphics
Product Name: B550M Steel Legend
```

Comment 5 David Jarvie 2024-09-26 00:09:22 UTC

This bug was caused by the fix in version 3.9.1 for sound file repetition not working. This bug doesn't happen on all systems, but it has now been reverted to the way it worked in version 3.9.0, with a different fix for the repetition issue. VLC certainly has some quirks!

The fix (commit 525efd257114080e2e7a1058c899dc9b4aa49e53) will be in version 3.9.2, which will be released in KDE Gear 24.08.2.

Comment 6 pallaswept 2024-09-26 02:10:27 UTC

(In reply to David Jarvie from comment #5)
> VLC certainly has some quirks!

Ain't that the truth! I think you're doing a good job of handling them.

I thought maybe I could contribute a fix - I couldn't, but in looking at the code I noticed the new mpv backend that was recently added. I hope that might make things a bit easier for you to maintain.

Thanks David!