[PlanetCCRMA] qjackctl (was: xmms-jack 0.7)

[Rui Nuno Capela]

Fernando Pablo Lopez-Lezcano wrote:
>> > BTW, as I have you "online", I have a suggestion (I bet you have
>> > tons) for qjackctl. Would it be possible to have something you
>> > could use like this:
>> >
>> >    qjackctl ardour
>> >
>> > If qjackctl (and jack inside it) is already running just exec
>> > ardour, if> not start qjackctl and the jack server and _then_
>> > exec ardour :-)
>> >
>> > Or maybe a separate small program?
>> >   qjackctl-client ardour
>> > (same semantics).
>> >
>>
>> Nice feature, I like it :) I'll just add a few notes, only to see IIUC:
>>
>> Whenever jackd is already started, the command line argument it's
>> executed (e.g. ardour) but qjackctl bails out immediately after that.
>> The default behaviour has been entering in client-only mode, which
>> still does if no argument is given.
>
> I had not thought of this situation... Maybe qjackctk should start
> itself but just once. That is, if qjackctl finds that qjackctl is
> already running and jackd is already running then it bails out (but
> starts the app first, of course), otherwise it starts itself (and
> "attaches" to the already running jackd if one is found, otherwise
> starts jackd as well, same as "-s"). This would be good (that the
> qjackctl's gui appears) because then the user has a patchbay ready to
> go.
>
>> This way one avoids having several GUI instances for
>> qjackctl, if your wish is to wrap jackd pre-activation for just-in-time
>> desktop jack applications ;)
>
> Yup, you got it! :-)
> I was thinking (again!!) on the best way to add menu entries for jack
> apps and started along the line of "well, a script could be written that
> checks for..." and so on. And then I thought "Qjackctl!!" :-)
>
>> In all occasions when such an argument is present,
>
> Hmmm, and all following args, I guess, which should be passed to the
> application, right?
>
>> the -s/--server
>> command-line option is implied, therefore qjackctl and jackd are
>> immediately started and only after that the given argument will be
>> spawned. In this case, qjackctl shows up as usual.
>
> Sounds right.
> -- Fernando

OK. This command-line feature is now commited on CVS (qjackctl 0.2.4.2).
Therefore it will come included on next release, along with the new prompt
for not terminating the jackd server on qjackctl exit.

However some tests would be appreciated, if one finds the time and
patience ;) Almost every jack app gets started alright when invoked as a
qjackctl command-line argument. However there's one failing
systematically: hydrogen. Dunno why :(

As suggested, this feature can be handy and convenient on some DM's menus
and icons, for just-in-time jackd startup before the corresponding jack
app is (avoiding a X massacre on some situations ;)

Enjoy.
-- 
rncbc aka Rui Nuno Capela
rncbc@rncbc.org