Outdated PulseEffects with an Annoying Bug

[eeriemyxi]

I am running Kubuntu 22.04 LTS and I also have terrible headphones. I am trying to fix it using PulseEffects, and while it works, because the version of it available using "apt" is so old, there is this bug now where if kill the process and start it again (or simply restart the system), my preset will not work until I manually disable and re-enable each plugin. The latest version that is available on "apt" is "4.8.4-1"; the latest version by the developers is "7.0.0". I found Reddit posts facing the same issue, they fixed it by upgrading to a newer version.

The developers do provide Flatpaks, but if I have to do that, why wouldn't I just use something Arch based or Arch itself? Flatpaks and Snaps are terrible things which do terrible things to one's system. I try to stay away from them. Even the default browser provided by Ubuntu is terrible (Firefox snap).

So, I tried building the package myself, and now there's this issue where I am missing something called "libportal-gtk4"; mind you I have "libportal-gtk4-1" installed and apt does not seem to have the desired package. Searching on Google just links to some Arch package. Doing "apt info libportal-gtk4-1" says it is meant to be used with Flatpaks.

Can somebody help me with this? I think I am going to move to EndeavourOS or something at this point. I can't deal with this.

[claydoh]

Easyeffects, you mean?

You are probably missing some -dev packages

$ apt search libportal-gtk4
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done
libportal-gtk4-1/jammy 0.6-2 amd64
Flatpak portal library for GTK 4 GUIs

libportal-gtk4-dev/jammy 0.6-2 amd64
Flatpak portal library (development files for GTK 4)

Debian-ish distros separate this stuff out so it is not installed by default. It is useless for 99% of use cases, and when you do need some, you install only those that you need.
Arch-y systems have all this (bloat?) included.

I think I am going to move to EndeavourOS or something at this point. I can't deal with this.

Sure, trade one bit of a learning curve for a different one. That always works fine

[jlittle]

muon tells me that libportal is only for flatpaks. If you wish to avoid flatpaks, you don't want libportal.

However, pulseeffects is in package death throes, with the move from pulseaudio to pipewire, being replaced by Easyeffects. Unfortunately, Easyeffects is not in 20.04; it's not even in 22.04 AFAICT.

I think your best bet on 20.04 is the flatpak Easyeffects, in that it might work.

But if you're dead keen on building pulseeffects from source, you can

git clone https://github.com/wwmm/pulseeffects.git

Perhaps you have already. But wwmm does not even list that repo, which suggests to me he's dead, Jim.

The next step, the one I suspect you are missing, is

sudo apt build-dep pulseeffects

That gets all the libraries, headers, and whatever that the packagers of pulseeffects used to build it for the repos. It gets a lot, and I wasn't willing to mess up my 22.04 by running it.

BTW, your remark that the version 'available using "apt" is so old' puzzles me; 20.04 is old.

[eeriemyxi]

muon tells me that libportal is only for flatpaks. If you wish to avoid flatpaks, you don't want libportal.

However, pulseeffects is in package death throes, with the move from pulseaudio to pipewire, being replaced by Easyeffects. Unfortunately, Easyeffects is not in 20.04; it's not even in 22.04 AFAICT.

I think your best bet on 20.04 is the flatpak Easyeffects, in that it might work.

But if you're dead keen on building pulseeffects from source, you can

git clone https://github.com/wwmm/pulseeffects.git

Perhaps you have already. But wwmm does not even list that repo, which suggests to me he's dead, Jim.

The next step, the one I suspect you are missing, is

sudo apt build-dep pulseeffects

That gets all the libraries, headers, and whatever that the packagers of pulseeffects used to build it for the repos. It gets a lot, and I wasn't willing to mess up my 22.04 by running it.

BTW, your remark that the version 'available using "apt" is so old' puzzles me; 20.04 is old.

Well, I have no idea where you got the idea that I am using 20.04, but I am using 22.04. Proof:

eeriemyxi@eeriemyxi:~/Documents/easyeffects$ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS
Release: 22.04
Codename: jammy

But still the latest version of pulseeffects doesn't fix up the issue.
And I somehow managed to install pipewire (i had to go to initramfs console to fsck my corrupted partition after installing this),
And now,

Server String: /run/user/1000/pulse/native
Library Protocol Version: 35
Server Protocol Version: 35
Is Local: yes
Client Index: 411
Tile Size: 65472
User Name: eeriemyxi
Host Name: eeriemyxi
Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 0.3.63)
Server Version: 15.0.0
Default Sample Specification: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
Default Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Default Sink: alsa_output.pci-0000_00_14.2.analog-stereo
Default Source: alsa_input.pci-0000_00_14.2.analog-stereo
Cookie: d211:d32a

I think my kubuntu is ready to handle easyeffects, if I manage to fix the last error I am getting (check the other reply I am about to write later).

[eeriemyxi]

Easyeffects, you mean?

You are probably missing some -dev packages

$ apt search libportal-gtk4
Sorting... Done
Full Text Search... Done
libportal-gtk4-1/jammy 0.6-2 amd64
Flatpak portal library for GTK 4 GUIs

libportal-gtk4-dev/jammy 0.6-2 amd64
Flatpak portal library (development files for GTK 4)

Debian-ish distros separate this stuff out so it is not installed by default. It is useless for 99% of use cases, and when you do need some, you install only those that you need.
Arch-y systems have all this (bloat?) included.



Sure, trade one bit of a learning curve for a different one. That always works fine

Yes, EasyEffects, that's what I am trying to install. Anyway, that package actually did fix that error, now there's this one error:

eeriemyxi@eeriemyxi:~/Documents/easyeffects$ meson _build --prefix=/usr
The Meson build system
Version: 0.61.2
Source dir: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects
Build dir: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build
Build type: native build
Project name: easyeffects
Project version: 7.0.0
C compiler for the host machine: cc (gcc 11.3.0 "cc (Ubuntu 11.3.0-1ubuntu1~22.04) 11.3.0")
C linker for the host machine: cc ld.bfd 2.38
C++ compiler for the host machine: c++ (gcc 11.3.0 "c++ (Ubuntu 11.3.0-1ubuntu1~22.04) 11.3.0")
C++ linker for the host machine: c++ ld.bfd 2.38
Host machine cpu family: x86_64
Host machine cpu: x86_64
Found pkg-config: /usr/bin/pkg-config (0.29.2)
Run-time dependency libportal-gtk4 found: YES 0.6
Configuring config.h.in using configuration
Configuring com.github.wwmm.easyeffects.metainfo.xml.in using configuration
WARNING: Gettext not found, all translation targets will be ignored.

data/meson.build:50:0: ERROR: Can not assign None to variable.

A full log can be found at /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-logs/meson-log.txt​

LOG FILE:

Build started at 2023-02-01T11:24:18.742297
Main binary: /usr/bin/python3
Build Options: -Dprefix=/usr
Python system: Linux
The Meson build system
Version: 0.61.2
Source dir: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects
Build dir: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build
Build type: native build
Project name: easyeffects
Project version: 7.0.0
Sanity testing C compiler: cc
Is cross compiler: False.
Sanity check compiler command line: cc sanitycheckc.c -o sanitycheckc.exe -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64
Sanity check compile stdout:

-----
Sanity check compile stderr:

-----
Running test binary command: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/sanitycheckc.exe
C compiler for the host machine: cc (gcc 11.3.0 "cc (Ubuntu 11.3.0-1ubuntu1~22.04) 11.3.0")
C linker for the host machine: cc ld.bfd 2.38
Sanity testing C++ compiler: c++
Is cross compiler: False.
Sanity check compiler command line: c++ sanitycheckcpp.cc -o sanitycheckcpp.exe -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64
Sanity check compile stdout:

-----
Sanity check compile stderr:

-----
Running test binary command: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/sanitycheckcpp.exe
C++ compiler for the host machine: c++ (gcc 11.3.0 "c++ (Ubuntu 11.3.0-1ubuntu1~22.04) 11.3.0")
C++ linker for the host machine: c++ ld.bfd 2.38
Sanity testing C compiler: cc
Is cross compiler: False.
Sanity check compiler command line: cc sanitycheckc.c -o sanitycheckc.exe -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64
Sanity check compile stdout:

-----
Sanity check compile stderr:

-----
Running test binary command: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/sanitycheckc.exe
C compiler for the build machine: cc (gcc 11.3.0 "cc (Ubuntu 11.3.0-1ubuntu1~22.04) 11.3.0")
C linker for the build machine: cc ld.bfd 2.38
Sanity testing C++ compiler: c++
Is cross compiler: False.
Sanity check compiler command line: c++ sanitycheckcpp.cc -o sanitycheckcpp.exe -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64
Sanity check compile stdout:

-----
Sanity check compile stderr:

-----
Running test binary command: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/sanitycheckcpp.exe
C++ compiler for the build machine: c++ (gcc 11.3.0 "c++ (Ubuntu 11.3.0-1ubuntu1~22.04) 11.3.0")
C++ linker for the build machine: c++ ld.bfd 2.38
Build machine cpu family: x86_64
Build machine cpu: x86_64
Host machine cpu family: x86_64
Host machine cpu: x86_64
Target machine cpu family: x86_64
Target machine cpu: x86_64
Pkg-config binary for 1 is not cached.
Pkg-config binary missing from cross or native file, or env var undefined.
Trying a default Pkg-config fallback at pkg-config
Found pkg-config: /usr/bin/pkg-config (0.29.2)
Determining dependency 'libportal-gtk4' with pkg-config executable '/usr/bin/pkg-config'
env[PKG_CONFIG_PATH]:
Called `/usr/bin/pkg-config --modversion libportal-gtk4` -> 0
0.6
env[PKG_CONFIG_PATH]:
Called `/usr/bin/pkg-config --cflags libportal-gtk4` -> 0
-mfpmath=sse -msse -msse2 -pthread -I/usr/include/gtk-4.0 -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/harfbuzz -I/usr/include/pango-1.0 -I/usr/include/fribidi -I/usr/include/harfbuzz -I/usr/include/gdk-pixbuf-2.0 -I/usr/include/x86_64-linux-gnu -I/usr/include/cairo -I/usr/include/pixman-1 -I/usr/include/uuid -I/usr/include/freetype2 -I/usr/include/libpng16 -I/usr/include/graphene-1.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/graphene-1.0/include -I/usr/include/gio-unix-2.0 -I/usr/include/libmount -I/usr/include/blkid -I/usr/include/glib-2.0 -I/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/glib-2.0/include
env[PKG_CONFIG_ALLOW_SYSTEM_LIBS]: 1
env[PKG_CONFIG_PATH]:
Called `/usr/bin/pkg-config --libs libportal-gtk4` -> 0
-L/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu -lportal-gtk4 -lgtk-4 -lpangocairo-1.0 -lpango-1.0 -lharfbuzz -lgdk_pixbuf-2.0 -lcairo-gobject -lcairo -lgraphene-1.0 -lportal -lgio-2.0 -lgobject-2.0 -lglib-2.0
env[PKG_CONFIG_PATH]:
Called `/usr/bin/pkg-config --libs libportal-gtk4` -> 0
-lportal-gtk4 -lgtk-4 -lpangocairo-1.0 -lpango-1.0 -lharfbuzz -lgdk_pixbuf-2.0 -lcairo-gobject -lcairo -lgraphene-1.0 -lportal -lgio-2.0 -lgobject-2.0 -lglib-2.0
Running compile:
Working directory: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/tmp4x74jyzb
Command line: c++ /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/tmp4x74jyzb/testfile.cpp -o /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/tmp4x74jyzb/output.exe -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -O0 -fpermissive

Code:
#include<stdio.h>

int main(void) {
printf("%ld\n", (long)(sizeof(void *)));
return 0;
}
Compiler stdout:

Compiler stderr:

Program stdout:

8

Program stderr:


Running compile:
Working directory: /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/tmpfd9chwcr
Command line: c++ /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/tmpfd9chwcr/testfile.cpp -o /home/eeriemyxi/Documents/easyeffects/_build/meson-private/tmpfd9chwcr/output.obj -c -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64 -O0 -fpermissive --print-search-dirs

Code:

Compiler stdout:
install: /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/
programs: =/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/bin/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/bin/x86_64-linux-gnu/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/bin/
libraries: =/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/lib/../lib/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/11/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../../lib/:/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/:/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/:/lib/../lib/:/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/:/usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/:/usr/lib/../lib/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../../x86_64-linux-gnu/lib/:/usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/11/../../../:/lib/:/usr/lib/

Compiler stderr:

Run-time dependency libportal-gtk4 found: YES 0.6
Configuring config.h.in using configuration
Configuring com.github.wwmm.easyeffects.metainfo.xml.in using configuration
WARNING: Gettext not found, all translation targets will be ignored.

data/meson.build:50:0: ERROR: Can not assign None to variable.
​

Well, 7.0.0 is a released version, implying it should be able to be built; so I speculate it has something to do with my machine.

[eeriemyxi]

I just noticed that I mistakenly started this thread in another version's thread; I don't know to transfer the thread; I am sorry for the annoyance.

[jlittle]

Well, I have no idea where you got the idea that I am using 20.04, but I am using 22.04....
I mistakenly started this thread in another version's thread;

rather another version's soapbox forum. I'd have thought that software support would be appropriate, rather than the soapbox, which leans towards rants.

The Easyeffects github pages are careful to say the supported versions of Ubuntu are 22.10 and 23.04. Pipewire did not land fully in Ubuntu till 22.10 I think. Easyeffects is packaged with apt for 22.10.

If you are building from source, I suggest that non-LTS Kubuntu is a better fit for you, and that you release upgrade to 22.10. IME building from source on LTS releases can be generally problematic as they get older. IME even the six month old releases can struggle; there's reasons why some folks move to rolling releases like Arch and siduction.

I think your attempts to build from source on 22.04 are commendable if not heroic, especially as you're motivated by a dislike of flatpaks.

[claydoh]

I just noticed that I mistakenly started this thread in another version's thread; I don't know to transfer the thread; I am sorry for the annoyance.

Not an annoyance at all, easy enough to fix

rather another version's soapbox forum. I'd have thought that software support would be appropriate, rather than the soapbox, which leans towards rants.

Agreed

[eeriemyxi]

rather another version's soapbox forum. I'd have thought that software support would be appropriate, rather than the soapbox, which leans towards rants.

The Easyeffects github pages are careful to say the supported versions of Ubuntu are 22.10 and 23.04. Pipewire did not land fully in Ubuntu till 22.10 I think. Easyeffects is packaged with apt for 22.10.

If you are building from source, I suggest that non-LTS Kubuntu is a better fit for you, and that you release upgrade to 22.10. IME building from source on LTS releases can be generally problematic as they get older. IME even the six month old releases can struggle; there's reasons why some folks move to rolling releases like Arch and siduction.

I think your attempts to build from source on 22.04 are commendable if not heroic, especially as you're motivated by a dislike of flatpaks.

It almost feels like that Ubuntu really isn't for me right now; I think I have become slightly more picky than other regular Ubuntu users because I used to have Arch on WSL to learn to use Linux before I installed it directly on my system. I think the wise decision for me would be to just move to some rolling distribution like Arch rather than making countless workarounds to get my stuff working. Actually, I think I never really was happy with Ubuntu, the first day I installed Kubuntu, which is like four days ago, I was welcomed with a version of Firefox whose files were so damned restricted that not even my mouse cursor theme worked on it. I saw some Reddit people saying that it is some "bug" and is yet to be fixed. I was okay with it because the default cursor still did look better than my Windows' cursor.

Next when I wanted to install some custom CSS theme on Firefox, then I actually got to know what this "snap" thingy even is and how restricted it is. I can't even have the full functionality of Firefox on this version. I felt Ubuntu is trying to dumb down things beyond Microsoft.

My experience with Flatpaks were even more miserable. I was interested in installing Falkon and so I did with `apt`, it installed some stable version, it was around 14 MB. Then I wanted to try the Nightly releases; but I wish life on Ubuntu was easier. Turns out it is only available as flatpak (and I wasn't into building things myself back then, I did it for the first time with Easyeffects). I tried installing it and it started downloading huge load of files that I think I already had. Then I searched what even this thing is. It turns out that actually downloads every damn package again and consumes more space than a fresh install of Ubuntu itself eventually. Not at all a good experience. Instead of keeping basically another OS installed inside Ubuntu partition through flatpak, maybe I'm better off getting Arch working.

I couldn't even use the package manager many things I installed like Vivaldi, Spotify, Discord, etc. I had to add third party PPAs which is more difficult to use than I'd ever expect.I also needed to download .deb files to install them; the package manager just felt useless. I then started missing AUR.

[claydoh]

I then started missing AUR

Then use Arch. No problemo. If you are familiar with its systems and management, all the better.

But of course no one has ever had problems using the AUR, ever. Just like PPAs lol.

But as I said, you trade one distro for another, it just becomes a different set of things to learn, and a different set of potential areas or issues to focus on. Choose what you want to learn, or need to learn less of.