fix: Error: python3 -c "import soundcard" #191

[AlexanderShad]

No description provided.

[cclauss]

What operating system and Python version are you trying to fix?
% uvx --with=soundcard python3 -c "import soundcard"

Works fine on macOS 26 using Python 3.14.

[AlexanderShad]

What operating system and Python version are you trying to fix? % uvx --with=soundcard python3 -c "import soundcard"

Works fine on macOS 26 using Python 3.14.

Hello

python - 3.13.13

I removed the patch, built the RPM package without it, and tested it. The result is below.

~ ❯ python3 -c "import soundcard"
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
    import soundcard
  File "/usr/lib/python3/site-packages/soundcard/__init__.py", line 4, in <module>
    from soundcard.pulseaudio import *
  File "/usr/lib/python3/site-packages/soundcard/pulseaudio.py", line 290, in <module>
    _pulse = _PulseAudio()
  File "/usr/lib/python3/site-packages/soundcard/pulseaudio.py", line 95, in __init__
    self.context = _pa.pa_context_new(self.mainloop_api, self._infer_program_name().encode())
                                                         ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^
  File "/usr/lib/python3/site-packages/soundcard/pulseaudio.py", line 114, in _infer_program_name
    return sys.argv[1][:30] + "..."
           ~~~~~~~~^^^
IndexError: list index out of range

~ ❯ rpm -qa | grep soundcard
python3-module-soundcard-0.4.6-alt2.noarch

[cclauss]

What operating system?
% unane -a

On Ubuntu, I needed to do:
https://github.com/bastibe/SoundCard/pull/200/files#diff-b803fcb7f17ed9235f1e5cb1fcd2f5d3b2838429d4368ae4c57ce4436577f03fR16-R23

[AlexanderShad]

What operating system?
% unane -a

OS: ALT Regular x86_64

On Ubuntu, I needed to do: https://github.com/bastibe/SoundCard/pull/200/files#diff-b803fcb7f17ed9235f1e5cb1fcd2f5d3b2838429d4368ae4c57ce4436577f03fR16-R23

Thanks, but in my case this does not solve the problem mentioned above.

Perhaps when the maintainer python3 at ALT updates Python to version 3.14 the problem will be solved, but for now it exists.

[cclauss]

What does this print?
% pulseaudio --version && pulseaudio --start

I doubt that upgrading Py3.13 to Py3.14 will fix anything.

[bastibe]

You seem to be running into a bug in _infer_program_name. The method could probably use a try/catch to safeguard against unusual command lines. I'd be happy to accept a pull request if you investigate the issue.

[AlexanderShad]

What does this print? % pulseaudio --version && pulseaudio --start

❯ pulseaudio --version && pulseaudio --start
pulseaudio 17.0

I didn't have Pulseaudio installed.

I installed it and launched it, but it didn't solve the problem.

[cclauss]

Cool! Now add:
% pacmd load-module module-null-sink channels=6 rate=48000 && pactl info

[AlexanderShad]

return sys.argv[1][:30] + "..."

Personally, I worked around the error like this:

return sys.argv[0][:30] + "..."

I don't understand where the value of sys.argv[1] should come from if it's not there.

sys.argv[0] = -c

len(sys.argv) = 1

print(*sys.argv) = -c

Where does sys.argv[1] come from?

Or am I missing something?

[AlexanderShad]

pacmd load-module module-null-sink channels=6 rate=48000 && pactl info

❯ pacmd load-module module-null-sink channels=6 rate=48000 && pactl info
Server line: /run/user/1000/pulse/native
Library protocol version: 35
Server protocol version: 35
Runs locally: yes
Client number: 544
Memory block size: 65472
Username: shad
Hostname: machenike
Server name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 1.6.6)
Server version: 15.0.0
Default sample specification: float32le 2-channel
Default channel layout: front-left, front-right
Default audio sink: alsa_output.pci-0000_01_00.1.hdmi-stereo
Default source: alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo
Cookie: 5dfc:53fe

[cclauss]

Awesome! Now do:
% python3 -c "import soundcard"

[AlexanderShad]

Awesome! Now do: % python3 -c "import soundcard"

[cclauss]

This works on Ubuntu without modifying _infer_program_name():

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --yes pulseaudio  # or the equivelent on your Linux
pulseaudio --version  # optional but a good sanity check
pulseaudio --start
pacmd load-module module-null-sink channels=6 rate=48000
pactl info  # optional but a good sanity check
python3 -c "import soundcard"

[AlexanderShad]

To be honest, I don’t even know what to answer you.

[AlexanderShad]

The module itself works fine.

I haven't had any problems with it other than this one.