pulsemeeter does not want to start

[Monstanner]

Describe the bug I can't open pulsemeeter. No window appears / gets stuck at startup.

To Reproduce Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Open pulsemeeter

Expected behavior A clear and concise description of what you expected to happen. The pulsemeeter starts normally.

Desktop (please complete the following information):

• Distro: Arch Linux
• Python Version 3.10.5

Additional context The console outputs the following:

pulsemeeter 1.2.14-1:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/pulsemeeter", line 33, in <module>
    sys.exit(load_entry_point('pulsemeeter==1.2.14', 'console_scripts', 'pulsemeeter')())
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/__main__.py", line 481, in main
    start_app(isserver, trayonly)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/__main__.py", line 423, in start_app
    app = MainWindow(isserver=isserver, trayonly=trayonly)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/interface/main_window.py", line 48, in __init__
    self.windowinstance = self.start_window(isserver)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/interface/main_window.py", line 103, in start_window
    self.devices['hi'] = self.client.list_hardware_devices('sources')
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/socket/client.py", line 395, in list_hardware_devices
    return json.loads(self.send_command(f'get-hd {device_type}'))
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/json/__init__.py", line 346, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/json/decoder.py", line 337, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/json/decoder.py", line 355, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
(Quit with CTRL+C)
^CException ignored in: <module 'threading' from '/usr/lib/python3.10/threading.py'>
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/threading.py", line 1567, in _shutdown
    lock.acquire()
KeyboardInterrupt:

pulsemeeter-git 1.2.14.r27.1e681c5-1:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/pulsemeeter", line 33, in <module>
    sys.exit(load_entry_point('pulsemeeter==1.2.15', 'console_scripts', 'pulsemeeter')())
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/__main__.py", line 512, in main
    start_app(isserver, trayonly)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/__main__.py", line 448, in start_app
    MainWindow(isserver=isserver, trayonly=trayonly)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/interface/main_window.py", line 46, in __init__
    self.windowinstance = self.start_window(isserver)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/interface/main_window.py", line 96, in start_window
    self.devices['hi'] = self.client.list_hardware_devices('sources')
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/site-packages/pulsemeeter/socket/client.py", line 389, in list_hardware_devices
    return json.loads(self.send_command(f'get-hd {device_type}'))
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/json/__init__.py", line 346, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/json/decoder.py", line 337, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/json/decoder.py", line 355, in raw_decode
    raise JSONDecodeError("Expecting value", s, err.value) from None
json.decoder.JSONDecodeError: Expecting value: line 1 column 1 (char 0)
(Quit with CTRL+C)
Exception ignored in: <module 'threading' from '/usr/lib/python3.10/threading.py'>
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3.10/threading.py", line 1567, in _shutdown
    lock.acquire()
KeyboardInterrupt

[ZerkerEOD]

Following for solution.

[ZerkerEOD]

I got this running by installing a ton of Pipewire stuff and having that over pulseaudio.

[Monstanner]

I got this running by installing a ton of Pipewire stuff and having that over pulseaudio.

I installed pulseaudio-alsa & Pipewire. However, if I want to install pulseaudio, Arch tells me that he wants to uninstall Pipewire-pulse. The problem is that the GUI does not want to start.

[Fl1tzi]

@Monstanner You cannot run Pulseaudio and Pipewire at the same time because you can only run one sound server at a time. I would not recommend installing any packages and hoping that they work. It's not just installing Pipewire as a package and you are ready. Please first of all read the Arch Wiki pages for both and then compare them and try to understand the difference (I would also read this to understand what you need). Pulseaudio is actually for the current version of Pulsemeeter better (as seen in #7 ). This isn't a proper solution and the next update (where Pipewire probably will be superior) will fix this issue. The GUI probably doesn't start as you are missing the pipewire-pulse package. If you need help setting some things up you maybe want to join our Discord and get help there. https://discord.gg/ekWt9NuEWv

[Monstanner]

@Monstanner You cannot run Pulseaudio and Pipewire at the same time because you can only run one sound server at a time. I would not recommend installing any packages and hoping that they work. It's not just installing Pipewire as a package and you are ready. Please first of all read the Arch Wiki pages for both and then compare them and try to understand the difference (I would also read this to understand what you need). Pulseaudio is actually for the current version of Pulsemeeter better (as seen in #7 ). This isn't a proper solution and the next update (where Pipewire probably will be superior) will fix this issue. The GUI probably doesn't start as you are missing the pipewire-pulse package. If you need help setting some things up you maybe want to join our Discord and get help there. https://discord.gg/ekWt9NuEWv

Thanks for the hint and the help. I needed pulsemeeter to record desktop audio in Tenacity. I managed to do it without pulsemeete. From my point of view, this issue can be closed.

[Fl1tzi]

I will let it open until the fix is in the main branch.

[OBKF]

Same issue here.