====== Slackware Desktop ======

Little tips for better Slackware desktop experience. Most of these can be used in other Linux distributions as well.

===== Mplayer (gmplayer) runs without video window =====

Double-clicking in file manager (Thunar) shows no video (audio is ok, so program is running). Running mplayer from command line is fine. Turns out gui version is gmplayer - running from console shows this error message <code>Failed to open VDPAU backend libvdpau_va_gl.so</code>

So, just edit ''~/.mplayer/gui.conf'', find the line for ''vo_driver'' and set it to ''gl''. Show be ok after that... at least in my case it is.

===== Mplayer and Xscreensaver =====

//Note: **NOT** tested... just found this :-P//

Although the mplayer setting to disable xscreensaver has been selected, xscreensaver still runs!

Possible Solution: Edit ''~/.mplayer/config''
<code>heartbeat-cmd="xscreensaver-command -deactivate >/dev/null 2>&1"</code>

===== Login issue =====

When using xdm, login fails sometimes with error message ''... Unable to establish ICE listener...''
  * append ''rc.local'' <- ''rm -rf /tmp/.ICE-unix/*''

===== Audio issue when using ALSA =====

The solution is [[https://docs.slackware.com/howtos:hardware:sound_problems_on_slackware|here]].

    * in short, ALSA using the HDMI output as default
    * use alsamixer, [F6] select the card (the one that is NOT HDMI) and make sure output is not muted
    * use aplay -l to identify the card/slot# and device#
    * use ''aplay -D plughw:<card/slot#>,<device#> <WAV file>'' to test
    * modify ''asound.conf'' in etc or ''~/.asoundrc'' to fix this (sample below) <file text asound.conf>pcm.!default {
        type hw
        card <card/slot#>
   }
   ctl.!default {
        type hw
        card <card/slot#>
   }</file>

===== Low volume when using ALSA =====

As seen [[https://alien.slackbook.org/blog/adding-an-alsa-software-pre-amp-to-fix-low-sound-levels/|here]]... 

Check ''asound.conf'' in etc: <code>
  pcm.!default {
      type plug
      slave.pcm "softvol"
  }

  pcm.softvol {
      type softvol
      slave {
          pcm "dmix"
      }
      control {
          name "Pre-Amp"
          card 0
      }
      min_dB -5.0
      max_dB 20.0
      resolution 6
  }
</code>
Sometimes need ''type'' in ''pcm.!default'' to be ''hw''