NAME

       sndstat - Open Sound System status device

DESCRIPTION

       /dev/sndstat is a text formatted device special file that returns information about available (OSS) sound
       devices. This device file is obsolete and the ossinfo(1) utility should be used instead.

       Notice  that  the  device  numbering  used  in this file is different that the official numbering used by
       ossinfo(1) and some other utilities. /dev/sndstat uses device numbers that match the "legacy"  /dev/dspN,
       /dev/midiN and /dev/mixerN device files.

       Application  programs  should  not  use  /dev/sndstat  to obtain information about the sound devices. The
       format of this file may change in the future and /dev/sndstat may even be removed  from  OSS  in  distant
       future.  OSS 4.0 and later has an ioctl interface for getting detailed and reliable information about the
       devices.

AUDIO USAGE HISTORY

       /dev/sndstat reports some history information about previously run audio applications. This section is  a
       debugging aid for application developers and it will be moved to the ossinfo program in the future.

       For example:

               History:
               /dev/oss/hdaudio0/pcm0.10: pid 6326 cmd 'error_test' OUT Play events:01009:2 Rec events:01002:0
               /dev/oss/hdaudio0/pcm0.10: pid 6329 cmd 'mpg123' OUT
               /dev/oss/hdaudio0/pcm0.10: pid 6329 cmd 'mpg123' OUT
               /dev/oss/hdaudio0/pcm0.10: pid 6329 cmd 'mpg123' OUT

       Each  line  will show the the device name, PID and name of the application (if known) and access mode (IN
       and/or OUT). There may also be additional info about buffer underruns/overruns and  other  recording  and
       playback related events.

       Each  Play and rec events consist of 5-6 digit event code and a parameter separated by a colon. A list of
       defined      event      codes      and      their      explanations      can      be      found      from
       http://manuals.opensound.com/developer/oss_error_codes.html.   Purpose  of  these  events  is  to  inform
       application developers by potential problems in their code.

COMPATIBILITY

       /dev/sndstat has been available in all OSS versions. However in OSS 4.0 and later this device file should
       only be used by applications written for earlier OSS versions.

OPTIONS

       None

PROGRAMMING INFORMATION

       Some applications use /dev/sndstat to find the audio devices available in the system. This method  is  no
       longer recommended. Applications should use the SNDCTL_AUDIOINFO(2) ioctl call to find the devices.

SEE ALSO

       •  dsp(7) - Audio device files

       •  mixer(7) - Mixer (control panel) device files

       •  midi(7) - MIDI device files

FILES

       /dev/sndstat

AUTHOR

       4Front Technologies

OSS Devices                                                                                  7(11 February 2015)