Sound Problem

[Hardy_whv]

Hello everyone,


a few weeks ago, my JavaFIBS 1.007 - after working fine for 2 years - gave an error report, when I switched Sound on/off: "Sound device not available" . Since then, no sound could be heard any more  

I then switched to JavaFIBS 1.008 and updated Java to the newest version: Version 1.5.0 (Build 1.5.0_02-b09)

Now JavaFIBS does not complain any more, that no sound device is available, but it only gives sounds in 50% of all times, that a sound should be given. I rarely get a sound when someone chats with me, when I or my opponent makes a move in the game, often nothing can be heard.

I really NEED the sound! Otherwise I miss to many things. Other players told me, they have similar problems.

I updated sound drivers in my system. All other applications do fine concerning sound.

Any help is appreciated!

Hardy

[cthulhu]

The first problem you experienced may have been that another program was using your sound device which stops JavaFIBS from gaining access to it. JavaFIBS tries to take the sound resources it needs when sound is turned on, otherwise it shows that error message.

The sound is very buggy in Java 1.5 (so far) which gives the second problem you wrote, so if you want the sound to work properly you have to switch back to Java 1.4. It may also be connected to Windows XP.

Hope this helped.

[inim]

I then switched to JavaFIBS 1.008 and updated Java to the newest version: Version 1.5.0 (Build 1.5.0_02-b09)

[...]

Now JavaFIBS does not complain any more, that no sound device is available, but it only gives sounds in 50% of all times,

The latest version of Java is build 1.5.0_03-b07. Nevertheless, the sound is still broken in that version albeit there was a premature bugfix note by Sun in the release notes. Please note that the bug is with JDK 1.5.x and NOT in Javafibs and/or JDK 1.4.x. So all you can do is wait for JDK 1.5.0_04 and pray Sun manages to fix it until then, or switch back to 1.4.2. I did the latter.

The bug is in the TOP 25 list of pending bug fixes in Sun's bug parade.

See:
REGRESSION: BUG:5070730 is NOT fixed - short sounds do not play.
Top 25 Bugs

inim

P.S. My system suffers from the same bug, i.e. sound is broken and Javafibs crashes after a while. Try to press "ctrl-break" (german keyboard: strg-pause) to see a thread dump. You will notice a lot of threads desperately waiting for operating system signals from the sound device. So this bug is in the native code part of the JDK, very hard to fix. Furthermore, the bug only happens on Windows XP.

[Hardy_whv]

Thanks a lot for your answers.

First let me remark, that I am using Windows 2000 , not XP.

The sound problem started with an older Java version, I am not sure if it was 1.4.something. Is it possible to go back to Java 1.4.2? Didn't find the right download site for that. Do I have to uninstall the current Java-Version before I can install 1.4.2?

Some Java Compilers allow to produce compiled versions for specific operating systems. As long as Sun does not succeed to fix their sound bugs, it might be a solution to compile JavaFIBS into a  JavaFIBS for Windows     (Sorry, I am asking for too much ....)

Fortunately I can report, that JavaFIBS does not crash at all on my computer! My compliments, cthulhu!

Yours,

Hardy    

[Chris]

The sound problem started with an older Java version, I am not sure if it was 1.4.something. Is it possible to go back to Java 1.4.2? Didn't find the right download site for that. Do I have to uninstall the current Java-Version before I can install 1.4.2?

There's no problem installing multiple versions parallel (I have here 2 or 3, linux though). Just put them into another special directory and don't place them into your system path.

Here's the download page:
http://java.sun.com/j2se/downloads/

[inim]

Is it possible to go back to Java 1.4.2? Didn't find the right download site for that. Do I have to uninstall the current Java-Version before I can install 1.4.2?

Yes, you have two ways to work around it.

Variant A:
-----------

1) Uninstall JDK and JRE 1.5 using Window's install shield.
2) Download JDK 1.4.2 from Sun, either the J2SE 1.4.2 JDK or the JRE version will work
3) Install the downloaded version 1.4.2 and your are set

Variant B:
-----------

Personally I prefer to have several Java versions on my machine, which is feasible. An installed Java does not require any fixed path or registry entries to work, so you can easily relocate it after install. The only thing you need to take care of is Windows install shield. The version you installed last will be the version used as a system default, i.e. inside your browser(s). So if you wanted to run JDK 1.5 as a system default and run Javafibs using 1.4.2 (my recommended setup), you start just as in Variant A, but continue like this:

4)  copy the complete directory where you installed JDK 1.4.2 in step 3) to a safe backup location, or create a ZIP archive.
5)  Uninstall JDK 1.4.2 again
6) Install 1.5.0 again
7) Unzip / copy the archived JDK 1.4.2 directory wherever you prefer that JVM to live, say "c:\programme\jdk1.4.2"
 Start your Javafibvs with this little batch:

---snip--
setlocal
set J=c:\programme\jdk1.4.2
%J%\bin\java -showversion -jar JavaFIBS.jar
endlocal
---snip

Refinement B':
If you dislike the DOS/CMD window that  is kept open by the batch file, you can create a windows short cut. Set the executable to:

c:\programme\jdk1.4.2\javaw.exe -jar JavaFIBS.jar

Set the working directory to where ever you installed JavaFibs.

Note that it is "javaw.exe", not "java.exe"

inim

[Hardy_whv]

Friends,

I first tried the simple solution of going back to Java 1.4.2. And I can report, that the sound is perfect again! As long as I do not need Java 1.5.something, I will stick to the old Java.

Thanks a lot, I am a happy FIBSter again  

Hardy    

[inim]

A new version of JDK 1.5 came out these days.

Code Select Expand

C:\> java -showversion -jar JavaFIBS.jar

java version "1.5.0_04"
Java(TM) 2 Runtime Environment, Standard Edition (build 1.5.0_04-b05)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 1.5.0_04-b05, mixed mode, sharing)

The release notes do not mention the sound bug to be fixed.  Using the version confirms that, i.e. there are quirks with the sound. Nevertheless, it did not crash so far, at least.

Thus: JDK 1.4.2_08 is continuing to be the Java version of choice for JavaFibs.

inim

P.S. It now crashed after about 5 games

[Hardy_whv]

Thanks for the info. Some wise guy once said:

NEVER CHANGE A RUNNING SYSTEM (.... unless you really have to)!

So I will stick to 1.4.2_08 as long as it is sufficient for my requirements.


Hardy  

[inim]

The underlying bug status changed in the Sun bug database to fixed status , see Sun Bug #6251460. It should be working in the upcoming 1.5.0_05 and 1.6 beta releases. But they said that for 1.5.0_x already, so keep you fingers crossed   .

inim

[inim]

Java Version 1.5.0_05 was released some days ago. I've been using it with JavaFibs 2001 Version 1.008 for a while and here is the good news. The sound bug is no longer crashing Javafibs

There are, however, some sound quirks left. Infrequently (one in 20 maybe) expected sounds, such as a moving checker or rolling dice, are missed. Personally, I can live with that and will use Java 1.5 from now on.

As Java 1.5 (labeled Java 5.0 for marketing) from a programmer's point of view is a huge improvement over 1.4, you are likely to find more and more programs requiring it in the near future. The paramount upsides of 1.5 vs. 1.4 from a Javafibs user's perspective include improvements in the GUI (looks and feels better on Win32) and performance.

You can download from here. Unless you are a programmer, you probably want Download JRE 5.0 Update 5.

inim

[diane]

I got that - and still found the sound awful, so I carry on with both versions on the go - the old one for javafibs - and the new one for everything else    

[Hardy_whv]

Hi inim,

... and here is the good news. The sound bug is no longer crashing Javafibs

well, Java has never been crashing my JavaFIBS, but in the last configuration I did not hear ANY sounds. As I am doing fine with my 1.4.2_09, and  all sounds are produced perfectly, I think, I will stick to it.

Thanks for the information,

Hardy  

[inim]

Java 1.5.0_08 was released today, with another bug fix relevant to the problems encountered with JavaFibs2001. Check Bug #6372428.

I gave it a test run with JavaFibs 1.009 and found that the sound corruption, sometimes even followed by a complete crash, is gone. At times a sound is not played, but this version performs way better than any previous 1.5 series Java.

Download  Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 5.0 Update 8 from http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp

[BGgreekplayer]

Hello Everyone,

i have also sound problem and i dont know what to do.."no sound available"

I run javafibs2001 1.011 with the latest update of java: JDK 6 15

Do you have any ideas?

[Zorba]

The only tip I have is make sure sounds are on, menu:Preferences-> check Sound

Other than that, I suppose Vista could cause problems (as usual), is that what you use?

[jackdaddy]

Maybe switching to a Mac would help. I've never had a problem with my java 

[socksey]

Check your connections, too!   

socksey



"You win some, lose some, and wreck some." - Dale Earnhardt Sr.

[inim]

Geeez, an undead thread resurfacing after all those years. To close thise one: the sound problem was fixed in JavaFIBS 1.0.10 and up.

Details: Problem was in the JavaFIBS code, which assumed a single threaded sound model. Java 1.5 and later switched to a multithreaded model, which broke JF sound. Problem was that JF never ended a sound, but relied on the pre-Java 1.5 behaviour that the next sound played will finsi the last one. With many parallel threads playing sounds that was no longer the case.

I'm pretty sure that bug had caught you on a Mac just as well, btw. Simply try the old JF 1.009 to find out

[inim]

As for the "no sound on JDK 1.6.0_15" issue, I can not reproduce that. Works for me with that version on Windows XP SP3 and Vista SP1.