GSI_SERVER(8)

NAME
gsi_server - plays sounds and regulates sound device access for gsi clients (part of GSI - general sound interface)

SYNOPSIS
gsi_server -v gsi_server [-s] [-p procotol ] &

DESCRIPTION
gsi_server executes commands sent by clients, plays sounds/midi's/cd's for them and regulates access to the devices.
The following options are available:

-v  shows the version number of the server.

-s  shares the server between users, otherwise, only the one who started the servercan connect in case of AF_LOCAL (AF_UNIX) sockets. When using AF_INET, the server currently allows everyone to connect. Another option instead of using -s would be to make a group gsi (or audio), install gsi_server using this group (root:gsi), make the sound devices root:gsi, add users allowed to use the server to this group and set AF_LOCAL permissions=0770 in /etc/gsi.conf.

-p  protocol starts the server using the given protocol which is one of the following: AF_INET, AF_LOCAL. By default, the server will look in /etc/gsi.conf for the requested protocol and if that fails, starts in AF_LOCAL (i.e. default is safe).

AF_INET makes it possible to control the server via internet connections (a proram runnning on a remote machine), AF_LOCAL is only usable locally. You can also run any gsi program locally, and the server gets started automatically (in AF_LOCAL, non-shared mode). [ INSERT SECURITY INFO HERE ]

SERVER CRASH
In case of AF_INET sockets: If the server crashed or was killed while clients were connected, you will get an error message:
    gsi_server: Address already in use
    gsi_server: unable to bind address when immediately trying to start it again. Just wait 60 seconds or so before starting the server and the address will have been released by the operating system. In case of AF_LOCAL sockets: When the server didn't get a chance to cleanup (e.g. SIGKILL, SIGSEGV), you will also get the above message. Remove the socket /tmp/gsi before restarting the server. Note: you will also get this message if the server is already running (using an AF_INET connection) and you try to start it again!

RUNTIME MESSAGES
Errors and notices are logged through syslog with facility daemon and level error , notice , See /var/log/messages or redirect output by setting up /etc/syslog.conf. Explicit debug information that is enabled with environment variables is sent to stderr.

FILES
/etc/gsi.conf    Main configuration file.
~/.gsi.conf    User configuration. Overrides /etc/gsi.conf.
When security is implemented, the following files will be used :
/etc/gsi.hosts    file listing the hosts allowed to connect.
/etc/gsi-passwd    encrypted passwords (user access)
or /etc/gsi ?
~/.gsi-passwd    enencrypted password of the user

BUGS
Synth (MIDI, HMP, MUS) playing doesn't work yet in the 0.9.x series and trying to do so can cause a segfault in the server.

SEE ALSO
gsi(3), gsi.conf(5)

AUTHOR
Wouter Scholten email: whs@xs4all.nl

WWW page: http://www.xs4all.nl/~whs/