Home / ubuntu / Questions / 79614
In Process
Sparky1
Asked: 2011-11-16 13:21:53 +0800 CST

Apache user can't play audio

  • 772

I have a shell script 'vlc.sh' that plays a video using vlc:

#!/bin/bash
vlc /home/sparky/sample.mp4

When I run this script from my login, I get audio + video.

When I call this script from the Apache user (via php), I get only video. The Apache error log complains about audio:

[0x96053ec] pulse audio output error: cannot connect to server: Connection refused
ALSA lib confmisc.c:768:(parse_card) cannot find card '0'
ALSA lib conf.c:4184:(_snd_config_evaluate) function snd_func_card_driver returned error: 
No such file or directory
oss audio output error: cannot open audio device (/dev/dsp)

I've tried adding the apache user to the audio, pulse, pulse-access, and admin groups. But I've have had no luck. I'm running xubuntu 11.10. What should I try next?

sound

1 Answers

  1. The answer was provided from a link mentioned by the OP in a comment. The following is an excerpt from it:

    Turns out that I needed to edit the /etc/group file and add videouser user to the audio user group of users who are allowed to have audio while the root login is in session. The line should like like this:

    # cat /etc/group|egrep -i "audio|pulse"
audio:x:63:videouser,root
pulse:x:474:videouser,root
pulse-access:x:473:videouser,root

    after editing from:

    # cat /etc/group|egrep -i "audio|pulse"
audio:x:63:
pulse:x:474:
pulse-access:x:473:

    and sure enough, there was sound. However, the pulseaudio still showed the error. Appears a reboot is in order.

    • 2