[alsa-devel] [RFC/RFT PATCH] ASoC: topology: Improve backwards compatibility with v4 topology files

[Pierre-Louis Bossart]

On 5/23/18 3:24 AM, Mark Brown wrote:
> On Tue, May 22, 2018 at 02:59:35PM -0500, Pierre-Louis Bossart wrote:
> 
>> I am also not convinced by the notion that maintaining topology files is
>> only a userspace/distro issue. This would mean some distros will have access
>> to the required topology files, possibly enabling DSP processing
>> capabilities, but other will not and will not be able to enable even basic
>> playback/capture. Just like we have a basic firmware with limited
>> functionality in /lib/firmware/intel, it would make sense to require a basic
>> .conf file in alsa-lib for every upstream machine driver - along possibly
>> with a basic UCM file so that audio works no matter what distro people use.
> 
> The point here is that people should be able to update their kernel
> without updating their userspace so things have to work with whatever
> they have right now - anything that relies on shipping new firmware or
> configuration files to userspace is a problem.

Agree.

My point was a bit different: distributions like Gallium start without 
the relevant topology files and UCM settings, and we should have a 
reference to quickly enable audio without having to borrow and modify 
files from another distro. I faced this issue when I worked with the 
Gallium folks to enable audio on Rambi and Cyan Chromebooks and ended-up 
creating this reference myself.