Eqmac: Crashes when opening UI after disconnecting audio device

[achimkoh]

Hi! I'm really enjoying the software so thanks for that.

I use speakers connected to my HDMI monitor, so I often switch between built-in output and HDMI. When eqMac2 is set to output to HDMI, then I disconnect the HDMI cable, then try to open the eqMac2 UI (because I want to switch over to built-in output), it crashes. If I open it again it works fine.

Not sure if this is the case for HDMI output only or for other external audio devices as well.

macOS Sierra 10.12.6
eqMac Build 2.2

[levelxplane]

This happens to me as well, when switching on and off Bluetooth devices.

macOS Sierra 10.12.6
eqMac Build 2.2

I would like to contribute to the repo, possibly providing a fix for this. Can any maintainers give me an idea where to start?

[okuligowski]

Same for me.

Sierra 10.13.2
eqMac2 build 2.2

[lbibass]

Same for me. High sierra.

[nickatrons]

Same,

High sierra 10.13.1
eqmac 2.2

[aaronmanela]

Same,
High Sierrra 10.13.2
eqmac 2.2

[Siraris]

Same for me! It really happens any time I put my computer to sleep and come back to the OS. The only real problem I have with this great app!

Sierra 10.12.6
eqmac 2.2

[mforcer]

Same for me. After changing audio device, typically reconnecting bluetooth headphones, clicking the menu bar icon will crash the app.

[chattambulo]

Same problem.

[Mike-The-Restless]

Same,
High Sierrra 10.13.2
eqmac 2.2. Happens alot when I disconnect a bluetooth device

[richardmaltais]

Same thing here.

High Sierra 10.13.1
MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2015)

[rlopezpe]

+1

[capnshupe]

+1, same behavior experienced when both bluetooth and my usb DAC disconnects.

High Sierra 10.13.3
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)

[Nayels]

+1
Same behaviour here it happens everytime my bluetooth headset disconnects and reconnects.

High Sierra 10.13.3
MacBook Pro w/ Touchbar (15-inch, 2016)

[nodeful]

First of all, I would like to apologize for the lack of communication and responses to the current issue and all other issues in general.
I have made a conscious decision to focus most of my free time and focus on developing a more modern and new version of "eqMac". This means that I can't spend too much time looking back at old codebase and trying to make every user happy. This was the main reason I made this repository open-source, in hopes that other developers might help to sort out some issues and iron out all the bugs. Unfortunately, there are very few developers that are proficient in Core Audio and Objective-C or maybe they are just not interested in this repo, which I can understand.
I promise that the next version will be much more polished and I will make some sort of a mainstream system were solving issues will be very easy and quick. Just sit tight and wait for a new release this coming summer.
Thank you to everyone who gave "eqMac2" a try and I hope I won't disappoint you next time :)

Heres a sneak peak of the UI I am currently working on:

[mforcer]

Very nice, thanks for your efforts.

[richardmaltais]

Keep it up @nodeful. This issue is a little bit painful everyday, but your software is awesome and I'm gonna keep using it. Can't wait for the new version!

[Nayels]

@nodeful I'm not proficient in Object-C but I don't mind taking a look to see if I can find the problem. Do you have any idea of witch class/file the bug is in?

I speculate it happens because the connection drops when a macbook goes to sleep and then it reconnects when it wakes up but the reference changes or something. (I'm just speculating)

Anyhow... I love the fact you made this open source.

[svekl]

@nodeful thank for all your great work! awesome news about new version, looks stunning, can't wait to touch it, is there any mailing list or something to subscribe to be aware when it comes out?

[roura356a]

Same issue here with bluetooth headset after connecting/disconnecting. Still the software is great so I'm still using it.

[regularlabs]

Same issue here with (un)plugging HDMI monitor.

Any ETA on the new version?

[sterlingfire]

Also having issue with displayport monitor reconnecting after sleep.

@nodeful Any news on the new version?

[FabianFrank]

Same issue when unplugging (or waking up from sleep after they were connected, even if they are still connected) USB-A or USB-C speakers.

[jaybocc2]

having the same issue after locking/sleeping and resuming. Using HDMI out and all devices remain connected during sleep and wake.

[nicolasSchirmer]

I have sent a pull request #161 to try to fix this crash. If any one found a better way to do it please fell free to share it.

Here is what I've learned:

The problem:

When a bluetooth device disconnects from the mac the EQ crashes due to exc_bad_access error.

Understanding it:

On the EQEngine.mm class, there is a method called GetEqGains that checks the current device attached into the EQ through memory addressing retained by the mEqualizerUnit1object of EQEngine.h.

When a device disconnects from the mac, a method is called to wipe the Devices from the list of connected devices in the EQHost.mm by the deleteEQEngine method. But this method leaves residue in the before mentioned EQEngine.h class.

The solution (kind of)

Check if the EQEngine object is null and do not try to set the eq on the ghost audio device.

It would be nice to return to the last device and all... But this was a very fast fix done to help use this wonderful application without the annoying disconnection crash.

[dmkulazhenko]

same, @nicolasSchirmer fix works, thx.
Mojave 10.14.4, macbook pro 15" 2017 (MPTT2)

[ShayMalchi]

@nicolasSchirmer
I tried to build your solution, but ended up with a contents.xcworkspacedata file I'm not sure how to run. Can you please advise on how to use it?

What I tried (from the original README):

git clone <yourFork>
cd eqMac2/
pod install
open eqMac2.xcworkspace

@dmkulazhenko maybe you can share how you tested the fix?

Thanks all!

[robbyking]

Has anyone resolved this issue in their own fork?

[ShayMalchi]

@robbyking I did, but while it wasn't crashing anymore, it didn't work seamlessly and required some extra clicks upon disconnect/reconnect of my BT headphones. Ended up using a different solution called Airfoil (paid software).

[nodeful]

Hey everyone. Excuse me for the lack of updates. I have been really busy on the new version of eqMac. I am happy to announce an open beta release.
You can download it here: https://eqmac.app
There are a lot of known bugs that I could not fix just yet:

• Driver not installing from the first try. Sometimes need to restart eqMac a couple times.
• Complex Device switching logic is not perfect (for example when switching off the device that's currently playing, plugging in new device etc.)
• UI takes long to load (a lot can be done to improve that)
• UI dimensions are not synching properly
• There's a noticeable audio delay in the playback, so not suitable for video yet (I know where the problem lies just haven't had the time to fix yet)
• Sometimes the playback doesn't start, in that case please try to switch the output to the device you want and eqMac should try and build the audio pipeline again.

So as you can see there's still some work to be done but at least it's a completely modern tech stack that I am fully willing to work on: 100% Swift, User Space driver and a Web UI, instead of C++, Kernel Drivers. As I said, should work on Catalina and should not have any pesky ear drum blasting volume bugs (at least I didn't come across any).
I'm open to feedback and issue reports here: https://github.com/bitgapp/eqmac
That repo will become the main repo for eqMac and this repo will be archived eventually.
And yes it's called just eqMac, not eqMac3 :) And it will stay that way forever.

[nodeful]

Hey everyone 👋
I will be open sourcing the new version of eqMac, therefore, I am closing this issue and repository as I will be transfering nodeful/eqMac2 repo to bitgapp/eqMac
Please bear with me for the next couple of days as I setup that new repo. The eqMac2 code will be living in the old-eqMac2 branch if anyone is interested in referencing it for whatever reason.
Please try out the new version and report bugs to the new repo.
Thanks for using eqMac.

[nodeful]

Moving the discussion of this issue to #227