Script to setup PulseAudio equalizer module + qpaeq GUI as a desktop application

pulseaudio-equalizer-setup.sh

#!/bin/sh -ux

# This is a small script to setup the PulseAudio equalizer as a desktop
# application that runs just when the 'qpaeq' GUI is open.

# This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.
#
# Anyone is free to copy, modify, publish, use, compile, sell, or distribute
# this software, either in source code form or as a compiled binary, for any
# purpose, commercial or non-commercial, and by any means.
#
# In jurisdictions that recognize copyright laws, the author or authors of
# this software dedicate any and all copyright interest in the software to
# the public domain. We make this dedication for the benefit of the public
# at large and to the detriment of our heirs and successors. We intend this
# dedication to be an overt act of relinquishment in perpetuity of all
# present and future rights to this software under copyright law.
#
# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
# IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
# FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.  IN NO EVENT SHALL
# THE AUTHORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER
# IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
# CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
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# For more information, please refer to <https://unlicense.org>


pulseaudio_dir="${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/pulse"
executable_dir="$HOME/.local/bin"
application_dir="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}/applications"

executable_name=pulseaudio-equalizer

case ":$PATH:" in
    *:"$executable_dir":*)
        app_exec=$executable_name
        ;;
    *)
        executable_dir="$(dirname $application_dir)"
        app_exec="$executable_dir/$executable_name"
        ;;
esac

pulseaudio_file="$pulseaudio_dir/default.pa"
executable_file="$executable_dir/$executable_name"
application_file="$application_dir/pulseaudio-equalizer.desktop"

mkdir -p "$pulseaudio_dir" "$executable_dir" "$application_dir"


cat >"$pulseaudio_file" <<EOF
.include /etc/pulse/default.pa

# Needed by module-equalizer-sink.
load-module module-dbus-protocol
EOF


cat >"$executable_file" <<'EOF'
#!/bin/sh
pactl load-module module-equalizer-sink
pactl set-default-sink "$(pactl list sinks short | awk '/equalizer/ { print $2 }')"
qpaeq
pactl unload-module module-equalizer-sink
EOF


cat >"$application_file" <<EOF
[Desktop Entry]
Name=PulseAudio Equalizer
GenericName=Sound Equalizer

Type=Application
Terminal=false
Exec=${app_exec}
TryExec=qpaeq
StartupWMClass=qpaeq

Icon=audio-headphones
Categories=Qt;AudioVideo;
EOF


chmod +x "$executable_file"

pulseaudio --kill
pulseaudio --start

echo 'Setup finished!'

Thank you! I had a hard time getting my equalizer to work on Mint 20.2. I came cross your comment on askubuntu.com and ran your script. Glad to say my equalizer runs fine again. My reputation on StackExchange/superuser.com is not high enough, so I'm using this to thank you and letting others know your script works like a charm. Thanks!

@OmeCor I'm happy it helped =)

i lost the sound, thankx

i lost the sound, thankx

@Criziz21 Why? How? If something went wrong, simply delete the created files and restart your PC at most. You should be fine.

<3