Annoying beep in Pidgin 2.2.2 for Windows XP

[mikez302]

I have Windows XP and I'm using Pidgin 2.2.2. Whenever I'm in an IM window and I hit backspace while my cursor is at the beginning of the line, I hear a loud beep. It is coming from inside my computer, rather than my speakers. Is there any way to disable this?

Elias

[RU Still Down?]

I doubt this is a problem with Pidgin itself but with your Windows XP configuration. This happens in Windows XP when you disable all OS-related sounds. Because no 'alert' wav file exists in your current sound theme Windows XP chooses to sound off from the internal speaker. This can be useful if something really has gone wrong but it isn't when you're doing mundane tasks like adjusting the volume or hitting backspace for non-existent text.

You can fix this problem in a variety of ways.
disable (unplug from motherboard / set a jumper) the internal speaker via hardware: How can I disable / enable the internal speaker?
replace the "Default Beep" in Sound and Audio Deices Properties with a blank wav file generated using Sound Recorder: windows volume replacement - Page 3 - Phoenix Labs
disable XPs use of the Internal Speaker via the registry: How To Disable Internal Speaker
more information: Volume Control in Notification Area Uses Internal Speaker Rather Than External Speakers for Ding .WAV File

[mikez302]

I tried setting the default beep sound to "none", and I still got the beep in Pidgin. I tried setting it to other sounds, and I still got the beep. Whatever I choose for my default beep sound seems to have no effect on Pidgin.

By "the beep", I mean the actual beep from inside my computer. I never heard the default Windows beep sound in Pidgin.

[RU Still Down?]

Ah, sorry for wasting your time. You can always fix this by unplugging your internal speaker -- or setting jumpers on your motherboard.

According to Daniel (datallah) beeping of the internal speaker on error is not caused by Pidgin. Instead it is caused by a "GTK+ (mis)feature" -- GTK+ draws windows and deals with the rest of the graphical interface.

To stop GTK+ from beeping the internal speaker in Pidgin (and anything else that uses GTK+ -- like GIMP) add the following line to your .gtkrc file

gtk-error-bell = 0

[nimd4]

Originally Posted by RU Still Down?

You can always fix this by unplugging your internal speaker -- or setting jumpers on your motherboard.

Uhh maybe this is easier

[mikez302]

Nimd4, I don't want to affect all of my Windows programs, I just want to fix Pidgin. RU Still Down?, I tried your suggestion and it works. Thank you!

[nimd4]

Yeah, I was so wrong on that one :-F

ps. shouldn't it be "gtk-error-bell = false"?.. Settings


pps. Ticket #3683 (closed defect: invalid)