Bearskin is series of command wrappers that creates a common interface for controlling the device types under Minerva's control. It also maintains the state, in those cases where other software does not support it. This allows replacement software to control the CD player (for example), or for the command to be sent across a network to a different machine.

The currently supported abstractions are all held in /usr/local/minerva/bin include:

• X10 control

  Usage: /usr/local/minerva/bin/x10control    
     command ::= on off set dim bright get status
     device ::= e1 e2 bedroom_light etc..
  
  

• CD player

  Usage: /usr/local/minerva/bin/cdplayer   [track number]
     device ::= /dev/cdrom
     command ::= count tracks close eject play stop pause resume
                 isdiscpresent isplaying isstopped isdraweropen
  
  

• Media playback (MP3/OGG/Wave)

  Usage : /usr/local/minerva/bin/mp3player   
     command ::= play stop pause resume current artist album length
                 isplaying
  Note : This command is blocking, therefore it is usual to place
         it in the background with &
  

  Usage : /usr/local/minerva/bin/wavplayer   
     command ::= play stop pause resume current
                 isplaying
  

• Audio mixer

  Usage: /usr/local/minerva/bin/mixer    
     command ::= get set inc dec
     channel ::= master bass treble wave speaker linein microphone
                 cd recording linein1 linein2 linein3
  

• Speech synthesis

  say
  sayfile
  announce
  announcefile