# What does "soapy=1 or soapy=2 or soapy=3 or soapy=4" mean?

**URL:** <https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/what-does-soapy-1-or-soapy-2-or-soapy-3-or-soapy-4-mean/8039>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [17 September 2023 18:59 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/what-does-soapy-1-or-soapy-2-or-soapy-3-or-soapy-4-mean/8039 "2023-09-17T18:59:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![soapynumber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@soapynumber](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/soapynumber)\
**Post date:** [17 September 2023 18:59 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/what-does-soapy-1-or-soapy-2-or-soapy-3-or-soapy-4-mean/8039/1 "2023-09-17T18:59:56Z")

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Hello and thanks for the help,

I’m seeking documentation/explanation for the variable=values “soapy=1 or 2 or 3 or 4”.  
A partial explanation of “soapy=0” is given on: “[Home · pothosware/SoapyRemote Wiki · GitHub](http://github.com/pothosware/SoapyRemote/wiki#remote-device-args)”.  
“Instructs GrOsmoSDR to use the Soapy support. Required if GrOsmoSDR might find other devices on the local machine.”

But this explanation does not explain what “soapy=0” means, nor does it explain the use of values other than “soapy=0”.

So, what do the following values of “soapy” mean and what is their use:  
soapy=1  
soapy=2  
soapy=3  
soapy=4

I’d appreciate a pointer to documentation or an explanation.

Thank you.

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**Author:** ![RightHalfPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@RightHalfPlane](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/RightHalfPlane)\
**Post date:** [18 September 2023 14:21 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/what-does-soapy-1-or-soapy-2-or-soapy-3-or-soapy-4-mean/8039/2 "2023-09-18T14:21:38Z")

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A one hours cruse through the source code shows “gr-osmosdr” with the “soapy=value” calling the soapy routines. The soapy routines never access the variable “soapy” - so I assume that the value does not matter to them, but of course stick with the “soapy=0” or “soapy=0,driver=\*\*\*\*\*" - I was using “soapy=1” for a while and it seemed to work OK and no different than “soapy=0”.

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**Author:** ![soapynumber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@soapynumber](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/u/soapynumber)\
**Post date:** [19 September 2023 01:56 UTC](https://discourse.myriadrf.org/t/what-does-soapy-1-or-soapy-2-or-soapy-3-or-soapy-4-mean/8039/3 "2023-09-19T01:56:58Z")

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Hello RightHalfPlane,  
Thank you for your investigations.  
I appreciate the information.  
Again, thank you.