Step 4: Load a Segment

The application now has all the objects it needs for loading and playing sounds. In the sample, one of three sound files is always played in response to the Play button, depending on the user's choice of file type.

The LoadSound procedure is called in response to the first click of the Play button, and also in response to the selection of an option button. The first thing the procedure does is verify that the file exists, as follows:

  If Dir$(sFile) = vbNullString Then
    MsgBox "Unable to find " & sFile, vbOKOnly Or vbCritical, _
     "Not found."
    Unload Me
  End If
  

If a segment has already been loaded, its band or bands are unloaded from the synthesizer, and the segment is released:

  If Not (dmSeg Is Nothing) Then
    dmSeg.Unload dmPath
    Set dmSeg = Nothing
  End If

Then the new segment is loaded. If it is a MIDI file, the application calls DirectMusicSegment8.SetStandardMidiFile. A standard MIDI file behaves somewhat differently than one that has been saved as a DirectMusic Producer segment, and this call ensures that it is handled properly.

  Set dmSeg = dml.LoadSegment(sFile)
  If Right$(sFile, 4) = ".mid" Then dmSeg.SetStandardMidiFile

The LoadSound procedure is concluded in the next topic, Step 5: Download the Band