Syntax of Command Messages

MCI command messages consist of the following three elements:

• A constant message value
• A structure containing parameters for the command
• A set of flags specifying options for the command and validating fields in the parameter block

The following example sends the MCI_PLAY command to the device identified by a device identifier.

mciSendCommand(wDeviceID,            // device identifier 
    MCI_PLAY,                        // command message 
    0,                               // flags 
    (DWORD)(LPVOID) &mciPlayParms);  // parameter block 
 

The device identifier given in the first parameter is retrieved when the device is opened using the MCI_OPEN command. The last parameter is the address of an MCI_PLAY_PARMS structure, which might contain information about where to begin and end playback. Many MCI command messages use a structure to contain parameters of this kind. The first member of each of these structures identifies the window that receives an MM_MCINOTIFY message when the operation finishes.