HOWTO: Detect If Computer Has Sound Card That Plays Wave Audio

ID: Q147811


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning, Professional, and Enterprise Editions for Windows, version 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions, 16-bit and 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0


SUMMARY

This article describes how to detect if a system has a sound card capable of playing back wave audio data (.WAV files).


MORE INFORMATION

The multimedia Application Programming Interface (API) has a function, WaveOutGetNumDevs(), which returns the number of devices in the system capable of playing back wave audio data.

Step-by-Step Example

  1. Start a new project in Visual Basic (ALT, F, N), and place a Command button (Command1) on Form1.


  2. Add the following declaration to the General Declarations section of Form1:
    
          #If Win32 Then
    
          Private Declare Function waveOutGetNumDevs Lib "winmm" () As Long
          #ElseIf Win16 Then
          Private Declare Function waveOutGetNumDevs Lib "mmsystem" () _
           As Integer
          #End If
     


  3. Add the following code to the Command1_Click event:
    
          Private Sub Command1_Click()
          #If Win32 Then
          Dim i As Long
          #ElseIf Win16 Then
          Dim i As Integer
          #End If
          i = waveOutGetNumDevs()
          If i > 0 Then         ' There is at least one device.
          MsgBox "You Can Play Wave Data"
          Else
          MsgBox "Cannot Play Wave Data"
          End If
          End Sub
     


  4. Press the F5 key to run the code. Then click the command button. An appropriate message lets you know if your computer plays wave audio data.


Additional query words: kbVBp400 kbVBp600 kbVBp kbdsd kbDSupport kbVBA

Keywords : kbGrpVB
Version :
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :


Last Reviewed: January 5, 2000
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