KnowledgeBase Archive

An Archive of Early Microsoft KnowledgeBase Articles

View on GitHub

Q102585: How to Play Waveform (.WAV) Files in FoxPro for Windows

Article: Q102585
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): 2.50 2.50a 3.00
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbcode kbmm
Last Modified: 14-AUG-1999

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 3.0 
- Microsoft FoxPro for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

The code example below shows how to play waveform (.WAV) files from within
FoxPro for Windows. This code can be placed in several different snippets
including SETUP, VALID, WHEN, and MORE.

MORE INFORMATION
================

The example below uses the FoxTools library to call a function in MMSYSTEM.DLL.
This dynamic-link library (DLL) is shipped with Windows 3.1 and is located in
the Windows SYSTEM subdirectory (usually C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM).

     SET LIBRARY TO SYS(2004)+"FOXTOOLS.FLL"
     MREGISTER=REGFN("SndPlaySound","CI","I","mmsystem")
     MWAVE="Chimes.wav"
     MFLAG=1
     MCALL=CALLFN(MREGISTER,MWAVE,MFLAG)

The sndPlaySound() function plays a waveform sound specified by a filename or by
an entry in the [Sounds] section of the WIN.INI file. If the sound can't be
found, it plays the default sound specified by the SystemDefault entry in the
[Sounds] section of the WIN.INI file. If there is a now SystemDefault entry or
if the default sound can't be found, the function makes no sound and returns
FALSE.

MWAVE specifies the name of the sound to play. The function searches the [Sounds]
section of the WIN.INI file for an entry with this name and plays the associated
waveform file. If no entry by this name exists, it assumes the name is the name
of a waveform file. If this parameter is NULL, any currently playing sound is
stopped. (For example, MWAVE="SystemStart" will play the waveform file
associated with Windows starting, and MWAVE=0 will stop any currently playing
sound.)

MFLAG specifies options for playing the sound using one or more of the following
flags:

  0 - The sound is played synchronously and the function does not
      return until the sound ends (all programs stop processing until
      the sound is done playing).
  1 - The sound is played asynchronously and the function returns
      immediately after beginning the sound. To terminate an
      asynchronously played sound, call the sndPlaySound() function
      with MWAVE set to NULL. (The program will continue operation
      with the sound playing at the same time.)
  2 - If the sound can't be found, the function returns silently
      without playing the default sound.
  9 - The sound will continue to play repeatedly until sndPlaySound()
      is called again with MWAVE set to NULL.
 16 - If a sound is currently playing, the function will immediately
      return FALSE without playing the requested sound.

NOTE: To use more than one option, add the numbers together. [For example, use 11
to play the sound repeatedly; if the sound cannot be found, sndPlaySound() will
not play the default sound.]

The sound must fit in available physical memory and be playable by an installed
waveform audio device driver. The directories searched for sound files are, in
order: the current directory; the Windows program directory; the Windows SYSTEM
subdirectory; the directories listed in the PATH environment variable in the
AUTOEXEC.BAT file; the list of directories mapped in a network.

REFERENCES
==========

Microsoft Windows with Multimedia "Programmer's Reference," version 1.0

Additional query words: kbsound VFoxWin FoxWin 2.50 wave form WAV wave

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbcode kbmm 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbFoxproSearch kbFoxPro250 kbFoxPro250a kbVFP300
Version           : 2.50 2.50a 3.00

=============================================================================

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.