Notes on using the MCI String Interface...

Each line consists of a command, a device name, and argument(s).

The basic devices are:

DeviceFiletype
waveaudio.wav
sequencer.mid
cdaudio
mmmovie.mmm


Examples are worth several thousand words...

************************************

To open a waveaudio file - (there are at least two methods)

1. long form

open c:\mwin\mmdata\diesel.wav type waveaudio alias train

2. short ("automatic") open(mci keys off the file extension as listed in System.ini)

open c:\mwin\mmdata\diesel.wav alias train

***********************************
To play it - (the alias "train" stands for the combination of the filename and the device)

play train from 0("from 0" and "from start" are synonyms)

or

play train from 0 wait (use this if part of a series of strings; "wait" will wait until the play
command completes before executing the next string)

***********************************

To quit -

close train (or "close all", which will take care of any other devices which
might be lying around open)

***********************************

Commands:

All MCI devices support the following commands:

capabilitycloseinfoopenstatus


Most also support these:

load (filename)

pause

play (from [position] to [position])

recordinsertfrom... tooverwrite("insert" means start record @ current position)

resume(after pause...)

save (filename)

seekto [position]to startto end

set(various device-dependent parameters)

statuscurrent trackpositionnumber of trackstime format

stop

******************************************************

More examples (see references below for complete documentation)

sound(this plays the system default waveaudio sound as set up in control panel)

sound (sound) [see win.ini for sound names]

capability cdaudio can record(result should be "false")

status cdaudio mode(returns "paused", "playing", "stopped", "recording", "seeking", etc.)

seek sequencer to start

For still further examples, see the ".mci" files included with the distribution.

Note: "status ... mode" command won't work with sequencer or waveaudio until a
file is opened...:

******************************************************
References:

1. Microsoft Windows Multimedia Programmer's Reference ($27.95) ISBN 1-55615-389-9

This tome contains possibly more than you wanted to know, and it can be confusing,
but all the information you need is there, somewhere. Chapter 7 is the best place
to start for users of MCI Stringer.


2. Charles Petzold's excellent series of articles in the PC Magazine "Environments" column
running from November 91 to January 92.

The only problem with these articles is that the examples require the Microsoft MultiMedia
Developers Toolkit (MDK), at $500 (approx.). MCI Stringer was written so that we can
try out all this neat stuff without the MDK. Enjoy!

****************************************

Copyright 1992Atlantic Microsystems

Written by:Pete AsensioCIS 70143, 467
Atlantic Microsystems
110 Fishing Brook Road
Westbrook CT 06498
(203) 399-9846