Syntax

Mci(command$,result$ [,error$])

Description

Executes an Mci command, returning an Integer indicating whether the command was successful.

Comments

The Mci function takes the following parameters:

Parameter

Description

command$

String containing the command to be executed.

result$

String variable into which the result is placed. If the command doesn't return anything, then a zero-length string is returned.

To ignore the returned string, pass a zero-length string, such as.

r% = Mci("open chimes.wav type waveaudio","")

error$

Optional String variable into which an error string will be placed. A zero-length string will be returned if the function is successful.

Example 1

This first example plays a wave file. The wave file is played to completion before execution can continue.

Sub Main()

  Dim result As String

  Dim ErrorMessage As String

  Dim Filename As String

  Dim rc As Integer

  'Establish name of file in the Windows directory.

  Filename = FileParse$(System.WindowsDirectory$ + "\" + "chimes.wav")

  'Open the file and driver.

  rc = Mci("open " & Filename & " type waveaudio alias CoolSound","",ErrorMessage)

  If (rc) Then

    'Error occurred--display error message to user.

    MsgBox ErrorMessage

    Exit Sub

  End If

  rc = Mci("play CoolSound wait","","")  'Wait for sound to finish.

  rc = Mci("close CoolSound","","")   'Close driver and file.

End Sub

Example 2

This next example shows how to query an Mci device and play an MIDI file in the background.

Sub Main()

  Dim result As String

  Dim ErrMsg As String

  Dim Filename As String

  Dim rc As Integer

  'Check to see whether MIDI device can play for us.

  rc = Mci("capability sequencer can play",result,ErrorMessage)

  'Check for error.

  If rc Then

    MsgBox ErrorMessage

    Exit Sub

  End If

  'Can it play?

  If result <> "true" Then

    MsgBox "MIDI device is not capable of playing."

    Exit Sub

  End If

  'Assemble a filename from the Windows directory.

  Filename = FileParse$(System.WindowsDirectory$ & "\" & "canyon.mid")

  'Open the driver and file.

  rc = Mci("open " & Filename & " type sequencer alias song",result$,ErrMsg)

  If rc Then

    MsgBox ErrMsg

    xit Sub

  End If

  rc = Mci("play song","","")  'Play in the background.

  MsgBox "Press OK to stop the music.",ebOKOnly

  rc = Mci("close song","","")

End Sub

See Also

Beep (statement)

M