PlaySound() function

[zwA4jE8b]

I am temporarily using the PlaySound Function to play audio during my game. Without using a 3rd party library does windows support pausing and stopping the audio?

[webJose]

PlaySound() allows stopping, yes. I think it is not the case for pause, though. Check MSDN Online.

[S G H]

I suggest you to use a 3rd party library. PlaySound only can play WAVs, and is not able to play more files in the same time.
I personally use the Bass Library.
All you have to do is:

#include "bass.h"
int main()
{
  if(!BASS_Init(-1,44100,0,0,0)) //Initializes BASS Library. Needed only once.
     return 0;
  HSTREAM AudioChannel = BASS_StreamCreateFile(false,"Audio File Name Here plox",0,0,0);
  //Create a Audio Stream from a File.
  BASS_ChannelPlay(AudioChannel,true);
  //Plays the Stream.
  while(BASS_ChannelIsActive(AudioChannel))
  {
    //Waits until song/audio file ends.
    Pause(500);
  }
  BASS_Free();
  return 1;
}

This is the complete code you need to play an audio file.
BASS Library natively supports WAVs, MP3s, OGGs and has many plugins like WMA, MP4...
Link: www.un4seen.com/

Other functions are:
BASS_ChannelStop(HANDLE) - Stops a Stream
BASS_ChannelPause(HANDLE) - Pauses a Stream
HANDLE is AudioChannel over. (I mean, you can do BASS_ChannelStop(AudioChannel) and BASS_ChannelPause(AudioChannel). Remember, ChannelStop stops a channel, ChannelPause pauses it and you can re-play it with BASS_ChannelPlay. )

[zwA4jE8b]

Does Bass play Asynchronously?

[aaron84]

There's also MCI if you don't want a 3rd party library.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd757151%28v=VS.85%29.aspx

[S G H]

I think it does, creative. Afaik it automatically creates its own thread to manage audio, as far as you don't specify a flag i don't actually remember.

[george135]

> I suggest you to use a 3rd party library

Totally useless.
Never use external libraies in Windows, where everything is native

There are dozens of methods to manage sounds (MM apis, Dx, etc)

[S G H]

Ha? Do something like bass or irrlicht can do with the same amount of written lines.
And remember, DX is not a native windows method.