Overview
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Quick Info

capability

The capability command requests information about a particular capability of a device. All MCI devices recognize this command.

wsprintf(lpstrCommand, "capability %s %s %s", lpszDeviceID, lpszRequest,
lpszFlags);

Parameters

lpszDeviceID

Identifier of an MCI device. This identifier or alias is assigned when the device is opened.

lpszRequest

Flag that identifies a device capability. The following table lists device types that recognize the capability command and the flags used by each type:

cdaudio
can eject
can play
can record
can save
compound device
device type
has audio
has video
uses files
digitalvideo
can eject
can freeze
can lock
can play
can record
can reverse
can save
can stretch
can stretch input
can test
compound device
device type
has audio
has still
has video
maximum play rate
minimum play rate
uses files
uses palettes
windows
overlay
can eject
can freeze
can play
can record
can save
can stretch
compound device
device type
has audio
has video
uses files
windows
sequencer
can eject
can play
can record
can save
compound device
device type
has audio
has video
uses files
  • cr
can detect length
can eject
can freeze
can monitor sources
can play
can preroll
can preview
can record
can reverse
can save
can test
clock increment rate
compound device
device type
has audio
has clock
has timecode
has video
number of marks
seek accuracy
uses files
  • ideodisc
can eject
can play
can record
can reverse
can save
CAV
CLV
compound device
device type
fast play rate
has audio
has video
normal play rate
slow play rate
uses files
waveaudio
can eject
can play
can record
can save
compound device
device type
has audio
has video
inputs
outputs
uses files

The following table lists the flags that can be specified in the lpszRequest parameter and their meanings:

can detect length
Returns TRUE if the device can detect the length of the media.
can eject
Returns TRUE if the device can eject the media.
can freeze
Returns TRUE if the device can freeze data in the frame buffer.
can lock
Returns TRUE if the device can lock data.
can monitor sources
Returns TRUE if the device can pass an input (source) to the monitored output, independent of the current input selection.
can play
Returns TRUE if the device can play.
can preroll
Returns TRUE if the device supports the "preroll" flag with the cue command.
can preview
Returns TRUE if the device supports previews.
can record
Returns TRUE if the device supports recording.
can reverse
Returns TRUE if the device can play in reverse.
can save
Returns TRUE if the device can save data.
can stretch
Returns TRUE if the device can stretch frames to fill a given display rectangle.
can stretch input
Returns TRUE if the device can resize an image in the process of digitizing it into the frame buffer.
can test
Returns TRUE if the device recognizes the test keyword.
cav
When combined with other items, this flag specifies that the return information applies to CAV format videodiscs. This is the default if no videodisc is inserted.
clock increment rate
Returns the number of subdivisions the external clock supports per second. If the external clock is a millisecond clock, the return value is 1000. If the return value is 0, no clock is supported.
clv
When combined with other items, this flag specifies that the return information applies to CLV format videodiscs.
compound device
Returns TRUE if the device supports an element name (filename).
device type
Returns a device type name, which can be one of the following:
cdaudio
dat
digitalvideo
other
overlay
scanner
sequencer
vcr
videodisc
waveaudio

fast play rate
Returns the fast play rate in frames per second, or zero if the device cannot play fast.
has audio
Returns TRUE if the device supports audio playback.
has clock
Returns TRUE if the device has a clock.
has still
Returns TRUE if the device treats files with a single image more efficiently than motion video files.
has timecode
Returns TRUE if the device is capable of supporting timecode, or if it is unknown.
has video
Returns TRUE if the device supports video.
inputs
Returns the total number of input devices.
maximum play rate
Returns the maximum play rate, in frames per second, for the device.
minimum play rate
Returns the minimum play rate, in frames per second, for the device.
normal play rate
Returns the normal play rate, in frames per second, for the device.
number of marks
Returns the maximum number of marks that can be used; zero indicates that marks are unsupported.
outputs
Returns the total number of output devices.
seek accuracy
Returns the expected accuracy of a search in frames; 0 indicates that the device is frame accurate, 1 indicates that the device expects to be within one frame of the indicated seek position, and so on.
slow play rate
Returns the slow play rate in frames per second, or zero if the device cannot play slowly.
uses files
Returns TRUE if the data storage used by a compound device is a file.
uses palettes
Returns TRUE if the device uses palettes.
windows
Returns the number of simultaneous display windows the device can support.

lpszFlags

Can be "wait", "notify", or both. For digital-video and VCR devices, "test" can also be specified. For more information about these flags, see The Wait, Notify, and Test Flags.

Return Values

Returns information in the lpstrReturnString parameter of the mciSendString function. The information is dependent on the request type.

Remarks

The following command returns the device type of the "mysound" device:

capability mysound device type

See Also

cue
, mciSendString

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