Playing AVI Files with DirectX

Provides a class for playing AVI files and describes how to use it.

September 21, 1999 11.6k views

[size="5"] General Information:

CAviSurface implements an interface to play a true- or high-color AVI file into a DirectDrawSurface. CAviSurfaceWithSound extends this to play the sound simultaneously into a streaming DirectSoundBuffer.

To use the classes you have to use DirectDraw in a 16-Bit or 24-Bit colormodus. 8-Bit Colordepth is currently not supported, neither as sourceformat nor as targetformat. This is partially due to the usually installed AVI - Decompressors and partially due to my own laziness.

To use the class you simply have to use the following codefrags:

Construct the DirectDraw (and DirectSound) Interface.
Call the constructor lpAviSurface = new CAviSurface (or CAviSurfaceWithSound)
To start the playback, call lpAviSurface->Start(); // Sound begins to play when using CAviSurfaceWithSound
In your general UpdateFrame-Method of the Application call lpAviSurface->BltTo(where.x,where.y,lpddsTargetSurface);
Call lpAviSurface->Stop() to suspend playback, another call to lpAviSurface->Start() will contiue the playback.
Destroy the Object with delete lpAviSurface;

[size="5"] The class interface

CAviSurface(char *lpszFilename,LPDIRECTDRAW lpDDraw,BOOL bLoop=FALSE)

Constructs a DirectDrawSurface, linked with an AVI-File HRESULT SetColorKey(DWORD dwColorKey)
- Set a Keycolor (no Keyspace) HRESULT BlitTo(int x,int y,LPDIRECTDRAWSURFACE lpddsTarget)
  - Draws Videosurface to (left,upper) = (x,y) in Targetsurface HRESULT StretchBlitTo(RECT *rcTarget,LPDIRECTDRAWSURFACE lpddsTarget)
    - Draws Videosurface to Targetrectangle in TargetSuface virtual BOOL Start()
      - Starts Videoplayback into surface virtual BOOL Stop()
        
        Stops the playback[hr]
        CAviSurfaceWithSound(char *lpszFilename,LPDIRECTDRAW lpDDraw,LPDIRECTSOUND lpDS,BOOL bLoop)
        
        Opens the AVI-File lpszFilename and attaches it to a Directdrawsurface and a DirectSoundbuffer.
        bLoop specifys, if the AVI-File is played looping. ~CAviSurfaceWithSound()
        
        Frees all the stuff virtual BOOL Start()
        
        Starts the soundplay and the videoplayback virtual BOOL Stop()
        
        Stops the soundplay and the videoplayback For more information see the headerfile "avisurfave.h"
        
        [hr]
        Files in the included archive:
        
        avisurface.cpp, avisurface.h - Implementation of the classes
        dderrmsg.cpp, dderrmsg.h - translates a DDraw errormessage into a text string
        standartmacros.h - exactly one macro (grin)
        videoexample.* MSDEV Projectfiles for the examplecode
        aboutbox.cpp, aboutbox.h - guess what it is
        ddframw.cpp, ddframw.h - the applications main window
        resources.h - the resource defines
        videoexample.exe - release build
        AVISurface.html - this file The sources compile fine under VC++ 4.2, but it should be easy to convert to other compilers. - (Sometimes I will switch back to Borland)
        
        Remember to run the program in an 16 or 24 bit colordepth environment, because it works in a window, and only supports the high/truecolor target.
        
        [hr]
        To Do:
        
        I currently do not know how to interpret the value AVIStreamInfo.dwInitialFrames exactly, so there is a problem in the synchronization of the sound and the graphics in some AVI's.
        Adding support for 8-Bit and 32-Bit Colordepth. (I currently do not need this, so no time to do it)[size="5"] LEGAL ISSUES
        
        I don't promise that this software works and in no case I will be liable to any damage, this software does. (But if you find any bugs, please let me know!) You can use this software for whatever you want. You don't have to pay me. If you use it in a program, please credit me, send a postcard (or a copy of the program).
        
        [email="mam90ccr@rzaix340.rz.uni-leipzig.de"]Gert Wollny[/email]
        Henricistr. 29
        04177 Leipzig
        Germany

Playing AVI Files with DirectX

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