[Openal] Handling device changes on Vista

[Armand Postma]

I'm not sure if it helps but there's a Windows event called 
WM_DEVICECHANGE, which is called when the hardware configuration 
changes, I know it exists and did a quick search on MSDN and it might do 
what you're looking for... I've never used the event myself however.

MSDN WM_DEVICECHANGE page:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa363480(VS.85).aspx

Another article using it to sense a CD/DVD eject/insert:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/163503

The funny thing is that Microsoft mentions requiring a minimum of 
Win2000 Pro in the first article and they mention a minimum of Win95 in 
the other article, then again I've found more overstated requirements in 
the API lately...

Sincerely,

Armand Postma

P.S. Apologies for sending the mail to your e-mail adress first Daniel, 
I just hit the reply button and didn't check the address! Doh! :)


Daniel PEACOCK wrote:
>
>
> Hi Niklas,
>
>   
>> What is the recommended way of handling sound device changes (new
>> devices being created, old devices being removed) when using OpenAL?
>>     
>
> I don't think we have a recommending way of handling this.
>
>   
>> This issue is especially important on Windows Vista where new devices
>> can appear when a uses plugs in his headphones. (I.e. a game may start
>> with headphones unplugged and find no devices, then when the headphones
>> are plugged in a new device appears.)
>>     
>
> True.
>
>   
>> As far as I can tell, there is no mechanism for detecting "device
>> creation" or "device loss" within OpenAL. Should I try to detect these
>> events using Windows functionality? Or regularily poll the system by
>> enumerating the devices? And then re-initialize the sound system with a
>> new device if detected.
>>     
>
> That's correct, there are no mechanisms in OpenAL for detecting these
> events.  I think an extension that handles this has been proposed.
>
> I'm not aware of a way to get a notification from Windows that an audio
> device has been added, removed, or become the new default playback device.
> That doesn't mean it doesn't exist - I just haven't encountered it before.
> Assuming it doesn't, then you would need to poll Windows to find out what
> audio devices are available.   If you detect that something has changed -
> and you consider that something that should be acted upon - then I think
> you may have to shutdown the OpenAL system, and unload openal32.dll, then
> re-load openal32.dll and request the new lists of devices.  This is because
> the OpenAL32.dll router only enumerates devices once.  NOTE : I've not
> tested this scenario ... there may be other issues.
>
> Dan
>
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>   

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