How To Play Unix Audio Files (.AU) From Visual Basic

This article demonstrates how to create a Visual Basic project that plays audio files with the AU file extension. The project uses the DirectShow run-time file, Quartz.dll, version 5.1.18.1024 or later. This DirectShow run-time file is shipped with Internet Explorer 4.01 and Visual Studio 6.0.

This section assumes you are familiar with using objects and references in your Visual Basic project and that you have a .AU file to use with the project. If you are not familiar with using objects and references in your Visual Basic project, see the REFERENCES section of this article.

Steps to Create the Project

1. Start a new Standard EXE project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.
2. From the Project menu, select References, and add a reference to the DirectShow runtime file, quartz.dll. You may need to Browse for this file in your System directory. After you make a reference to this file, the ActiveMovie Control type library appears in the Available References list box of the References dialog box.
3. Add a CommandButton to Form1.
4. Paste the following code to the Code window of Form1. Change the String variable MyFile to the path and filename of your AU file:

   Option Explicit
   
   Private Sub Command1_Click()
      Static PMC As Object
      Dim MyFile As String
   
      MyFile = "<Path and Filename of the AU file>"
      Set PMC = New FilgraphManager
      PMC.RenderFile MyFile
      PMC.Run
   End Sub
   					

5. On the Run menu, select Start, or press the F5 key to start the program. Click on Command1 and the AU file will start playing.

For more information on using objects and references in your Visual Basic project, see the following topics in the Visual Basic Online Help or the MSDN Web Site:

• Creating a Reference to an Object (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa261366(VS.60).aspx)
• Assigning an Object Reference to a Variable (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa261365(VS.60).aspx)
• Declaring an Object Variable (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa188643(office.10).aspx)