Chapter 1: Getting Started with DirectSound

Overview

To examine the samples that accompany this book and develop your own code, you first need to set up your development environment. This chapter covers both setting up your development environment, and getting the first sample to run.

Before going any further, run the install program on the CD that accompanies this book. Then run the High5.exe program, located in the AVBook\bin directory. This sample demonstrates how one sound can be repeatedly mixed to give the impression of complex activity. Try rolling one die, then a number of dice. You will notice that with one die there is no shaking sound and a single rolling sound, and with multiple dice there are multiple shaking and rolling sounds.

Although the High5 sample is simple, it opens up a whole range of issues about the Microsoft DirectX programming environment, which this chapter discusses. After reading this chapter, even if you are new to Microsoft DirectSound, you should have a good idea on how to approach DirectX programming in general, as well as be able to write a small program producing one-dimensional sounds.