Question

I like to play video files, such as AVIs, through my C# program. Is it possible to play video files like that?

Answer 1

You should be able to use the Media Player control to play media files.

Example of playing audio from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd562692(VS.85).aspx, you should be able to adapt it to video:

// [ C# ]
WMPLib.WindowsMediaPlayer Player;

private void PlayFile(String url)
{
    Player = new WMPLib.WindowsMediaPlayer();
    Player.PlayStateChange += 
        new WMPLib._WMPOCXEvents_PlayStateChangeEventHandler(Player_PlayStateChange);
    Player.MediaError += 
        new WMPLib._WMPOCXEvents_MediaErrorEventHandler(Player_MediaError);
    Player.URL = url;
    Player.controls.play();
}

private void Form1_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
    // TODO  Insert a valid path in the line below.
    PlayFile(@"c:\myaudio.wma");
}

private void Player_PlayStateChange(int NewState)
{
    if ((WMPLib.WMPPlayState)NewState == WMPLib.WMPPlayState.wmppsStopped)
    {
        this.Close();
    }
}

private void Player_MediaError(object pMediaObject)
{
    MessageBox.Show("Cannot play media file.");
    this.Close();
}

There’s a bit more information available on MSDN at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd564582(VS.85).aspx