LiveCode app accused of muting Windows. Even possible?

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soitech
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Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2015 8:09 pm

LiveCode app accused of muting Windows. Even possible?

Post by soitech » Thu Nov 17, 2016 1:56 am

Hello, we've got a LiveCode app that's been deployed out in the wild for about 18 months now. Usually getting about 300-400 folks annually using it 3 or more times per week. Nothing huge, but it's been through the paces.

A new organization started using the application, and are having audio issues on a couple of Windows 7 computers. Not all their computers, just a few.

Their description hasn't been incredibly specific, sometimes saying that regardless of the system volume setting, when they launch the app it turns the volume down, sometimes saying it mutes it, then the latest info pointing to it happening when users plug in headphones after the application has been launched.

The application does play wav files at some points, but I've gone through the code pretty thoroughly and have not found any instances where it sets volume levels. It plays, it stops, but it doesn't mess with the volume. Even if it did, as far as I can tell, you are only able to set the volume between 0 and 100 RELATIVE to the system volume setting.

I've spent weeks trying to get this point across, and suggest that the most likely scenario is a Windows glitch, maybe it is muting it because it thinks there is voice communication starting, etc. But to no avail. They insist it is an issue with our software and that we have the ability to fix it and are demanding we do so. They've gotten rather hostile about it in fact.

Now, I'm pretty certain they are wrong, but I thought I'd check with the real LiveCode experts to make sure before I return to them again and try to resolve this. So, my questions:

1. Can LiveCode control the Windows system volume? If so, how.

2. Can LiveCode mute/unmute Windows audio controls directly? If so, how.

3. Can a LiveCode developer directly interact with Windows APIs at all? Windows Core Audio? WASAPI?

Someone did a bit of googling and found out that a Windows API exists that allows controlling volume, and decided that was proof that our software could, and must be controlling the volume.

4. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this happening with a LiveCode application before? I'm almost certain the application is not setting the system volume, but Windows audio does seem to be having a reaction to launching the LiveCode application. Perhaps it thinks it is communication software? Why would it? Any other ideas what might cause this?

Thanks in advance for your answers and advice.

jacque
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Re: LiveCode app accused of muting Windows. Even possible?

Post by jacque » Thu Nov 17, 2016 6:19 pm

Since it's apparently limited to only the machines at that location, have them boot into safe mode and run the app. That would tell you if there are conflicts with other extensions or add-ons.

Make sure no other apps are currently running when they do that. The idea is to test your app in isolation.
Jacqueline Landman Gay | jacque at hyperactivesw dot com
HyperActive Software | http://www.hyperactivesw.com

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