Third Party X-Fi Mode Switching Softw

Question

I recently ran across an issue which is documented in this thread:
http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/board/message?board.id=soundblaster&message.id=53809
What I found out raised an interesting possibility: it should fairly easy to make software to switch modes with X-Fi sound cards. The community only needs to work together to make some third party software to get the job done.
When modes are switched for the X-Fi, the following folder is utilized (on XP, at any rate):
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Creative\Spi\
{00000005-00000000-00000007-000002-00000005-00202}\Modes
The files which are involved are named as such:
CTXFICMu.ini
CTXFICMu.rfx
CTXFIEMu.ini
CTXFIEMu.rfx
CTXFIGMu.ini
CTXFIGMu.rfx
The two 'CTXFICMu' files correspond to Audio Creation Mode, while the 'CTXFIEMu' files match Entertainment Mode and the 'CTXFIGMu' files match Game Mode.
The *.ini files are text files containing mixer information for each mode, and the *.rfx files are binary files. I suspect the *.rfx files may be related to the programmable nature of the audio chip, but I haven't messed around with them too much since it is outside the scope of my abilities.
The CTXFISPI.EXE process is making the reads and writes to these files, which seems to indicate that it does the dirty work when it comes to changing the modes of the card.
If the community can determine how to encourage CTXFISPI.EXE to switch modes (or if Creative decides to be forthcoming with the details), then third party apps can be developed to make the switch easier (tray app menu), faster (no animations), more efficient, and seamless (a scriptable method for changing modes would be great!).
Additionally, it shouldn't be too hard to make software which allows for per user mixer settings with the X-Fi. It is only a matter of switching in a particular user's *.ini and *.rfx files to the Modes directory before CTXFISPI.EXE loads them at log in, and then saving the same files again at log off.
So, I have a request for Creative: would you please release some documentation about how to switch modes programmatically or even from the command line?
I'm also throwing out this challenge to the community: if Creative is unable or unwilling to release the information needed, then let's get under the hood of the X-Fi and decode mode switching ourselves. If someone can expose how mode switching works, then I would be more than happy to whip up an interface for it.
Drailex_Mauder

Answer 1

I have created a quick fix for the lack of mode switching options currently available. I would like to program something more feature rich in C, but for now VBScript is better than nothing. If we don't get a leg up from Creative, it may be a while as I will have to look into reverse engineering the software. This would require learning some new skills on my part.
These scripts work by loading the Creative Audio Console and pushing the appropriate keystrokes to change the mode. It is a dirty way to get the job done, but until more is known about how to change modes through CTXFISPI.EXE these scripts will have to do.
I am releasing these scripts under a BSD licence, which appears at the end of this message. Kinda silly for such small blocks of code, but it's there more to cover my assets with the legal disclaimer than anything else.
Copy each block of code into a separate text file and make sure that the file name ends in a VBS extension. Any up to date 2000 or XP machine should run these scripts no problem. I have placed shortcuts to the scripts in my Quick Launch Toolbar so that I can quickly change modes.
You could also add them to a script which switches to game mode, runs your game, and then switches back to entertainment mode.
VERY IMPORTANT: The Creative Audio Console must not be running when you run one of these scripts, otherwise the script will randomly change your settings.
And once again, if anyone can assist in determining how to coax CTXFISPI.EXE into switching modes, this will take things a long way to creating 3rd party mode switching software which meets the goals of my original post in this thread.
----- Start Of "Entertainment Mode.vbs" -----
Option Explicit
Dim WshShell
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell" )
' Start up the Audio Console
WshShell.CurrentDirectory = "C:\Program Files\Creative\AudioCS"
WshShell.Run("CTAudCS.exe" )
' On slower machines the Sleep value may need to be increased.
WScript.Sleep(500)
' Send the keystrokes to change the mode
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{RIGHT}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{UP}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{UP}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{ENTER}" )
WScript.Quit(0)
----- End Of "Entertainment Mode.vbs" -----
----- Start Of "Game Mode.vbs" -----
Option Explicit
Dim WshShell
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell" )
' Start up the Audio Console
WshShell.CurrentDirectory = "C:\Program Files\Creative\AudioCS"
WshShell.Run("CTAudCS.exe" )
' On slower machines the Sleep value may need to be increased.
WScript.Sleep(500)
' Send the keystrokes to change the mode
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{RIGHT}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{UP}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{UP}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{DOWN}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{ENTER}" )
WScript.Quit(0)
----- End Of "Game Mode.vbs" -----
----- Start Of "Audio Creation Mode.vbs" -----
Option Explicit
Dim WshShell
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell" )
' Start up the Audio Console
WshShell.CurrentDirectory = "C:\Program Files\Creative\AudioCS"
WshShell.Run("CTAudCS.exe" )
' On slower machines the Sleep value may need to be increased.
WScript.Sleep(500)
' Send the keystrokes to change the mode
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{RIGHT}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{UP}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{UP}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{DOWN}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{DOWN}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{TAB}" )
WshShell.SendKeys("{ENTER}" )
WScript.Quit(0)
----- End Of "Audio Creation Mode.vbs" -----
* Copyright (c) 2006 Breen Ouellette
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* THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.Message Edited by Drailex_Mauder on 03-4-20060:35 PM
Message Edited by Drailex_Mauder on 03-4-20060:56 PM