(This function is part of SDL_mixer, a separate library from SDL.)

Mix_LoadMUSType_RW

Load an audio format into a music object, assuming a specific format.

Header File

Syntax

Mix_Music * Mix_LoadMUSType_RW(SDL_RWops *src, Mix_MusicType type, int freesrc);

Function Parameters

SDL_RWops *	src	an SDL_RWops that data will be read from.
Mix_MusicType	type	the type of audio data provided by `src`.
int	freesrc	non-zero to close/free the SDL_RWops before returning, zero to leave it open.

Return Value

(Mix_Music *) Returns a new music object, or NULL on error.

Remarks

SDL_mixer has two separate data structures for audio data. One it calls a "chunk," which is meant to be a file completely decoded into memory up front, and the other it calls "music" which is a file intended to be decoded on demand. Originally, simple formats like uncompressed WAV files were meant to be chunks and compressed things, like MP3s, were meant to be music, and you would stream one thing for a game's music and make repeating sound effects with the chunks.

In modern times, this isn't split by format anymore, and most are interchangeable, so the question is what the app thinks is worth predecoding or not. Chunks might take more memory, but once they are loaded won't need to decode again, whereas music always needs to be decoded on the fly. Also, crucially, there are as many channels for chunks as the app can allocate, but SDL_mixer only offers a single "music" channel.

This function loads music data, and lets the application specify the type of music being loaded, which might be useful if SDL_mixer cannot figure it out from the data stream itself.

Currently, the following types are supported:

MUS_NONE (SDL_mixer should guess, based on the data)
MUS_WAV (Microsoft WAV files)
MUS_MOD (Various tracker formats)
MUS_MID (MIDI files)
MUS_OGG (Ogg Vorbis files)
MUS_MP3 (MP3 files)
MUS_FLAC (FLAC files)
MUS_OPUS (Opus files)
MUS_WAVPACK (WavPack files)

If freesrc is non-zero, the RWops will be closed before returning, whether this function succeeds or not. SDL_mixer reads everything it needs from the RWops during this call in any case.

As a convenience, there is a function to read files from disk without having to deal with SDL_RWops: Mix_LoadMUS("filename.mp3") will manage those details for you (but not let you specify the music type explicitly)..

When done with this music, the app should dispose of it with a call to Mix_FreeMusic().

Version

This function is available since SDL_mixer 2.0.0.