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A USB HID Component for C#

wimar

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4.12/5 (86 votes)

22 Mar 2007CPOL1 min read

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A component to communicate with a USB HID device

Download source - 262.48 KB

Introduction

This article is about a USB HID component which enables you to communicate with HID devices over USB. There is no default component available for USB at this moment, and this component should provide you with a good starting point when writing your own USB HID enabled applications.

This article provides a sample application as well as the component itself.

Background

The component is based on various sources. A good start for USB in C# is this website. Also the book USB COMPLETE (third edition) by Jan Axelson is a must read for anyone wishing to incorporate USB HID into her/his application.

The component is developed during a project at the Avans Hogeschool in 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands.

Using the Code

In the provided sample application, there is a good demonstration on how to include the component. Moreover, the use of the component is very well demonstrated. The only thing that must be done in your own application is implementing the events.

You'll also have to override the following functions in your form, so that your program is USB aware. In the property box, you'll have to provide a vendor and product id of your USB device in order to detect the correct device.

C#

protected override void OnHandleCreated(EventArgs e)
{
base.OnHandleCreated(e);
usb.RegisterHandle(Handle);
}
protected override void WndProc(ref Messagea m)
{
usb.ParseMessages(ref m);
base.WndProc(ref m); // pass message on to base form
}

Points of Interest

A mouse is always in use by Windows, and cannot be captured by your own application. This also applies to HID devices in use by other applications.

History

22^nd March, 2007: First version, currently in development

Updates will be posted if there is a need for them.

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

Written By

wimar

Web Developer

Netherlands

This member has not yet provided a Biography. Assume it's interesting and varied, and probably something to do with programming.

Comments and Discussions

problem with reference in usb hid component for c hsrp . what is the possible solution of this kind of warning. plz help

sefat_23571121-Dec-12 9:52

21-Dec-12 9:52

i am using the source from this site and getting this kind of warning while using:
DataReceivedEventArgs.DataReceivedEventArgs(byte[] data)

Warning:
The type 'UsbLibrary.DataReceivedEventArgs' in C:\user\Documents\Visual Studio\2010\projects\sefat_usb2\SpecifiedDevice.cs' conflicts with the imported type 'UsbLibrary.DataReceivedEventArgs' in C:\User\AppData\Local\Temp\Rar$DRa0.435\usb hid\UsbLibrary\bin\Debug\UsbLibrary.dll'. Using the type defined in 'C:\User\user\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\sefat_usb2\SpecifiedDevice.cs'.

what can i do.plz help.

DataRecievedEventHandler

Member 967835411-Dec-12 22:33

11-Dec-12 22:33

How to execute DataRecievedEventHandler in separate thread?

more than a device with same vid&pid?

minkiaprof2-Nov-12 7:00

2-Nov-12 7:00

hi,
I need to communicate with a device, called "the master", to read data used to initialize a device (let's say, the "slave"). the devices have same vid&pid. how can I perform this with your library?
thanks a lot in advance
marco

C# - How to get the FriendlyName from USB Serial Port?

silvio pontes29-Aug-12 18:24

29-Aug-12 18:24

How to get the InstanceName from a USB Serial Port?
If we use the code below will display all Serial Port!

C#

CommPort com=CommPort.Instance;
            int foundRSP=0;

            string[] portList=com.GetAvailablePorts();
            #region This code takes all the serial ports
            for(int i=0;i<portList.Length;++i)
                {
                string name=portList[i];
                comboBox1.Items.Add(name);
                if(name==Settings.Port.PortName)
                    foundRSP=i;
                }

            if(portList.Length>0)
                comboBox1.SelectedIndex=foundRSP;
            #endregion

However I need to show only the USB Serial Port.
I tried this way and not succeeded.

C#

ManagementObjectSearcher searcher=new ManagementObjectSearcher("root\\WMI","SELECT * FROM MSSerial_PortName");
string[] USBPorts=System.IO.Ports.SerialPort.GetPortNames();
#region In this code I need only the USB Serial Port

//FriendlyName, PID & VID.

foreach(ManagementObject queryObj in searcher.Get)
    {
    lbl_InstanceName.Text="InstanceName: {0}"+queryObj["InstanceName"];
    lbl_PortName.Text="PortName: {0}"+queryObj["PortName"];

    //If the serial port's instance name contains USB Serial Port
    //it must be a USB to serial device
    if(queryObj["InstanceName"].ToString().Contains("USB Serial Port"))
        {
        comboBoxUSB.Items.Add(queryObj["PortName"]);
        }
    }
#endregion

Thanks in advance,
silvio pontes

Use the component twice

beattiet999-Aug-12 17:57

9-Aug-12 17:57

I like the component a lot and all functions work fine.
I have a problem when I put it on a modal dialog. The first time it senses the device is connected but when I close the dialog and re-open it, I have to disconnect/reconnect the device to make it find it again.
Is there some clean-up code missing or something? I tried explicitly Disposing the component when the form closed but that didn't help.

Re: Use the component twice

beattiet999-Aug-12 19:02

9-Aug-12 19:02

This seems to work if you put it in the FormClosing...

C#

if ( usb.SpecifiedDevice != null )
    usb.SpecifiedDevice.Dispose();
usb.UnregisterHandle();
usb.Dispose();

I can not receive the responce from the device

innaw1-Jun-12 11:02

1-Jun-12 11:02

I use the programm to find the device. This does work. Then I send the
message to the device. This does also work. But the the function
HandleDataReceived(InputReport oInRep) does not get invoked and so
I can not see if the device received the message. Please someone advice
me how to make this work?

iw

Re: I can not receive the responce from the device

Vladimir N.20-Jul-12 0:34

20-Jul-12 0:34

Possible, ReportID of your message not equals to ReportID from HID Report Descriptor.

Re: I can not receive the responce from the device

arpizt14-Aug-12 16:24

14-Aug-12 16:24

I also facing the same issues. "OnDataRecieved" event not firing.
About the ReportID? How I can check it? Is it depends on data size the I scan?

Re: I can not receive the responce from the device

Vladimir N.14-Aug-12 16:54

14-Aug-12 16:54

When the device sends a report to the host, reportId must be equal to one of reportId, referred to in HID Report Descriptor. It's must be checked in device firmware sources.
You can also check the data receiving under Linux using the utility usbhid-dump, if the device sends them periodically.

Why is myPSP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DETAIL_DATA.cbSize set to 5

__John_16-May-12 4:03

16-May-12 4:03

Why is myPSP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DETAIL_DATA.cbSize set to 5?

When I do...

Marshal.SizeOf(myPSP_DEVICE_INTERFACE_DETAIL_DATA)

I get 260, wich makes sense (I think).

I must be missing something?

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.”
― Henry Ford

modified 16-May-12 10:13am.

using HID to invoke SendInput key press events

murmand30-Apr-12 3:48

30-Apr-12 3:48

I don't fully understand the idea of HID devices, but here is my question (sorry if it's nonsense).

The only way to make key presses indistinguishable from the real key press - is by using custom (self-made) keyboard drivers.

Lets say we are using SendInput() method (scan codes) to inject key presses into programs/games. In some games - tools such as GameGuard will be blocking our injections. How so? That's because GameGuard blocks every input type except for Drivers themselves.

As far as I understand HID is used to communicate with the USB device, so if by any chance we could simulate key press event as a hardware press - driver will proceed it as a "real" and gameguard won't notice a thing.

is such thing possible with HID (C#)?

modified 3-May-12 8:44am.

Re: using HID to invoke SendInput key press events

Vladimir N.8-Jul-12 22:08

8-Jul-12 22:08

You can create usb device with hid - keyboard.
It is not possible with this project.

amccombs14-Apr-12 2:57

14-Apr-12 2:57

clean code for a good start for me to learn about talking with USB devices

Clifford Nelson11-Apr-12 10:24

Clifford Nelson

11-Apr-12 10:24

This is not an article, but a tip.

Re: My vote of 1

Clifford Nelson14-Apr-12 11:41

Clifford Nelson

14-Apr-12 11:41

Presume you voted 1,

Windows 7. Failed to create device file WinEr:00000005

Popular

Member 253745610-Apr-12 20:44

10-Apr-12 20:44

HEllo!

Has no result as under admin rights, although in debug mode.
Device to connect - HID input device, VID_1106, PID_0002.

I just can see device Found/Removed.

FULL TEXT:

VB

UsbLibrary.HIDDeviceException: Msg:UsbLibrary.HIDDeviceException: Msg:Failed to create device file WinEr:00000005
   in UsbLibrary.HIDDevice.Initialise(String strPath) in C:\Users\asy\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\usb_hid\usb hid\UsbLibrary\HIDDevice.cs:string 126
   in UsbLibrary.HIDDevice.FindDevice(Int32 nVid, Int32 nPid, Type oType) in C:\Users\asy\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\usb_hid\usb hid\UsbLibrary\HIDDevice.cs:string 257
   in UsbLibrary.HIDDevice.FindDevice(Int32 nVid, Int32 nPid, Type oType) in C:\Users\asy\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\usb_hid\usb hid\UsbLibrary\HIDDevice.cs:string 265
   in UsbLibrary.SpecifiedDevice.FindSpecifiedDevice(Int32 vendor_id, Int32 product_id) in C:\Users\asy\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\usb_hid\usb hid\UsbLibrary\SpecifiedDevice.cs:string 42
   in UsbLibrary.UsbHidPort.CheckDevicePresent() in C:\Users\asy\Documents\Visual Studio 2008\Projects\usb_hid\usb hid\UsbLibrary\UsbHidPort.cs:строка 218

Great Thanks and Best Regards

Re: Windows 7. Failed to create device file WinEr:00000005

Jason Stern1-May-12 10:51

1-May-12 10:51

Try modifying UsbLibrary.HIDDevice.Initialise (sic) to do this:

C#

/// <summary>
/// Initialises the device
/// </summary>
/// <param name="strPath">Path to the device</param>
private void Initialise(string strPath)
{
    // Create the file from the device path;
    m_hHandle = CreateFile(strPath, GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE, 0, IntPtr.Zero, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED, IntPtr.Zero);

    if (m_hHandle == InvalidHandleValue)
    {
        // some devices require sharing to be enabled
        m_hHandle = CreateFile(strPath, GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE, FILE_SHARE_READ|FILE_SHARE_WRITE, IntPtr.Zero, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED, IntPtr.Zero);
    }

Re: Windows 7. Failed to create device file WinEr:00000005

Glen Harvy30-May-12 23:36

30-May-12 23:36

Nope, that didn't work on Win7 x64.

Any other ideas?

Glen Harvy

Re: Windows 7. Failed to create device file WinEr:00000005

DeveloperDotNet14-Aug-12 18:45

DeveloperDotNet

14-Aug-12 18:45

Hi Glen, have you resolved this? If so, what was your problem? I am getting the same error and the above didn't work for me either. I am getting a -1 handle from CreateFile().

Re: Windows 7. Failed to create device file WinEr:00000005

Glen Harvy15-Aug-12 6:55

15-Aug-12 6:55

No. I gave up and now use a different approach to solving my problem bypassing HID devices entirely.

Glen Harvy

Re: Windows 7. Failed to create device file WinEr:00000005

Member 95281496-Jul-17 0:49

6-Jul-17 0:49

What approach?

using MDI Form...

juhwan7525-Mar-12 20:34

25-Mar-12 20:34

Change
"CreateFile(strPath, GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE, 0, IntPtr.Zero, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED, IntPtr.Zero)"
To
"CreateFile(strPath, GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE, FILE_SHARE_READ | FILE_SHARE_WRITE, IntPtr.Zero, OPEN_EXISTING, FILE_FLAG_OVERLAPPED, IntPtr.Zero)".

Changes for Win7 64 bit

Bernhard Hiller23-Mar-12 1:59

Bernhard Hiller

23-Mar-12 1:59

Thanks for the nice library. I had a few problems getting it working on Windows 7 (64bit). A few changes were required:

In HIDDevice.cs, GetDevicePath, oDetail.Size = 8; instead of 5.

Two changes were in Win32Usb.cs:
DeviceInterfaceData: public IntPtr Reserved;

protected static extern bool SetupDiEnumDeviceInterfaces(IntPtr lpDeviceInfoSet, UInt64 nDeviceInfoData, ref Guid gClass, uint nIndex, ref DeviceInterfaceData oInterfaceData);

I could get the program running with a Philips LFH 2330 foot control. But that required one extra change: in HIDDevice.cs, ReadCompleted, m_oFile.EndRead could cause an OperationCanceledException. Hence I packed that line into the try block, and added a catch for that type of exceptions.

I could not yet get it running with an Olympus RS 28. Here, in HIDDevice.Initialise the call to CreateFile fails with code 32. I tried with FILE_SHARE_READ and FILE_SHARE_WRITE also, same error. Some hints?

Re: Changes for Win7 64 bit

mohsen2536new28-Apr-12 22:44

28-Apr-12 22:44

thanks thanks thanks thanks thanks

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