Can Windows be set up to automatically launch an application when an HID-compliant USB device is plugged in?

Question

I have a custom HID-compliant USB device. I would like to set up Windows to launch an application when this device is plugged in. Is this possible through a configuration setting? Or do I need to write an application (for example, one that resides in the system tray on Windows startup) that detects when the device is inserted?

I know that my Canon camera and my Nokia phone can start applications or AutoPlay when they are plugged in, but they are not HID devices.

Answer 1

You should be able to achieve this by monitoring for a WMI Win32_DeviceChangeEvent, or RegisterDeviceNotification.

• Win32_DeviceChangeEvent: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa394124(VS.85).aspx
• RegisterDeviceNotification: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa363431(VS.85).aspx