VB.Net Usb

There is a couple of different ways you might get this information.

Using RegisterDeviceNotification() specify the global identifier for USB devices {A5DCBF10-6530-11D2-901F-00C04FB951ED}.

You won't need a loop because windows will broadcast the message to the WindowProc() so using this method would only require that you override WndProc() on your Form after registering the message.


 

Could I please see an example of this?

Sure.. But I have to write an example so it will take few minutes...

ya sure take your time. thanks alot!

Add the following example to the form (copy paste friendly)  =)

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports Microsoft.Win32.SafeHandles
'egl1044
Public Class Form1
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Detect USB notifications.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <param name="m"></param>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Protected Overrides Sub WndProc(ByRef m As System.Windows.Forms.Message)
        Dim lpdb As UsbNotification.DevBroadcastHdr
        Dim lpdbv As UsbNotification.DevBroadcastVolume
        Dim lpdbdi As UsbNotification.DevBroadcastDeviceInterface
        Static fUsb As Boolean
        If m.Msg = UsbNotification.WM_DEVICECHANGE Then
            Select Case m.WParam.ToInt32
                Case UsbNotification.DBT_DEVICEARRIVAL
                    lpdb = CType(m.GetLParam(lpdb.GetType), UsbNotification.DevBroadcastHdr)
                    If lpdb.dbch_devicetype = UsbNotification.DBT_DEVTYP_DEVICEINTERFACE Then
                        lpdbdi = CType(m.GetLParam(lpdbdi.GetType), UsbNotification.DevBroadcastDeviceInterface)
                        fUsb = True
                    End If
                    If lpdb.dbch_devicetype = UsbNotification.DBT_DEVTYP_VOLUME AndAlso fUsb Then
                        lpdbv = CType(m.GetLParam(lpdbv.GetType), UsbNotification.DevBroadcastVolume)
                        fUsb = False
                        ' Inserted
                        Debug.Print("Inserted @ drive= {0}", UsbNotification.GetDrive(lpdbv.DBCV_UnitMask))
                    End If
                Case UsbNotification.DBT_DEVICEREMOVECOMPLETE
                    lpdb = CType(m.GetLParam(lpdb.GetType), UsbNotification.DevBroadcastHdr)
                    If lpdb.dbch_devicetype = UsbNotification.DBT_DEVTYP_DEVICEINTERFACE AndAlso fUsb Then
                        lpdbdi = CType(m.GetLParam(lpdbdi.GetType), UsbNotification.DevBroadcastDeviceInterface)
                        fUsb = True
                    End If
                    If lpdb.dbch_devicetype = UsbNotification.DBT_DEVTYP_VOLUME Then
                        lpdbv = CType(m.GetLParam(lpdbv.GetType), UsbNotification.DevBroadcastVolume)
                        fUsb = False
                        ' Removed
                        Debug.Print("Removed @ drive= {0}", UsbNotification.GetDrive(lpdbv.DBCV_UnitMask))
                    End If
            End Select
        End If
        MyBase.WndProc(m)
    End Sub

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        UsbNotification.Start(Me.Handle)
    End Sub
    Private Sub Form1_FormClosing(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.Forms.FormClosingEventArgs) Handles Me.FormClosing
        UsbNotification.Cancel()
    End Sub
End Class

''' <summary>
''' Registers for USB notifications.
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Class UsbNotification
    Public Const WM_DEVICECHANGE As Integer = &H219
    Public Const DBT_DEVICEARRIVAL As Integer = 32768
    Public Const DBT_DEVICEREMOVECOMPLETE As Integer = 32772
    Public Const DBT_DEVTYP_DEVICEINTERFACE As Integer = 5
    Public Const DBT_DEVTYP_VOLUME As Integer = &H2

    <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)> _
    Public Structure DevBroadcastHdr
        Dim dbch_size As UInt32
        Dim dbch_devicetype As UInt32
        Dim dbch_reserved As UInt32
    End Structure
    <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)> _
    Public Structure DevBroadcastDeviceInterface
        Dim dbcc_size As UInt32
        Dim dbcc_devicetype As UInt32
        Dim dbcc_reserved As UInt32
        Dim dbcc_classguid As Guid
        Dim dbcc_name As IntPtr
    End Structure
    <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)> _
    Public Structure DevBroadcastVolume
        Dim DBCV_Size As UInt32
        Dim DBCV_DeviceType As UInt32
        Dim DBCV_Reserved As UInt32
        Dim DBCV_UnitMask As UInt32
        Dim DBCV_Flags As UInt16
    End Structure

    <DllImport("user32.dll", ExactSpelling:=False, SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)> _
    Private Shared Function RegisterDeviceNotification(ByVal hRecipient As IntPtr, _
                                                       ByRef NotificationFilter As DevBroadcastDeviceInterface, _
                                                       ByVal Flags As UInt32) As SafeDeviceNotificationHandle
    End Function

    Private Shared hDeviceNotify As SafeDeviceNotificationHandle = Nothing
    Private Sub New()
    End Sub
    Public Shared Sub Start(ByVal hRecipient As IntPtr)
        Dim dbd As DevBroadcastDeviceInterface = Nothing
        If hDeviceNotify IsNot Nothing Then
            UsbNotification.Cancel()
        End If
        dbd.dbcc_size = CUInt(Marshal.SizeOf(dbd))
        dbd.dbcc_devicetype = DBT_DEVTYP_DEVICEINTERFACE
        dbd.dbcc_classguid = New Guid("{A5DCBF10-6530-11D2-901F-00C04FB951ED}")
        hDeviceNotify = RegisterDeviceNotification(hRecipient, dbd, 0)
        If hDeviceNotify.IsInvalid Then
            Debug.Print("Failed")
        Else
            Debug.Print("Register OK")
        End If
    End Sub
    Public Shared Sub Cancel()
        If hDeviceNotify IsNot Nothing Then
            hDeviceNotify.Close()
            hDeviceNotify.Dispose()
            hDeviceNotify = Nothing
            Debug.Print("UnRegister OK")
        End If
    End Sub
    Public Shared Function GetDrive(ByVal UnitMask As UInteger) As String
        GetDrive = Chr(CInt(65 + (Math.Log(UnitMask) / Math.Log(2))))
    End Function
End Class

''' <summary>
''' Represents a wrapper class for a device notification handle.
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Class SafeDeviceNotificationHandle
    Inherits SafeHandleZeroOrMinusOneIsInvalid
    <DllImport("user32.dll", ExactSpelling:=True, SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Unicode)> _
    Private Shared Function UnregisterDeviceNotification(ByVal Handle As IntPtr) As <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)> Boolean
    End Function
    Private Sub New()
        MyBase.New(True)
    End Sub
    Protected Overloads Overrides Function ReleaseHandle() As Boolean
        Return UnregisterDeviceNotification(handle)
    End Function
End Class

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wow thx alot. ill try it out as soon as I get home

I'm getting this error when I insert or remove a usb drive:

System.InvalidCastException: Conversion from string "Q" to type 'Integer' is not valid. ---> System.FormatException: Input string was not in a correct format.

Visual Studio isn't giving me the exact line the error is on. It just stops working. I had to run it without the debugger to get the error message

Nvm I found the problem. It was at this line:

Debug.Print("Inserted @ drive= {0}", UsbNotification.GetDrive(lpdbv.DBCV_UnitMask))

I just changed it to:

 MsgBox("Inserted")

That seemed to fix it. It works perfect now!