Description of Windows Media Audio/Video Playlist Files (247355)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows Millennium Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 9 Series for Windows XP
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player for Windows XP Home Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player for Windows XP Professional
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 7.1
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.1
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.2
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.4
  • Microsoft Windows Media Player 7
This article was previously published under Q247355

SUMMARY

This article describes Windows Media Audio/Video Playlist metafiles that have an .asx, .wax, .wvx, or .wmx file name extension.

MORE INFORMATION

Windows Media Audio/Video Playlist metafiles are text files that provide information about a file stream and its presentation. Windows Media metafiles refer to other Windows Media files (files with the .wma, .wax, .wmv, .wvx, .asf, or .asx file name extension). You can use a metafile to list a group of media content files that you want to play in sequence, insert advertising or special interest clips into a presentation, or play clips one after the other with minimal buffering time or interruption between the clips. The metafiles contain instructions and references that a player, such as Windows Media Player, can use. When you click a link to a metafile, Windows Media Player downloads and opens the metafile, and then locates and streams the Windows Media file or files that the metafile refers to.

Windows Media metafiles are based on the XML syntax. They can also use the ANSI or the UNICODE (UTF-8) formats. They are made up of various elements and their associated tags and attributes. Each element in a Windows Media metafile defines a particular setting or an action in Windows Media Player. To work, some elements must be located in a specific position in the file relative to other elements. Some elements have mandatory tags and attributes that must be defined in the Windows Media metafile.

The Windows Media Player 9 Series SDK provides an overview and programming guide sections, and a full reference section on metafile element tags, their attributes and values, and special conditions related to each element. For additional information about Windows Media Audio/Video Playlist metafiles, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/wmplay/mmp_sdk/asx_elementsintro.asp

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:11/7/2003
Keywords:kbenv kbinfo KB247355
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