Private Declare Function mciSendString Lib "winmm" Alias "mciSendStringA" (ByVal lpstrCommand As String, ByVal lpstrReturnString As String, ByVal uReturnLength As Long, ByVal hwndCallback As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function mciGetErrorString Lib "winmm" Alias "mciGetErrorStringA" (ByVal dwError As Long, ByVal lpstrBuffer As String, ByVal uLength As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetShortPathName Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetShortPathNameA" (ByVal lpszLongPath As String, ByVal lpszShortPath As String, ByVal cchBuffer As Long) As Long
Const WS_CHILD = &H40000000
Sub PlayAVIPictureBox(FileName As String, ByVal Window As PictureBox)
Dim RetVal As Long
Dim CommandString As String
Dim ShortFileName As String * 260
Dim deviceIsOpen As Boolean
'Retrieve short file name format
RetVal = GetShortPathName(FileName, ShortFileName, Len(ShortFileName))
FileName = Left$(ShortFileName, RetVal)
'Open the device
CommandString = "Open " & FileName & " type AVIVideo alias AVIFile parent " & CStr(Window.hWnd) & " style " & CStr(WS_CHILD)
RetVal = mciSendString(CommandString, vbNullString, 0, 0&)
If RetVal Then GoTo Error
'remember that the device is now open
deviceIsOpen = True
'Resize the movie to PictureBox size
CommandString = "put AVIFile window at 0 0 " & CStr(Window.ScaleWidth / _
Screen.TwipsPerPixelX) & " " & CStr(Window.ScaleHeight / _
Screen.TwipsPerPixelY)
RetVal = mciSendString(CommandString, vbNullString, 0, 0&)
If RetVal <> 0 Then GoTo Error
'Play the file
CommandString = "Play AVIFile wait"
RetVal = mciSendString(CommandString, vbNullString, 0, 0&)
If RetVal <> 0 Then GoTo Error
'Close the device
CommandString = "Close AVIFile"
RetVal = mciSendString(CommandString, vbNullString, 0, 0&)
If RetVal <> 0 Then GoTo Error
Exit Sub
Error:
'An error occurred.
'Get the error description
Dim ErrorString As String
ErrorString = Space$(256)
mciGetErrorString RetVal, ErrorString, Len(ErrorString)
ErrorString = Left$(ErrorString, InStr(ErrorString, vbNullChar) - 1)
'close the device if necessary
If deviceIsOpen Then
CommandString = "Close AVIFile"
mciSendString CommandString, vbNullString, 0, 0&
End If
'raise a custom error, with the proper description
Err.Raise 999, , ErrorString
End Sub

Private Sub Command1_Click()
'replace 'c:\myfile.avi' with the name of the AVI file you want to play
PlayAVIPictureBox "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\VB98\Wizards\PDWizard\Working.avi", Picture1
End Sub