load_sample(3alleg4)

💖 load_sample — the glow-up your audio files deserve 💖

okay bestie, welcome to Allegro's very own load_sample page (manual section 3alleg4, iykyk). this is where we learn how to yoink a sound sample out of a file and get it ready to be the main character of your game's soundtrack. 🎧✨

🌸 NAME 🌸

load_sample — loads a sample from a file. it's part of the Allegro game programming library, and it is literally the moment your game stops being silent and starts having a vibe.

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <allegro.h>

SAMPLE *load_sample(const char *filename);

no cap, that's the whole thing. one include, one function call, infinite slay. 💅

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so basically load_sample loads a sample from a file. and the way it eats? it supports both mono and stereo WAV files, mono VOC files, in 8 or 16-bit formats, plus any other formats handled by functions you registered with register_sample_file_type(). it's giving versatility, it's giving range. 🌈

example, because we love a visual learner:

SAMPLE *sample = load_sample(user_input);
if (!sample)
   abort_on_error("Couldn't load sample!");

see how she checked for NULL? that's the self-care. don't skip the check, bestie, or your game will simply 💀.

🎀 RETURN VALUE 🎀

returns a pointer to the SAMPLE, or NULL on error. (yes, NULL. she said "no sample for you today" and you have to respect it. 🙈)

⚠️ okay important, don't scroll past this: remember to free this sample later to avoid memory leaks. un-freed samples pile up like unread notifications and eventually your RAM is in its flop era. free your samples. periodt. 💖

🌟 SEE ALSO 🌟

the whole squad, all iconic, all worth a follow:

• destroy_sample(3alleg4) — the cleanup queen, bestie of every free call 👑
• load_voc(3alleg4) — VOC files only, still valid
• load_wav(3alleg4) — WAV files only, the classic
• play_sample(3alleg4) — where the sample actually gets to perform 🎤
• save_sample(3alleg4) — for when you want it to live on
• register_sample_file_type(3alleg4) — teach Allegro your own formats, very custom, very you
• exsample(3alleg4) — the example, go look, it eats 🔥

and that's the page!! sending you off with love from Allegro version 4.4.3 🫶 go load some sounds and make something iconic, bestie. mwah. 💜🎀✨