What does HRESULT 0x00040268 (VFW_S_CANT_CUE) mean?

 
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VFW_S_STREAM_OFF VFW_S_NO_STOP_TIME

VFW_S_CANT_CUE

DirectShow filter cannot complete cueing while paused

VFW_S_CANT_CUE is HRESULT 262760 (0x00040268) from Video for Windows. The documented description is “The graph can't be cued because of lack of or corrupt data.” The high-order severity bit is clear, so this is a success result, but it carries more information than plain S_OK.

The graph or filter is paused but cannot cue a sample, often because data is unavailable or the filter design does not deliver data in paused state.

Evidence to preserve

  • Preserve filter returning the status.
  • Preserve graph state and timeout.
  • Preserve sample queue depth.
  • Preserve source availability.
  • Preserve whether the filter intentionally omits paused delivery.

Where the result is encountered

  • This result can appear in IMediaFilter::GetState on custom filters; record the producing interface and method.
  • This result can appear in capture and live-source graphs; record the producing interface and method.
  • It can appear in renderers or source filters with special pause behavior; record the producing interface and method.

State to verify

The central question is whether the filter’s documented paused-state behavior is distinguished from corruption, starvation, or a permanently stuck transition.

Diagnostic sequence

  • Capture the raw HRESULT 0x00040268 immediately after the returning method and record whether the caller used SUCCEEDED, FAILED, equality testing, or exception translation.
  • Verify the method-specific state: the filter’s documented paused-state behavior is distinguished from corruption, starvation, or a permanently stuck transition.

Difference from nearby HRESULT values

VFW_S_STATE_INTERMEDIATE means a transition is still progressing; it can describe a filter that cannot establish a cued paused state.

Correct handling, retry, and recovery

Accept the status for filters documented as unable to cue, or wait for data with a deadline when cueing should eventually complete. Diagnose persistent unexpected cases at the responsible filter.

Practical validation scenario

A live camera source does not deliver a sample while paused. Its GetState returns it; the preview application treats that as expected for this source and starts rendering only after Run.

Developer and administrator guidance

References

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