What does HRESULT 0x80040313 (VFW_E_CODECAPI_NO_DEFAULT) mean?

 
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VFW_E_CODECAPI_ENUMERATED VFW_E_CODECAPI_NO_CURRENT_VALUE

VFW_E_CODECAPI_NO_DEFAULT

Exact result and bit fields

VFW_E_CODECAPI_NO_DEFAULT has the unsigned HRESULT value 2147746579 (0x80040313) and the signed 32-bit representation -2147220717. AllStat describes it as “No default value”. In the operation that produces this result, a codec property is supported but the codec does not define a default Value.

The high bit is set, so this value is a failure HRESULT. Its facility field is 4 (FACILITY_ITF) and its low code is 787 (0x0313). These fields classify this result, but they do not identify which filter, thread, device, file or graph generation returned it.

Contract boundary

This result describes a capability or format boundary in a component graph. Container recognition, elementary-stream parsing, decoder selection, property metadata and renderer acceptance are different stages and need separate evidence.

The practical owner to locate for this HRESULT is the source filter, decoder or codec property provider and downstream connection. When handling this result, capture the native result before a wrapper replaces it with a generic exception, and keep the graph generation or object identity with the record.

Conditions that can produce it

  • Cause 1 for this HRESULT: the property depends on the selected profile or input format.
  • Cause 2 for this HRESULT: the codec requires the application to choose explicitly.
  • Cause 3 for this HRESULT: the implementation exposes current and range metadata without a default.

Evidence worth preserving

Log the interface and method, filter CLSID and friendly name, process and thread, graph state, connected pin names, media-type summary, renderer or device identity where relevant, and the first preceding HRESULT. Record lengths and hashes instead of raw content when the incident includes media paths, codec configuration, property values and stream metadata.

  • Evidence 1 for this HRESULT: property GUID and support flags.
  • Evidence 2 for this HRESULT: current profile, media type and codec state.
  • Evidence 3 for this HRESULT: range or enumeration metadata returned successfully.

Step-by-step diagnosis

  1. Capture it at the first native return, not only at the top-level playback failure.
  2. identify the exact graph stage described here: a codec property is supported but the codec does not define a default Value.
  3. compare the live object state, topology and input with the documented interface preconditions.
  4. Before changing filters, drivers, registry data or media for this HRESULT, collect the code-specific evidence below.
  5. Test one evidence-backed the correction on the smallest reproducible graph.
  6. Verify that the corrected run no longer returns it and does not merely replace it with a nearby HRESULT.

Correction strategy

  • Action 1 for this HRESULT: avoid inventing a universal default.
  • Action 2 for this HRESULT: use a product policy or leave the codec unchanged.
  • Action 3 for this HRESULT: record that the absence of a default is part of the property contract.

Retry and recovery

Retry rule for this HRESULT: Retry a default query only after changing codec state that could define one; otherwise choose an explicit valid value. A safe it retry must use a changed capability, state, object generation or input. While recovering from it, preserve cancellation and avoid replaying side effects when the original operation may have partially completed.

Example incident

A hardware encoder supports a GOP-length range but returns no default because firmware chooses it by profile; preserving the current value handles it safely. This example keeps the diagnosis at the specific the boundary instead of treating every DirectShow failure as a codec reinstall problem.

How it differs from nearby results

VFW_E_CODECAPI_NO_CURRENT_VALUE says no active value can be read, while it says the property has no declared default. Keep those cases separate in telemetry, UI messages and retry policy because their next actions are different.

Implementation notes

Code that handles it should preserve the original HRESULT, the failed stage and an opaque correlation identifier. After it, do not infer success from partial graph construction, and do not continue using interfaces retained from a graph or device generation that has already changed.

Operational remediation for this HRESULT should favor supported component installation, device configuration and documented DirectShow calls. Manual registry or driver changes are appropriate only when the collected evidence for this HRESULT points to that layer and a rollback is available.

Official Microsoft references

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