Change Brightness using WMI - c++

Question

I have tried this Windows example Getting WMI Data from a Remote Computer and this other Calling a Provider Method, and both work correctly in my computer. However I have tried to use WMI to change the brightness and I am getting an error on step 6, in this part:
//Get the Next Object from the collection
hres = pEnum->Next(WBEM_INFINITE, //Timeout
1, //No of objects requested
&pObj, //Returned Object
&ulReturned /*No of object returned*/);
pEnum is a negative value.
IMPORTANT: While I was writing this question, I tried with different computers and I get errors in all of them, except when I use a laptop. Therefore, how can I change the brightness of a monitor?
I also realize that if I go to wbemtest.exe, in all my computers the class WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods and the method WmiSetBrightness exist, but only in the laptop there is an instance of it. In fact, in the computers when I click on view objects of the class I get this message (see image)
This is my code:
#define _WIN32_DCOM
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
#include <comdef.h>
#include <Wbemidl.h>
#pragma comment(lib, "wbemuuid.lib")
int main(int iArgCnt, char ** argv)
{
HRESULT hres;
// Step 1: --------------------------------------------------
// Initialize COM. ------------------------------------------
hres = CoInitializeEx(0, COINIT_MULTITHREADED);
if (FAILED(hres))
{
cout << "Failed to initialize COM library. Error code = 0x"
<< hex << hres << endl;
return 1; // Program has failed.
}
// Step 2: --------------------------------------------------
// Set general COM security levels --------------------------
hres = CoInitializeSecurity(
NULL,
-1, // COM negotiates service
NULL, // Authentication services
NULL, // Reserved
RPC_C_AUTHN_LEVEL_DEFAULT, // Default authentication
RPC_C_IMP_LEVEL_IMPERSONATE, // Default Impersonation
NULL, // Authentication info
EOAC_NONE, // Additional capabilities
NULL // Reserved
);
if (FAILED(hres))
{
cout << "Failed to initialize security. Error code = 0x"
<< hex << hres << endl;
CoUninitialize();
return 1; // Program has failed.
}
// Step 3: ---------------------------------------------------
// Obtain the initial locator to WMI -------------------------
IWbemLocator *pLoc = NULL;
hres = CoCreateInstance(
CLSID_WbemLocator,
0,
CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER,
IID_IWbemLocator, (LPVOID *) &pLoc);
if (FAILED(hres))
{
cout << "Failed to create IWbemLocator object. "
<< "Err code = 0x"
<< hex << hres << endl;
CoUninitialize();
return 1; // Program has failed.
}
// Step 4: ---------------------------------------------------
// Connect to WMI through the IWbemLocator::ConnectServer method
IWbemServices *pSvc = NULL;
// Connect to the local root\wminamespace
// and obtain pointer pSvc to make IWbemServices calls.
hres = pLoc->ConnectServer(
_bstr_t(L"ROOT\\WMI"),
NULL,
NULL,
0,
NULL,
0,
0,
&pSvc
);
if (FAILED(hres))
{
cout << "Could not connect. Error code = 0x"
<< hex << hres << endl;
pLoc->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1; // Program has failed.
}
cout << "Connected to ROOT\\WMI namespace" << endl;
// Step 5: --------------------------------------------------
// Set security levels for the proxy ------------------------
hres = CoSetProxyBlanket(
pSvc, // Indicates the proxy to set
RPC_C_AUTHN_WINNT, // RPC_C_AUTHN_xxx
RPC_C_AUTHZ_NONE, // RPC_C_AUTHZ_xxx
NULL, // Server principal name
RPC_C_AUTHN_LEVEL_CALL, // RPC_C_AUTHN_LEVEL_xxx
RPC_C_IMP_LEVEL_IMPERSONATE, // RPC_C_IMP_LEVEL_xxx
NULL, // client identity
EOAC_NONE // proxy capabilities
);
if (FAILED(hres))
{
cout << "Could not set proxy blanket. Error code = 0x"
<< hex << hres << endl;
pSvc->Release();
pLoc->Release();
CoUninitialize();
return 1; // Program has failed.
}
// Step 6: --------------------------------------------------
// Call WmiSetBrightness method -----------------------------
// set up to call the Win32_Process::Create method
BSTR ClassName = SysAllocString(L"WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods");
BSTR MethodName = SysAllocString(L"WmiSetBrightness");
BSTR bstrQuery = SysAllocString(L"Select * from WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods");
IEnumWbemClassObject *pEnum = NULL;
hres = pSvc->ExecQuery(_bstr_t(L"WQL"), //Query Language
bstrQuery, //Query to Execute
WBEM_FLAG_FORWARD_ONLY | WBEM_FLAG_RETURN_IMMEDIATELY, //Make a semi-synchronous call
NULL, //Context
&pEnum /*Enumeration Interface*/);
hres = WBEM_S_NO_ERROR;
ULONG ulReturned;
IWbemClassObject *pObj;
DWORD retVal = 0;
//Get the Next Object from the collection
hres = pEnum->Next(WBEM_INFINITE, //Timeout
1, //No of objects requested
&pObj, //Returned Object
&ulReturned /*No of object returned*/);
IWbemClassObject* pClass = NULL;
hres = pSvc->GetObject(ClassName, 0, NULL, &pClass, NULL);
IWbemClassObject* pInParamsDefinition = NULL;
hres = pClass->GetMethod(MethodName, 0, &pInParamsDefinition, NULL);
IWbemClassObject* pClassInstance = NULL;
hres = pInParamsDefinition->SpawnInstance(0, &pClassInstance);
VARIANT var1;
VariantInit(&var1);
BSTR ArgName0 = SysAllocString(L"Timeout");
V_VT(&var1) = VT_BSTR;
V_BSTR(&var1) = SysAllocString(L"0");
hres = pClassInstance->Put(ArgName0,
0,
&var1,
CIM_UINT32); //CIM_UINT64
VariantClear(&var1);
VARIANT var;
VariantInit(&var);
BSTR ArgName1 = SysAllocString(L"Brightness");
V_VT(&var2) = VT_BSTR;
V_BSTR(&var2) = SysAllocString(L"80"); //Brightness value
hres = pClassInstance->Put(ArgName1,
0,
&var2,
CIM_UINT8);
VariantClear(&var2);
// Call the method
VARIANT pathVariable;
VariantInit(&pathVariable);
hres = pSvc->ExecMethod(pathVariable.bstrVal,
MethodName,
0,
NULL,
pClassInstance,
NULL,
NULL);
VariantClear(&pathVariable);
return 0;
}

Answer 1

As Amit Shakya has stated. changing the brightness throught WMI is only possible in systems that can dynamically set the brightness (laptops and some some all-in-one devices).
However, there is a Microsoft function that allows you to change the brightness of an external monitor, SetMonitorBrightness.
See Microsoft library
I attach a simple example of how to do it:
// Includes
#include "PhysicalMonitorEnumerationAPI.h"
#include "HighLevelMonitorConfigurationAPI.h"
(...)
// Prepare variables
HMONITOR hMonitor = NULL;
HMONITOR hMonitorTest = NULL;
DWORD cPhysicalMonitors;
LPPHYSICAL_MONITOR pPhysicalMonitors = NULL;
// Get the screen
HWND hWnd = GetDesktopWindow();
hMonitor = MonitorFromWindow(hWnd, MONITOR_DEFAULTTOPRIMARY);
_BOOL success = GetNumberOfPhysicalMonitorsFromHMONITOR(hMonitor, &cPhysicalMonitors);
if(success)
{
pPhysicalMonitors = (LPPHYSICAL_MONITOR)malloc(cPhysicalMonitors* sizeof(PHYSICAL_MONITOR));
if(pPhysicalMonitors != NULL)
{
success = GetPhysicalMonitorsFromHMONITOR(hMonitor,cPhysicalMonitors, pPhysicalMonitors);
HANDLE hPhysicalMonitor = pPhysicalMonitors[0].hPhysicalMonitor;
// Set brightness to 50%
DWORD dwNewBrightness = 50;
success = SetMonitorBrightness(hPhysicalMonitor, dwNewBrightness);
// Free resources
free(pPhysicalMonitors);
}
}

Answer 2

It is mostly because your PC does not support brightness controls via a software. For example in laptops there are hotkeys that can be used to control the brightness, if that exists that you will get an instance and make use of it via WMI.
To be sure, you can run below mentioned command in powershell. If it returns Not supported then you can not use WMI for these controls.
Get-CimInstance -Namespace root/WMI -ClassName WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods
Note : Hotkeys work via another softwares like Mobility Center etc.