What API call would I use to change brightness of laptop (.NET)?

Question

I have Windows Server 2008 installed on a Sony laptop and the brightness control doesn't work. I'd like to write a program to allow me to change it.

Currently what I have to do is open the Power control panel, click advanced settings, and fight through so many UAC boxes that anybody watching me must think I'm completely crazy.

I just want a simple little program to do it but I don't know what API to call.

Answer 1

I looked up John Rudy's link to WmiSetBrightness in MSDN and came up with this:

ManagementClass mclass = new ManagementClass("WmiMonitorBrightnessMethods");
mclass.Scope = new ManagementScope(@"\\.\root\wmi");
ManagementObjectCollection instances = mclass.GetInstances();

// I assume you get one instance per monitor
foreach(ManagementObject instance in instances)
{
    ulong timeout = 1; // in seconds
    ushort brightness = 50; // in percent
    object[] args = new object[] { timeout, brightness };
    instance.InvokeMethod("WmiSetBrightness", args);
}

Note: ManagementClass, ManagementObjectCollection, and ManagementObject all implement IDisposable. You should call Dispose() or use "using" to avoid leaking resources.