libusb_open returns 'LIBUSB_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED' on Windows 7

I have been developing USB drivers using LibUSB on Linux, but now I want to have one of my drivers compiled for Windows (this is the first time I am doing it).

My environment

I am working on Windows 7 using the MinGW compiler (also using Dev-cpp IDE), and I am using a pre-compiled libusb library downloaded from this link.

My device: It's a HID touch device. So no drivers are required for Windows. I have an additional endpoint to get certain debug data.

My code:

I have compiled code to list all the devices and USB devices connected to my machine, and the code works. Now I add code to open the device so that I get a device handle and start communication. But the function returns -12 That is, LIBUSB_ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED.

How can I fix this problem?

I searched through the Internet and did not find a definite solution for this problem. While it's code which works beautifully on Linux.

P.S.: I have added the whole code below. The DoList(); function works fine, but the GetTRSDevice(); function fails at libusb_open(dev, &handle);.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <libusb.h>


libusb_device_handle* deviceHandle = NULL;

int DoList();
libusb_device_handle* GetTRSDevice(void);

int main()
{
    int ret = libusb_init(NULL);
    if (ret < 0) {
        printf("Failed to init libusb");
        return ret;
    }

    DoList();
    deviceHandle = GetTRSDevice();
    if(!deviceHandle) {
        printf("Failed to locate device");
        goto fail_dev_open;
    }

    printf("Device opened");

    libusb_close(deviceHandle);
    fail_dev_open:
        libusb_exit(NULL);

    return(ret);
}

int DoList()
{
    libusb_device **devs;
    ssize_t cnt;


    cnt = libusb_get_device_list(NULL, &devs);
    if (cnt < 0)
        return (int) cnt;

    libusb_device *dev;
    int i = 0;

    while ((dev = devs[i++]) != NULL) {
        struct libusb_device_descriptor desc;
        int r = libusb_get_device_descriptor(dev, &desc);
        if (r < 0) {
            fprintf(stderr, "failed to get device descriptor");
            return(-1);
        }

        printf("%04x:%04x (bus %d, device %d)\n",
               desc.idVendor, desc.idProduct,
               libusb_get_bus_number(dev), libusb_get_device_address(dev));
    }
    libusb_free_device_list(devs, 1);
    return 0;
}

libusb_device_handle* GetTRSDevice(void)
{
    int i = 0;
    ssize_t cnt;
    libusb_device *dev;
    libusb_device **devs;
    libusb_device_handle* handle = NULL;

    cnt = libusb_get_device_list(NULL, &devs);
    if (cnt < 0) {
        printf("Failed libusb_get_device_list");
        return(0);
    }

    while ((dev = devs[i++]) != NULL) {
        struct libusb_device_descriptor desc;
        int ret = libusb_get_device_descriptor(dev, &desc);
        if (ret < 0) {
            printf("Failed libusb_get_device_descriptor");
            continue;
        }
        if(desc.idVendor == 0X238f && desc.idProduct == 1) {
            int ret = libusb_open(dev, &handle);
            if (ret < 0) {
                printf("Failed libusb_open: %d\n\r",ret);
                break;
            }
            #ifndef WIN32
                libusb_detach_kernel_driver(handle, 0);
            #endif
            ret = libusb_claim_interface(handle,0);
            if (ret < 0) {
                libusb_close(handle);
                handle=NULL;
                break;
            }
            break;
        }
    }
    libusb_free_device_list(devs, 1);
    return(handle);
}

Solution

It seems you need to install the winusb driver - libusb can get information about devices without this driver, but it cannot open them.

http://libusb.6.n5.nabble.com/LIBUSB-ERROR-NOT-SUPPORTED-td5617169.html:

On Wed, Apr 4, 2012 at 11:52 PM, Quân Phạm Minh <[hidden email]> wrote:

although I never install winusb driver but I use libusb to get information of my usb (kingston usb, and already recognize by system)

Yes that is possible. But you can not open the device and do further things. That is the confusing part for new users with regard to libusb Windows backend, and similarly for Mac OS X as well. libusb can get some basic information for device with a non-proper driver (e.g.: USB mass storage device), but will not be able to open the device without changing the driver to a supported one.

-- Xiaofan