EnumDisplayDevices vs WMI Win32_DesktopMonitor, how to detect active monitors?

Question

For my current C++ project I need to detect a unique string for every monitor that is connected and active on a large number of computers.

Research has pointed to 2

Answer 1

I've just discovered you can query Win32_PnPEntity for service="monitor", and it will return all monitors.

Results on my machine:

select * from Win32_PnPEntity where service="monitor"

Availability | Caption               | ClassGuid                              | CompatibleID | ConfigManagerErrorCode | ConfigManagerUserConfig | CreationClassName | Description           | DeviceID                           | ErrorCleared | ErrorDescription | HardwareID  | InstallDate | LastErrorCode | Manufacturer | Name                  | PNPDeviceID                        | PowerManagementCapabilities | PowerManagementSupported | Service | Status | StatusInfo | SystemCreationClassName | SystemName
             | Dell 2007FP (Digital) | {4d36e96e-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318} | array[0..0]  | 0                      | False                   | Win32_PnPEntity   | Dell 2007FP (Digital) | DISPLAY\DELA021\5&4F61016&0&UID257 |              |                  | array[0..0] |             |               | Dell Inc.    | Dell 2007FP (Digital) | DISPLAY\DELA021\5&4F61016&0&UID257 |                             |                          | monitor | OK     |            | Win32_ComputerSystem    | 8HVS05J
             | Dell ST2320L_Digital  | {4d36e96e-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318} | array[0..0]  | 0                      | False                   | Win32_PnPEntity   | Dell ST2320L_Digital  | DISPLAY\DELF023\5&4F61016&0&UID256 |              |                  | array[0..0] |             |               | Dell Inc.    | Dell ST2320L_Digital  | DISPLAY\DELF023\5&4F61016&0&UID256 |                             |                          | monitor | OK     |            | Win32_ComputerSystem    | 8HVS05J