The Console

Is the console just an DOS emulator or part of the Windows Interface?

Under 9x, command.com interfaces to the underlying DOS (which is still there even with ME ;)).

With NT, you have cmd.exe which is just a command interpreter working alongside NT, and plays by all the usual rules. command.com is available, but it sits in the usual DOS sandbox.

What I want to know, is the console it's self is part of the windows interface. Anyone has written a Win32 Console application with VC++ knows it won't work unless you are in windows and there is are functions in the win API for the console. Wouldn't this make the console part of the windows interface instead of just being there to provide support for DOS crap.

Under Windows, the Console is a window acting as a console. When you run a "command prompt" program, it will create a console and put all the text input/output through that, automatically.

I want to know if the console is part of Windows Interface?

I got into an argument about this with one of my teachers. He said that the console is not apart of the windows interface and is only there to provide suport for DOS porgrams. I say that it is apart of the interface.

I just want to know who is right (or close to being right). Or maybe this is one of those chicken and the egg paradoxes.

Perhaps you're both right...I will consult my magic 8-ball.

:cool:

This could get far to complicated but never mind.

Under Windows the command box is whats known as a x86 emulated task (yes i hear you clicking the back button on your browser), this is the way the intel processors simulate real mode (16bit) programs under protected (32bit mode). Windows provides a set of special drivers called VxD drivers which are ring 0 (they have the abillity to use all of the processors functions) which have the main job of emulating the way DOS device interaction works. They aren't really emulated in the conventional sence (i.e. software emulators) however they aren't really native so...

Unless you count cmd.exe...