[Resolved] Console Position

[The Hobo]

I know how I can set the caret to a specific x, y in the console window, but is there a way to retrieve the current coordinates of it?

I'm trying to make a function to go to the nth column in the console, but I want it to stay in the same row. I'm going to use this function in replace of setw() functions.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[nabeels786]

hmm.

perhaps you can havea a 2d array, and then set it wherever you want, and have a function that will update the screen with the array?

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by nabeels786
hmm.

perhaps you can havea a 2d array, and then set it wherever you want, and have a function that will update the screen with the array?

I'm not sure what you mean...?

But I just found this: GetConsoleCursorInfo()

I'm going to see if I can figure out what it does real quick.

[The Hobo]

Man...I figured there had to be a way to do this

[SteveCRM]

it looks pretty complicated, I don't have time to whip up anything (sisters birthday dinner hehe)...but heres what I found:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...bufferinfo.asp

BOOL GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(
HANDLE hConsoleOutput,
PCONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO lpConsoleScreenBufferInfo
);

Parameters
hConsoleOutput
[in] Handle to a console screen buffer. The handle must have the GENERIC_READ access right. For more information, see Console Buffer Security and Access Rights.
lpConsoleScreenBufferInfo
[out] Pointer to a CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO structure that receives the console screen buffer information.

and about that consolescreenbuffer thing:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...r_info_str.asp

typedef struct _CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO { COORD dwSize; COORD dwCursorPosition; WORD wAttributes; SMALL_RECT srWindow; COORD dwMaximumWindowSize;
} CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO;
Members
dwSize
A COORD structure that contains the size of the console screen buffer, in character columns and rows.
dwCursorPosition
A COORD structure that contains the column and row coordinates of the cursor in the console screen buffer.

so it looks like with those 2 functions you can find the coordinates (seems like an awefull lot of work for it though)

[The Hobo]

Thanks! I'll see what I can do with that

[SteveCRM]

I don't think I'll have much time tonight...but if I do I'll give it a shot also

[The Hobo]

I tried this:

#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>
using namespace std;

int main() {

	CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO info;

	HANDLE hConsole = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);

    GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(hConsole, info);

	cout << info.dwSize.Y << endl;

    return 0;
}

Gave the error:

C:\Download\The Guitar Hobo\Programming\Cpp Stuff\skipto\skipto.cpp(11) : error C2664: 'GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo' : cannot convert parameter 2 from 'struct _CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO' to 'struct _CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO *'

So I tried this:

#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>
using namespace std;

int main() {

	CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO *info;

	HANDLE hConsole = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);

    GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(hConsole, info);

	cout << info.dwSize.Y << endl;

    return 0;
}

and got:

C:\Download\The Guitar Hobo\Programming\Cpp Stuff\skipto\skipto.cpp(13) : error C2228: left of '.dwSize' must have class/struct/union type

What am I doing wrong here?

[The Hobo]

Originally posted by SteveCRM
I don't think I'll have much time tonight...but if I do I'll give it a shot also

That's cool, man. Any help you can give and have given is much appreciated.

[The Hobo]

When I do do something to get it working, it just gives me 25?

[SteveCRM]

huh...i get the same...hmmmm...25 is the height of the console isn't it? maybe...eh I'll think about it

it returns 80 for the x, thats also an extreme of the console...hmmm

[The Hobo]

doh!

We were using dwSize. dwCursorPosition has the right values.

It works perfectly (I think)

Thanks a lot, man!

[The Hobo]

This is what I did with it, btw:

#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>
using namespace std;

void setXPos(int x);

int main() {

    setXPos(10);
    cout << "Test!" << endl << endl;

    return 0;
}


void setXPos(int x) {
    HANDLE hConsole = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
    CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO csbiInfo;
    COORD coord;

    GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(hConsole, &csbiInfo);

    coord.X = x;
    coord.Y = csbiInfo.dwCursorPosition.Y;
	
    SetConsoleCursorPosition(hConsole, coord);
}

Thanks again, Steve!

[SteveCRM]

lol woops anytime