Console(3) User Contributed Perl Documentation Console(3)NAME
Win32::Console - Win32 Console and Character Mode Functions
DESCRIPTION
This module implements the Win32 console and character mode functions.
They give you full control on the console input and output, including:
support of off-screen console buffers (eg. multiple screen pages)
· reading and writing of characters, attributes and whole portions of
the screen
· complete processing of keyboard and mouse events
· some very funny additional features :)
Those functions should also make possible a port of the Unix's curses
library; if there is anyone interested (and/or willing to contribute)
to this project, e-mail me. Thank you.
REFERENCE
Methods
Alloc
Allocates a new console for the process. Returns "undef" on
errors, a nonzero value on success. A process cannot be associated
with more than one console, so this method will fail if there is
already an allocated console. Use Free to detach the process from
the console, and then call Alloc to create a new console. See
also: "Free"
Example:
$CONSOLE->Alloc();
Attr [attr]
Gets or sets the current console attribute. This attribute is used
by the Write method.
Example:
$attr = $CONSOLE->Attr();
$CONSOLE->Attr($FG_YELLOW | $BG_BLUE);
Close
Closes a shortcut object. Note that it is not "strictly" required
to close the objects you created, since the Win32::Shortcut objects
are automatically closed when the program ends (or when you elsehow
destroy such an object).
Example:
$LINK->Close();
Cls [attr]
Clear the console, with the specified attr if given, or using
ATTR_NORMAL otherwise.
Example:
$CONSOLE->Cls();
$CONSOLE->Cls($FG_WHITE | $BG_GREEN);
Cursor [x, y, size, visible]
Gets or sets cursor position and appearance. Returns "undef" on
errors, or a 4-element list containing: x, y, size, visible. x and
y are the current cursor position; ...
Example:
($x, $y, $size, $visible) = $CONSOLE->Cursor();
# Get position only
($x, $y) = $CONSOLE->Cursor();
$CONSOLE->Cursor(40, 13, 50, 1);
# Set position only
$CONSOLE->Cursor(40, 13);
# Set size and visibility without affecting position
$CONSOLE->Cursor(-1, -1, 50, 1);
Display
Displays the specified console on the screen. Returns "undef" on
errors, a nonzero value on success.
Example:
$CONSOLE->Display();
FillAttr [attribute, number, col, row]
Fills the specified number of consecutive attributes, beginning at
col, row, with the value specified in attribute. Returns the
number of attributes filled, or "undef" on errors. See also:
"FillChar".
Example:
$CONSOLE->FillAttr($FG_BLACK | $BG_BLACK, 80*25, 0, 0);
FillChar char, number, col, row
Fills the specified number of consecutive characters, beginning at
col, row, with the character specified in char. Returns the number
of characters filled, or "undef" on errors. See also: "FillAttr".
Example:
$CONSOLE->FillChar("X", 80*25, 0, 0);
Flush
Flushes the console input buffer. All the events in the buffer are
discarded. Returns "undef" on errors, a nonzero value on success.
Example:
$CONSOLE->Flush();
Free
Detaches the process from the console. Returns "undef" on errors,
a nonzero value on success. See also: "Alloc".
Example:
$CONSOLE->Free();
GenerateCtrlEvent [type, processgroup]
Sends a break signal of the specified type to the specified
processgroup. type can be one of the following constants:
CTRL_BREAK_EVENT
CTRL_C_EVENT
they signal, respectively, the pressing of Control + Break and of
Control + C; if not specified, it defaults to CTRL_C_EVENT.
processgroup is the pid of a process sharing the same console. If
omitted, it defaults to 0 (the current process), which is also the
only meaningful value that you can pass to this function. Returns
"undef" on errors, a nonzero value on success.
Example:
# break this script now
$CONSOLE->GenerateCtrlEvent();
GetEvents
Returns the number of unread input events in the console's input
buffer, or "undef" on errors. See also: "Input", "InputChar",
"PeekInput", "WriteInput".
Example:
$events = $CONSOLE->GetEvents();
Info
Returns an array of informations about the console (or "undef" on
errors), which contains:
· columns (X size) of the console buffer.
· rows (Y size) of the console buffer.
· current column (X position) of the cursor.
· current row (Y position) of the cursor.
· current attribute used for "Write".
· left column (X of the starting point) of the current console
window.
· top row (Y of the starting point) of the current console
window.
· right column (X of the final point) of the current console
window.
· bottom row (Y of the final point) of the current console
window.
· maximum number of columns for the console window, given the
current buffer size, font and the screen size.
· maximum number of rows for the console window, given the
current buffer size, font and the screen size.
See also: "Attr", "Cursor", "Size", "Window", "MaxWindow".
Example:
@info = $CONSOLE->Info();
print "Cursor at $info[3], $info[4].\n";
Input
Reads an event from the input buffer. Returns a list of values,
which depending on the event's nature are:
keyboard event
The list will contain:
· event type: 1 for keyboard
· key down: TRUE if the key is being pressed, FALSE if the
key is being released
· repeat count: the number of times the key is being held
down
· virtual keycode: the virtual key code of the key
· virtual scancode: the virtual scan code of the key
· char: the ASCII code of the character (if the key is a
character key, 0 otherwise)
· control key state: the state of the control keys (SHIFTs,
CTRLs, ALTs, etc.)
mouse event
The list will contain:
· event type: 2 for mouse
· mouse pos. X: X coordinate (column) of the mouse location
· mouse pos. Y: Y coordinate (row) of the mouse location
· button state: the mouse button(s) which are pressed
· control key state: the state of the control keys (SHIFTs,
CTRLs, ALTs, etc.)
· event flags: the type of the mouse event
This method will return "undef" on errors. Note that the events
returned are depending on the input "Mode" of the console; for
example, mouse events are not intercepted unless ENABLE_MOUSE_INPUT
is specified. See also: "GetEvents", "InputChar", "Mode",
"PeekInput", "WriteInput".
Example:
@event = $CONSOLE->Input();
InputChar number
Reads and returns number characters from the console input buffer,
or "undef" on errors. See also: "Input", "Mode".
Example:
$key = $CONSOLE->InputChar(1);
InputCP [codepage]
Gets or sets the input code page used by the console. Note that
this doesn't apply to a console object, but to the standard input
console. This attribute is used by the Write method. See also:
"OutputCP".
Example:
$codepage = $CONSOLE->InputCP();
$CONSOLE->InputCP(437);
# you may want to use the non-instanciated form to avoid confuzion :)
$codepage = Win32::Console::InputCP();
Win32::Console::InputCP(437);
MaxWindow
Returns the size of the largest possible console window, based on
the current font and the size of the display. The result is
"undef" on errors, otherwise a 2-element list containing col, row.
Example:
($maxCol, $maxRow) = $CONSOLE->MaxWindow();
Mode [flags]
Gets or sets the input or output mode of a console. flags can be a
combination of the following constants:
ENABLE_LINE_INPUT
ENABLE_ECHO_INPUT
ENABLE_PROCESSED_INPUT
ENABLE_WINDOW_INPUT
ENABLE_MOUSE_INPUT
ENABLE_PROCESSED_OUTPUT
ENABLE_WRAP_AT_EOL_OUTPUT
For more informations on the meaning of those flags, please refer
to the "Microsoft's Documentation".
Example:
$mode = $CONSOLE->Mode();
$CONSOLE->Mode(ENABLE_MOUSE_INPUT | ENABLE_PROCESSED_INPUT);
MouseButtons
Returns the number of the buttons on your mouse, or "undef" on
errors.
Example:
print "Your mouse has ", $CONSOLE->MouseButtons(), " buttons.\n";
new Win32::Console standard_handle
new Win32::Console [accessmode, sharemode]
Creates a new console object. The first form creates a handle to a
standard channel, standard_handle can be one of the following:
STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE
STD_ERROR_HANDLE
STD_INPUT_HANDLE
The second form, instead, creates a console screen buffer in
memory, which you can access for reading and writing as a normal
console, and then redirect on the standard output (the screen) with
"Display". In this case, you can specify one or both of the
following values for accessmode:
GENERIC_READ
GENERIC_WRITE
which are the permissions you will have on the created buffer, and
one or both of the following values for sharemode:
FILE_SHARE_READ
FILE_SHARE_WRITE
which affect the way the console can be shared. If you don't
specify any of those parameters, all 4 flags will be used.
Example:
$STDOUT = new Win32::Console(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
$STDERR = new Win32::Console(STD_ERROR_HANDLE);
$STDIN = new Win32::Console(STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
$BUFFER = new Win32::Console();
$BUFFER = new Win32::Console(GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE);
OutputCP [codepage]
Gets or sets the output code page used by the console. Note that
this doesn't apply to a console object, but to the standard output
console. See also: "InputCP".
Example:
$codepage = $CONSOLE->OutputCP();
$CONSOLE->OutputCP(437);
# you may want to use the non-instanciated form to avoid confuzion :)
$codepage = Win32::Console::OutputCP();
Win32::Console::OutputCP(437);
PeekInput
Does exactly the same as "Input", except that the event read is not
removed from the input buffer. See also: "GetEvents", "Input",
"InputChar", "Mode", "WriteInput".
Example:
@event = $CONSOLE->PeekInput();
ReadAttr [number, col, row]
Reads the specified number of consecutive attributes, beginning at
col, row, from the console. Returns the attributes read (a
variable containing one character for each attribute), or "undef"
on errors. You can then pass the returned variable to "WriteAttr"
to restore the saved attributes on screen. See also: "ReadChar",
"ReadRect".
Example:
$colors = $CONSOLE->ReadAttr(80*25, 0, 0);
ReadChar [number, col, row]
Reads the specified number of consecutive characters, beginning at
col, row, from the console. Returns a string containing the
characters read, or "undef" on errors. You can then pass the
returned variable to "WriteChar" to restore the saved characters on
screen. See also: "ReadAttr", "ReadRect".
Example:
$chars = $CONSOLE->ReadChar(80*25, 0, 0);
ReadRect left, top, right, bottom
Reads the content (characters and attributes) of the rectangle
specified by left, top, right, bottom from the console. Returns a
string containing the rectangle read, or "undef" on errors. You
can then pass the returned variable to "WriteRect" to restore the
saved rectangle on screen (or on another console). See also:
"ReadAttr", "ReadChar".
Example:
$rect = $CONSOLE->ReadRect(0, 0, 80, 25);
Scroll left, top, right, bottom, col, row, char, attr, [cleft, ctop,
cright, cbottom]
Moves a block of data in a console buffer; the block is identified
by left, top, right, bottom, while row, col identify the new
location of the block. The cells left empty as a result of the
move are filled with the character char and attribute attr.
Optionally you can specify a clipping region with cleft, ctop,
cright, cbottom, so that the content of the console outside this
rectangle are unchanged. Returns "undef" on errors, a nonzero
value on success.
Example:
# scrolls the screen 10 lines down, filling with black spaces
$CONSOLE->Scroll(0, 0, 80, 25, 0, 10, " ", $FG_BLACK | $BG_BLACK);
Select standard_handle
Redirects a standard handle to the specified console.
standard_handle can have one of the following values:
STD_INPUT_HANDLE
STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE
STD_ERROR_HANDLE
Returns "undef" on errors, a nonzero value on success.
Example:
$CONSOLE->Select(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
SetIcon icon_file
Sets the icon in the title bar of the current console window.
Example:
$CONSOLE->SetIcon("C:/My/Path/To/Custom.ico");
Size [col, row]
Gets or sets the console buffer size.
Example:
($x, $y) = $CONSOLE->Size();
$CONSOLE->Size(80, 25);
Title [title]
Gets or sets the title of the current console window.
Example:
$title = $CONSOLE->Title();
$CONSOLE->Title("This is a title");
Window [flag, left, top, right, bottom]
Gets or sets the current console window size. If called without
arguments, returns a 4-element list containing the current window
coordinates in the form of left, top, right, bottom. To set the
window size, you have to specify an additional flag parameter: if
it is 0 (zero), coordinates are considered relative to the current
coordinates; if it is non-zero, coordinates are absolute.
Example:
($left, $top, $right, $bottom) = $CONSOLE->Window();
$CONSOLE->Window(1, 0, 0, 80, 50);
Write string
Writes string on the console, using the current attribute, that you
can set with "Attr", and advancing the cursor as needed. This
isn't so different from Perl's "print" statement. Returns the
number of characters written or "undef" on errors. See also:
"WriteAttr", "WriteChar", "WriteRect".
Example:
$CONSOLE->Write("Hello, world!");
WriteAttr attrs, col, row
Writes the attributes in the string attrs, beginning at col, row,
without affecting the characters that are on screen. The string
attrs can be the result of a "ReadAttr" function, or you can build
your own attribute string; in this case, keep in mind that every
attribute is treated as a character, not a number (see example).
Returns the number of attributes written or "undef" on errors. See
also: "Write", "WriteChar", "WriteRect".
Example:
$CONSOLE->WriteAttr($attrs, 0, 0);
# note the use of chr()...
$attrs = chr($FG_BLACK | $BG_WHITE) x 80;
$CONSOLE->WriteAttr($attrs, 0, 0);
WriteChar chars, col, row
Writes the characters in the string attr, beginning at col, row,
without affecting the attributes that are on screen. The string
chars can be the result of a "ReadChar" function, or a normal
string. Returns the number of characters written or "undef" on
errors. See also: "Write", "WriteAttr", "WriteRect".
Example:
$CONSOLE->WriteChar("Hello, worlds!", 0, 0);
WriteInput (event)
Pushes data in the console input buffer. (event) is a list of
values, for more information see "Input". The string chars can be
the result of a "ReadChar" function, or a normal string. Returns
the number of characters written or "undef" on errors. See also:
"Write", "WriteAttr", "WriteRect".
Example:
$CONSOLE->WriteInput(@event);
WriteRect rect, left, top, right, bottom
Writes a rectangle of characters and attributes (contained in rect)
on the console at the coordinates specified by left, top, right,
bottom. rect can be the result of a "ReadRect" function. Returns
"undef" on errors, otherwise a 4-element list containing the
coordinates of the affected rectangle, in the format left, top,
right, bottom. See also: "Write", "WriteAttr", "WriteChar".
Example:
$CONSOLE->WriteRect($rect, 0, 0, 80, 25);
Constants
The following constants are exported in the main namespace of your
script using Win32::Console:
BACKGROUND_BLUE
BACKGROUND_GREEN
BACKGROUND_INTENSITY
BACKGROUND_RED
CAPSLOCK_ON
CONSOLE_TEXTMODE_BUFFER
ENABLE_ECHO_INPUT
ENABLE_LINE_INPUT
ENABLE_MOUSE_INPUT
ENABLE_PROCESSED_INPUT
ENABLE_PROCESSED_OUTPUT
ENABLE_WINDOW_INPUT
ENABLE_WRAP_AT_EOL_OUTPUT
ENHANCED_KEY
FILE_SHARE_READ
FILE_SHARE_WRITE
FOREGROUND_BLUE
FOREGROUND_GREEN
FOREGROUND_INTENSITY
FOREGROUND_RED
LEFT_ALT_PRESSED
LEFT_CTRL_PRESSED
NUMLOCK_ON
GENERIC_READ
GENERIC_WRITE
RIGHT_ALT_PRESSED
RIGHT_CTRL_PRESSED
SCROLLLOCK_ON
SHIFT_PRESSED
STD_INPUT_HANDLE
STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE
STD_ERROR_HANDLE
Additionally, the following variables can be used:
$FG_BLACK
$FG_GRAY
$FG_BLUE
$FG_LIGHTBLUE
$FG_RED
$FG_LIGHTRED
$FG_GREEN
$FG_LIGHTGREEN
$FG_MAGENTA
$FG_LIGHTMAGENTA
$FG_CYAN
$FG_LIGHTCYAN
$FG_BROWN
$FG_YELLOW
$FG_LIGHTGRAY
$FG_WHITE
$BG_BLACK
$BG_GRAY
$BG_BLUE
$BG_LIGHTBLUE
$BG_RED
$BG_LIGHTRED
$BG_GREEN
$BG_LIGHTGREEN
$BG_MAGENTA
$BG_LIGHTMAGENTA
$BG_CYAN
$BG_LIGHTCYAN
$BG_BROWN
$BG_YELLOW
$BG_LIGHTGRAY
$BG_WHITE
$ATTR_NORMAL
$ATTR_INVERSE
ATTR_NORMAL is set to gray foreground on black background (DOS's
standard colors).
Microsoft's Documentation
Documentation for the Win32 Console and Character mode Functions can be
found on Microsoft's site at this URL:
http://www.microsoft.com/msdn/sdk/platforms/doc/sdk/win32/sys/src/conchar.htm
A reference of the available functions is at:
http://www.microsoft.com/msdn/sdk/platforms/doc/sdk/win32/sys/src/conchar_34.htm
AUTHOR
Aldo Calpini <a.calpini@romagiubileo.it>
CREDITS
Thanks to: Jesse Dougherty, Dave Roth, ActiveWare, and the
Perl-Win32-Users community.
DISCLAIMER
This program is FREE; you can redistribute, modify, disassemble, or
even reverse engineer this software at your will. Keep in mind,
however, that NOTHING IS GUARANTEED to work and everything you do is AT
YOUR OWN RISK - I will not take responsibility for any damage, loss of
money and/or health that may arise from the use of this program!
This is distributed under the terms of Larry Wall's Artistic License.
perl v5.14.2 2005-09-17 Console(3)
