Win32::Console - Win32 Console and Character Mode Functions
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.
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
undef
Free
Example:
$CONSOLE->Alloc();
Gets or sets the current console attribute. This attribute is used by the Write method.
$attr = $CONSOLE->Attr(); $CONSOLE->Attr($FG_YELLOW | $BG_BLUE);
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).
$LINK->Close();
Clear the console, with the specified attr if given, or using ATTR_NORMAL otherwise.
$CONSOLE->Cls(); $CONSOLE->Cls($FG_WHITE | $BG_GREEN);
Gets or sets cursor position and appearance. Returns undef on errors, or a 4-element list containing: x, y, size, visible. x and y are the current cursor position; ...
($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);
Displays the specified console on the screen. Returns undef on errors, a nonzero value on success.
$CONSOLE->Display();
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.
FillChar
$CONSOLE->FillAttr($FG_BLACK | $BG_BLACK, 80*25, 0, 0);
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.
FillAttr
$CONSOLE->FillChar("X", 80*25, 0, 0);
Flushes the console input buffer. All the events in the buffer are discarded. Returns undef on errors, a nonzero value on success.
$CONSOLE->Flush();
Detaches the process from the console. Returns undef on errors, a nonzero value on success. See also: Alloc.
Alloc
$CONSOLE->Free();
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.
# break this script now $CONSOLE->GenerateCtrlEvent();
Returns the number of unread input events in the console's input buffer, or undef on errors. See also: Input, InputChar, PeekInput, WriteInput.
Input
InputChar
PeekInput
WriteInput
$events = $CONSOLE->GetEvents();
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.
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.
Attr
Cursor
Size
Window
MaxWindow
@info = $CONSOLE->Info(); print "Cursor at $info[3], $info[4].\n";
Reads an event from the input buffer. Returns a list of values, which depending on the event's nature are:
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.)
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
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.
Mode
GetEvents
@event = $CONSOLE->Input();
Reads and returns number characters from the console input buffer, or undef on errors. See also: Input, Mode.
$key = $CONSOLE->InputChar(1);
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.
OutputCP
$codepage = $CONSOLE->InputCP(); $CONSOLE->InputCP(437); # you may want to use the non-instanciated form to avoid confuzion :) $codepage = Win32::Console::InputCP(); Win32::Console::InputCP(437);
Returns the size of the largest possible console window, based on the current font and the size of the display. The result is undef on errors, otherwise a 2-element list containing col, row.
($maxCol, $maxRow) = $CONSOLE->MaxWindow();
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".
$mode = $CONSOLE->Mode(); $CONSOLE->Mode(ENABLE_MOUSE_INPUT | ENABLE_PROCESSED_INPUT);
Returns the number of the buttons on your mouse, or undef on errors.
print "Your mouse has ", $CONSOLE->MouseButtons(), " buttons.\n";
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:
Display
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.
$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);
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.
InputCP
$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);
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.
@event = $CONSOLE->PeekInput();
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.
WriteAttr
ReadChar
ReadRect
$colors = $CONSOLE->ReadAttr(80*25, 0, 0);
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.
WriteChar
ReadAttr
$chars = $CONSOLE->ReadChar(80*25, 0, 0);
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.
WriteRect
$rect = $CONSOLE->ReadRect(0, 0, 80, 25);
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.
# scrolls the screen 10 lines down, filling with black spaces $CONSOLE->Scroll(0, 0, 80, 25, 0, 10, " ", $FG_BLACK | $BG_BLACK);
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.
$CONSOLE->Select(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
Gets or sets the console buffer size.
($x, $y) = $CONSOLE->Size(); $CONSOLE->Size(80, 25);
Gets or sets the title bar the string of the current console window.
$title = $CONSOLE->Title(); $CONSOLE->Title("This is a title");
Gets or sets the current console window size. If called without arguments, returns a 4-element list containing the current window coordinates in the form of left, top, right, bottom. To set the window size, you have to specify an additional flag parameter: if it is 0 (zero), coordinates are considered relative to the current coordinates; if it is non-zero, coordinates are absolute.
($left, $top, $right, $bottom) = $CONSOLE->Window(); $CONSOLE->Window(1, 0, 0, 80, 50);
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.
$CONSOLE->Write("Hello, world!");
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.
$CONSOLE->WriteAttr($attrs, 0, 0); # note the use of chr()... $attrs = chr($FG_BLACK | $BG_WHITE) x 80; $CONSOLE->WriteAttr($attrs, 0, 0);
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.
$CONSOLE->WriteChar("Hello, worlds!", 0, 0);
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.
$CONSOLE->WriteInput(@event);
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.
$CONSOLE->WriteRect($rect, 0, 0, 80, 25);
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_BLUE $FG_LIGHTBLUE $FG_RED $FG_LIGHTRED $FG_GREEN $FG_LIGHTGREEN $FG_MAGENTA $FG_LIGHTMAGENTA $FG_CYAN $FG_LIGHTCYAN $FG_BROWN $FG_YELLOW $FG_GRAY $FG_WHITE $BG_BLACK $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_GRAY $BG_WHITE $ATTR_NORMAL $ATTR_INVERSE
ATTR_NORMAL is set to gray foreground on black background (DOS's standard colors).
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
0.031 (24 Sep 1999)
Fixed typo in GenerateCtrlEvent().
Converted and added pod documentation (from Jan Dubois <jand@activestate.com>).
0.03 (07 Apr 1997)
Added "GenerateCtrlEvent" method.
The PLL file now comes in 2 versions, one for Perl version 5.001 (build 110) and one for Perl version 5.003 (build 300 and higher, EXCEPT 304).
added an installation program that will automatically copy the right version in the right place.
0.01 (09 Feb 1997)
First public release.
Aldo Calpini <a.calpini@romagiubileo.it>
Thanks to: Jesse Dougherty, Dave Roth, ActiveWare, and the Perl-Win32-Users community.
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.
To install Win32, copy and paste the appropriate command in to your terminal.
cpanm
cpanm Win32
CPAN shell
perl -MCPAN -e shell install Win32
For more information on module installation, please visit the detailed CPAN module installation guide.