Need help with Console Keyboard Input

I'm still a bit new to programming, but I decided to write an RPG and after a good start I got stuck at one point. Can anyone please tell me how can I, using the console, get keyboard input??? I don't mean just a

cin<<???; or cin.get .

How can I make it so that if someone pesses the key (arrow up) the cursor in my menu will move up one position, of if someone presses M the menu will pop up, or if the arrow down is pressed the player character will move down one position. I know how to program the functions, menus, etc, I just don't know how to avoid the typing in of commands. I was told it can be easily done with OpenGL, or others, but I wanna stick to basics. I wanna make it so the computer will wait until you press the key, then execute the function, etc.

Thanks for any feedback.:D

Check out kbhit() in conio.h. Just have something like:

Code:

---

char key;
if( kbhit( ) )
{
  key = getch();
  switch( key )
  {
    // Handle all your keys here

    // 27 is decimal representation of ESC key
    case 27:
      // Call a function or
      // Quit program!
      break;
  }
}

---

Thanks ... where can I find the character map for the keyboard? How can I find out the numbers for each key? Experiment???

Write a program that prints out the ASCII code of the button you press.

Code:

---

if(kbhit())
{
  Key=getch();
  cout << (int)Key << endl;
}

---

this might help i used it for my game

red_baron, I thank you for that. I coded a function to display the values of the keys, I had about a quarter of the list you have. Thanks.