Thread: how to use arrows as input?

Well. I fixed this and it works!!
My problem now is how to use arrows instead of w,a,s,d?

Code:

#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
int main()
{
 char ch;

 ch=getch();
 while(1)
 {
 if(ch=='a'){ printf("\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t*");}
 if(ch=='d'){ printf("\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t*");}       
 if(ch=='w'){ printf("\t\t\t\t*");}
 if(ch=='s'){ printf("\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t*");}

 ch=getch();        
 system("cls");
}      
getchar();
return 0;
}

Adak I searched my conio.h file and it doesn't have clrscr() function . I suppose that your second way is much better but I can't understand it.

Not every language version will have clrscr(). In any case, using it repeatedly is not what you want - way to much flickering.

From the FAQ:
Q: How do I read the arrow keys? What about function keys?



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A: Terminfo, some versions of termcap, and some versions of curses have support for these non-ASCII keys. Typically, a special key sends a multicharacter sequence (usually beginning with ESC, '\033'); parsing these can be tricky. (curses will do the parsing for you, if you call keypad first.)

Under MS-DOS, if you receive a character with value 0 (not '0'!) while reading the keyboard, it's a flag indicating that the next character read will be a code indicating a special key. See any DOS programming guide for lists of keyboard scan codes. (Very briefly: the up, left, right, and down arrow keys are 72, 75, 77, and 80, and the function keys are 59 through 68.)

References: PCS Sec. 5.1.4 pp. 56-7


If you need a sample of code to do this, let me know. This would be old DOS based code (which should work in a Windows text window, but no guarantee's). In a bit I'll be taking off for an hour or so for breakfast and etc.

Adak

FAQ is: http://c-faq.com/index.html

Give me 5 minutes, and I'll have the sample up.

OK, maybe 10 - no coffee yet!

This is old stuff, here. Relies on a header called "bios.h". Have no idea if ANSI ever heard of this one!

And it's more advanced than I remembered it to be:

bioskey() accesses the BIOS keyboard services. It has 3 parts:

0) Reads the next char in the kb buffer, and removes them.
1) Checks the kb buffer for waiting char's. Doesn't remove them, but tells you what they are.
2) Checks and returns status of various shift, control, alt, caps lock, keys. NOT the arrow keys, however.

Maybe it's just me but I'm not getting it to work with the arrow keys on this WindowsXP rig.

Here's an old example of a #0 usage:

Code:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <bios.h>

#define KBRD_GOOD 1
#define KBRD_READ 0

int main()  {

  char c = 'a';

  while(c != 'q')  {
     if(bioskey(KBRD_GOOD))  {
       c = bioskey(KBRD_READ) & 0xff;  /* reads key and mask out the high byte */
       printf("\nThat was a: %c", c);
     }
  }
  return 0;
}

The above works on my WindowsXP rig. I believe if one bioskey service works, they'll all work, but not without some breakfast and coffee!

If you google for keyboard scan codes, or keyboard trapping, you'll find a lot of info.

It's a start, but not quite what you wanted.

Adak

OK. Thanks for the help and the time you spent.
I'll check it out.
The link was really helpful.
I 'fixed' even more my code(just for fun)

Code:

#include<stdio.h>
#include<conio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
#include<windows.h>
int main()
{ HANDLE h = GetStdHandle ( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE );
  WORD wOldColorAttrs;
  CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO csbiInfo; 
  
  /*
   * First save the current color information
   */
                            GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(h, &csbiInfo);
                            wOldColorAttrs = csbiInfo.wAttributes; 
                            SetConsoleTextAttribute ( h, FOREGROUND_GREEN | FOREGROUND_INTENSITY );
 char ch;

 ch=getch();
 while(1)
 {
 if(ch=='a'){
              printf("\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\tTHANKS");
       SetConsoleTextAttribute ( h, FOREGROUND_BLUE | FOREGROUND_INTENSITY );}
 else if(ch=='d')
 {
       printf("\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFOR");
       SetConsoleTextAttribute ( h, FOREGROUND_RED | FOREGROUND_INTENSITY );}       
 else if(ch=='w')
 {
       printf("\t\t\t\tTHE");
       SetConsoleTextAttribute ( h, FOREGROUND_GREEN | FOREGROUND_INTENSITY );}
 else if(ch=='s'){
       printf("\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t HELP!!!");
       SetConsoleTextAttribute ( h, FOREGROUND_RED | FOREGROUND_BLUE );}
 
 ch=getch();        
 if(ch=='a' || ch=='d' || ch=='w' || ch=='s')
 system("cls");
}              
                                   SetConsoleTextAttribute ( h, wOldColorAttrs);   
getchar();
return 0;
}

Copy paste it and try pressing a,d,w,s.....

Originally Posted by Adak

You have conio.h on your version. Check it out. Mine has clrscr(), and it works fine in Windows 2000 and XP's console window.

Another approach would be to use your conio.h file, or a Window API, to tell you where the CP (current or cursor position) was as the * is being printed. Then just have your program putchar or printf, a blank space (ascii 32), right over the *.

Clearing the screen multiple times quickly, will cause your screen to flicker annoyingly. I recommend the "another" approach.

Adak

Conio.h is evil...

There's an FAQ on the subject on faq.cprogramming.com: http://faq.cprogramming.com/cgi-bin/...&id=1043284392