Basic Cross-Platform Console Formatting Function

Hi,

I'm trying to write a function that prints text to the console in a custom format. I'm trying to make it cross-platform, and I am developing on Windows. Right now, all I really care about is that the text is underlined. So far, I have:

Code:

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void print_underlined(char* str) {
        #ifdef _WIN32
        static HANDLE handle = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
        SetConsoleTextAttribute(handle,COMMON_LVB_UNDERSCORE|FOREGROUND_RED|FOREGROUND_GREEN|FOREGROUND_BLUE);
        printf("%s",str);
        SetConsoleTextAttribute(handle,FOREGROUND_RED|FOREGROUND_GREEN|FOREGROUND_BLUE);

        #else
        printf("\033[4;37;40m%s\033[4;37;40m",str);

        #endif
}

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By playing with some of the arguments in SetConsoleTextAttribute in the first block, I can get different colored font, but for some reason it just is never underlined.

Also, the #else code doesn't work for me (it oughtn't to; as before, I'm on Windows). I was hoping perhaps someone could let me know if it does.

Thanks!
Ian

Wrong forum/section methinks. In the future, post C in the C section, Windows (C or C++) in the Windows section.
This is Windows (and C).

Windows doesn't support ANSI escape sequences (your else code) as you discovered. You also can't underline text in the console without puttting a line of hyphens or a similar character on the line underneath. That is your only option.

COMMON_LVB_UNDERSCORE is for CJK characters.

For any cross-platform console programming you need an external library. The only standard things are input/output streams. These can be plugged into the console, but not necessarily.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Elysia

Wrong forum/section methinks. In the future, post C in the C section, Windows (C or C++) in the Windows section.
This is Windows (and C).

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Hm? Given this piece of code, you cannot determine whether this is pure C, or C++. He is also asking about cross-platform solutions.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kmdv

For any cross-platform console programming you need an external library.

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Ahhh. Can you suggest some? Ideally, I'd like something simple and lightweight.

Quote:

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you cannot determine whether this is pure C, or C++. He is also asking about cross-platform solutions.

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Yes, this is C++. I posted in C++ because I didn't want to exclude any potential C++ solutions.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by adeyblue

You also can't underline text in the console without puttting a line of hyphens or a similar character on the line underneath. That is your only option.

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I had considered this. In my case this is extremely inconvenient, and I would much rather do underlining if possible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by adeyblue

COMMON_LVB_UNDERSCORE is for CJK characters.

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I see. That's good to know. Thanks.

Ian

Quote:

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Ahhh. Can you suggest some? Ideally, I'd like something simple and lightweight.

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Maybe ncurses ..