Detecting a KeyPress

I am making a timer program. I know this is probably easy, but its been a long time since I did any C++.
The question: Is there any way to make a while loop that runs until a key is pressed, and if so, how?

The program:

Code:

---

#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>

int h, m, s=0;

using namespace std;

void DoStuff();

int main(){
int h, m, s=0;
cout<<"Press any Key to start and end the timer.";

while(/*Put KeyPress Code here*/){
cout<<h<<m<<s;
Sleep(100);
DoStuff();
}
}

DoStuff(){
s++;
if(s=60){
m++;
if(m=60){
h++;
if(h=2){
MessageBox(NULL, "You're waiting too long!", "Forgeting something?",MB_OK);
return 0;}
}
}

---

kbhit() checks the buffer to see if a key has been pressed
if u wanna wait on a keypress, use getch()

*Whacks self in face*
Sorry for an easy question. As I said before, its been a long time.
Also, my code's not working. It compiles, but goes bonkers!
Revised Code:

Code:

---


#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>

int h, m, s=0;

using namespace std;

void DoStuff();

int main(){
cout<<"Press any Key to start and end the timer.";

while(!kbhit()){
cout<<h<<m<<s;
Sleep(100);
DoStuff();
}
}

void DoStuff(){
s++;
if(s=60){
m++;
if(m=60){
h++;
if(h=2){
MessageBox(NULL, "You're waiting too long!", "Forgeting something?",MB_OK);
}
}
}
}

---

what do you mean it goes bonkers?

h and m are also uninitialized, that could be one of your problems.

I made it work and did some improvements... I am sorry but I got taken away! if there is something you dont understand, feel free to ask.

Code:

---

#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>

using namespace std;

int s = 0, m = 0, h = 0;

void DoStuff();

int main()
{
        bool PressedButton = false;

        cout << "Press any Key to start and end the timer.";

        getch();

        while (!PressedButton)
        {
                cout << endl;
                cout << h << "h " << m << "m " << s << "s";
                Sleep(1000);
                DoStuff();

                PressedButton = (kbhit());

                cout << endl << endl;

                if (PressedButton)
                        getch();

                else
                        system("cls");
        }
}

void DoStuff()
{
        s++;
        if (s == 60)
        {
                m++;
                s = 0;
        }

        if (m == 60)
        {
                h++;
                m = 0;
        }

        if (h == 2 && m == 0 && s == 0)
        {
                MessageBox(NULL, "You're waiting too long!", "Forgeting something?",MB_OK);
        }
}

---

Your code compiles fine but just displays 0h 0m 0s then bombs (Borland Free Command Line Tools). I got this to work:

Code:

---

#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>

int h=0, m=0, s=0;

using namespace std;

void DoStuff();

int main(){
  cout<<"Press any key to stop the timer.";
  Sleep(500);
  while(true){
    while(!kbhit()){
      DoStuff();
    }
cout<<"\n";
    system("pause");
  }
  return 0;
}

void DoStuff(){
Sleep(1000);
clrscr();
s++;
if(s==60){
m++;
s=0;
if(m==60){
h++;
m=0;
}
}
cout<<h<<":"<<m<<":"<<s;
}

---

I use windows API in a DLL to implement a global CallBack when keys are pressed. It works well. Look up SetWindowsHookEx.

You could also try
while(cin.rdbuf()->in_avail() == 0)
which is true while the input buffer is empty.

Xei,
I'm not on DLLs yet.
Rest.
I'm finished with the programs, so no more suggestions.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Xei
I use windows API in a DLL to implement a global CallBack when keys are pressed. It works well. Look up SetWindowsHookEx.

---

you can do that on a console?

Quote:

---

Originally posted by the Wookie
you can do that on a console?

---

If it's in a DLL, yes. Otherwise you will only get locally pressed keys, meaning that your application must be in the foreground in order to receive keypresses. And you obviously have to be running windows, it wont run under DOS.

No exe compiled for windows runs in DOS, not even a console app.

Actually there are only two differences between normal windows apps and console apps:
1) console starts at main
2) console automatically gets a console window (which a windows app would have to create with AllocConsole) and has stdin, stdout and stderr set to that console.

Therefore there's no reason why a console should not set hooks or create windows.

Guys,
I'm still doing console apps, so stay off windows. And where could I learn about DLLs?