VIEW PRINT in C(++)

[rpgfan3233]

I was wondering if there was a C/C++ function that allows the freezing a certain part of the screen in a console program, similar to the VIEW PRINT statement in QB.

I know of the gotoxy() function, which would kind of emulate it. Unfortunately, that is Borland-specific, and I'm using functions that are not compiler-specific where possible.

By the way, I'm developing in Windows, using Dev-C++'s default compiler (MinGW32, I believe).

Edit: Almost forgot to mention that I'm a newb to C/C++.

[eno_on]

You can do it in DOS32 with DJGPP if you write your own locate statement. Otherwise, use FB.

[Mango]

This is windows specific, but... I wrote some code that lets me write to arbitrary coordinates of the console window. It would be easy to use my code to make the equivalent of a view port. In case you are dev-c++ novice, save the 3 files shown below. Create an empty project. Give it a name. Then "add to project" the three files. Then compile. The first two files are needed to use this code in your own projects. The third file tests/demonstrates how to use the functions.

The function is easy to use...eg:

my::cout(x,y) << "your text here";

my_cout.h

Code:

#include <iostream>
#include <iosfwd>
#include <string>

#ifndef MY_COUT
#define MY_COUT


namespace my {  
   void locate(int x, int y );  
   std::ostream& cout( int x = -1, int y = -1 );// {  
   void cls();  
   void wait();
   std::string txtrnd(int len);
   void funky(int x, int y, std::string);

}  


#endif //MY_COUT

my_cout.cpp

Code:

#include "my_cout.h"

#include <windows.h>  

void my::locate(int x, int y ){  
    COORD cur = { x, y };  
    SetConsoleCursorPosition( GetStdHandle( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE ), cur );  
}  


#include <string>
void my::cls(){
   static const std::string b(2000, ' ');
   my::cout(0,0) << b;
   my::locate(0,0);
}



std::ostream& my::cout( int x/* = -1*/, int y/* = -1*/ ) {  
   if(~x || ~y){   // if x and y are both -1, then following will not execute...eg default values used.
      my::locate(x,y);  
   }
   return std::cout;  
}

void my::wait(){
    std::cin.get();
}

std::string my::txtrnd(int len){
   std::string text;
   for(int i = 0; i < len; i++){
       char a = 32+ (rand() % 224);
       text += a;
  
   }    
   return text;
}

void my::funky(int x, int y, std::string txt){
     if(x + txt.size() > 80){
        my::cout(x, y) << txt;
        return;    
     }
     std::string txt2 = txtrnd(txt.size());
     my::cout(x, y) << txt2;
     while(txt != txt2){
       int aletter = rand()%txt.size();
       if (txt[aletter] != txt2[aletter]){
           //aletter = (aletter+1)% txt.size();
          txt2[aletter] = 32 + (rand() % 224);
       }else{continue;}
      
        
       my::cout(x + aletter, y) << txt2[aletter];
      
     }
     my::locate(x+txt.size(), y);
}

my_cout_Tester.cpp

Code:

#include "my_cout.h"

using namespace my;



int main(){
   cout() << "my::cout() behaves just like std::cout\n";
   cout() << "with letters following the cursor";
   wait();
   cout(20,12) << "but you can use the function with arguments";
   cout(20,13) << "to print to arbitrary coordinates";
   wait();
   cls();
   cout(0,0) << "All";
   wait();
   cout(76, 0) << "you";  
   wait();
   cout(75, 23) << "need";
   wait();
   cout(0,23) << "is";
   wait();
   cout(38, 12) << "love";


   wait();
   cls();

   funky(25, 12, "goodbye cruel world");


   funky(0,24, "Press Enter to continue");
   std::cin.get();

   int t=clock();
   for(int z=0; z<100; z++){
      cout(z%80, z%25) << z;
      cls();
   }
   t=clock()-t;
  
   cls();
   int t2=clock();
   for(int z=0; z<100; z++){
      cout(z%80, z%25) << z;
      system("cls");
   }
   t2 = clock() - t2;
   cls();
   cout()<< "my::cls() is " << t2/t << " times as fast as std::system(\"cls\")" << std::endl;

   wait();
   return 0;

}

[neuro]

SetConsoleCursorPosition is win32 specific...

it will do the trick if you don't care about cross-platform code. Otherwise, what you want to learn is probably ncurses. man ncurses.