Question

I’m wondering how to accept keyboard and mouse input in C++, using Visual Studio 2010, for Windows 7 32-bit.

–EDIT: I forgot to mention that I need keyboard / mouse input without interrupting the flow of the program. Something like a listener. I don’t want to have to pause the program and ask for input, and then have the user type it out and press enter. What I’m looking for is more like:

If user presses W, S, A, D -> something happens.

Or: If user presses leftmousebutton in -> something happens.

I have to mention that I’m still very new to programming as a whole. I know basic OOP programming but that’s about it. I’m definitely sure that this will involve things I don’t know about yet, and I don’t mind, I just ask that you explain it thoroughly, and possibly give an example so I know how to use it.

Thanks.

Answer 1

keyboard / mouse input without interrupting the flow

#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main()
{
    HANDLE hIn;
    HANDLE hOut;
    COORD KeyWhere;
    COORD MouseWhere;
    COORD EndWhere;
    bool Continue = TRUE;
    int KeyEvents = 0;
    int MouseEvents = 0;
    INPUT_RECORD InRec;
    DWORD NumRead;

    hIn = GetStdHandle(STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
    hOut = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);

    cout << "Key Events   : " << endl;
    cout << "Mouse Events : " << flush;

    KeyWhere.X = 15;
    KeyWhere.Y = 0;
    MouseWhere.X = 15;
    MouseWhere.Y = 1;
    EndWhere.X = 0;
    EndWhere.Y = 3;

    while (Continue)
    {
        ReadConsoleInput(hIn,
                         &InRec,
                         1,
                         &NumRead);

        switch (InRec.EventType)
        {
        case KEY_EVENT:
            ++KeyEvents;
            SetConsoleCursorPosition(hOut,
                                     KeyWhere);
            cout << KeyEvents << flush;
            if (InRec.Event.KeyEvent.uChar.AsciiChar == 'x')
            {
                SetConsoleCursorPosition(hOut,
                                         EndWhere);
                cout << "Exiting..." << endl;
                Continue = FALSE;
            }
            break;

        case MOUSE_EVENT:
            ++MouseEvents;
            SetConsoleCursorPosition(hOut,
                                     MouseWhere);
            cout << MouseEvents << flush;
            break;
        }
    }

    return 0;
}