Question

Sometimes i need to write things on a location of screen (ex: 10th column and 20th row). I searched on the net and found it is done with using windows handler which is using windows.h.

Yes, using handles are fast but somewhat complex so i wrote a class that uses only printf(string) and changes the string in a way that it fits to screen and every printf command fills the entire 80×24 console screen. The class imitates QBasic’s CLS , LOCATE x,y and PRINT commands.

Question: Is there a simpler way to reach any location in screen and put a char or a dot(drawing) without using windows handle or a slow class like mine?

My QBASIC class is so slow that i can use it only several times per second.
VC++ 10.0 windows XP

Thanks for your time.

Here is my class and some examples:

// print_test.cpp : Defines the entry point for the console application.
//

#include "stdafx.h"
#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
#include<string.h>
class QBASIC
{
public:
QBASIC()
{
    for(int i=0;i<(80*23);i++)
    {
        default_fill[i]=' ';
        current_fill[i]=' ';
    }
    default_fill[80*23]=NULL;
    current_fill[80*23]=NULL;
    row=0;
    column=0;
    window_number=0;

}
void locate(int x,int y)
{
    row=y;
    column=x;
    return;
}
void print(char* text)
{
    int length=strlen(text);
    for(int i=0;i<length;i++)
    {
        current_fill[row*80+column+i]=text[i];
    }
    row++;
    column=0;
    printf("%s",current_fill);

    return;
}
void cls()
{
    for(int i=0;i<(80*24);i++)
    {
        current_fill[i]=default_fill[i];
    }
    column=0;
    row=0;
    printf("%s",current_fill);

}
void window(int x1,int y1,int x2,int y2,char*text,int id)
{
    //178 wall code
    window_buffer[window_number]=new unsigned char[1000];
    window_number++;
    for(int i=x1;i<(x2+1);i++)
    {
        current_fill[i+80*y1]=178;
        current_fill[i+80*y2]=178;

    }
    for(int j=y1;j<(y2+1);j++)
    {
        current_fill[x1+80*j]=178;
        current_fill[x2+80*j]=178;

    }
    int length=strlen(text);int temp_row=0;int temp_column=0;
    for(int i=0;i<length;i++)
    {
        if(current_fill[(x1+1+temp_column)+(y1+1+temp_row)*80+i]!=178)
        {
        current_fill[(x1+1+temp_column)+(y1+1+temp_row)*80+i]=text[i];
        }
        else
        {
            temp_row++;
            temp_column=-i;
            current_fill[(x1+1+temp_column)+(y1+1+temp_row)*80+i]=text[i];

        }

    }
    printf("%s",current_fill);
    return;
}
private:
unsigned char default_fill[80*23+1000];
unsigned char current_fill[80*23+1000];
int row,column;
unsigned char *window_buffer[10];//max windows number=10
int window_number;

};

int main()
{
QBASIC *mimic=new QBASIC();
mimic->cls();
mimic->locate(25,10);
mimic->print("x <--here is 26th column and 11th row");

mimic->locate(5,4);
mimic->print("x <--here is 6th column and 5th row");

mimic->locate(0,0);
mimic->print("x <--here is origin");


mimic->print("x <--here is sequantial print after");
mimic->print("x <--here is another");
int window_id_1=0,window_id_2=1;
mimic->window(20,5,28,9,"this is a window",window_id_1);
mimic->window(10,18,70,22,"this is another window from 10,18 to 70,22",window_id_2);


delete mimic;


getchar();// waiting to see the screen before exiting. press enter to continue
return 0;
}

i think theres no solution.

Answer 1

Ok, I will continue using handles again.

void LOCATE(int x, int y)
{
  COORD newPosition = { x, y };
  HANDLE h = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
  SetConsoleCursorPosition(h, newPosition);
}