Easy-Console is a small Windows C library to make games in the command-line. It is aimed at beginners who want to code cool stuff fast and people who want a simple and fast way to try out different algorithms(ray-tracing, path-finding, maze generation..etc) without the overhead of a large library.

• Download "easy_console.h" and put it in your working folder.
• Include it in your source file.

  #include "easy_console.h"

Compile with MinGW-w64 or Visual C++ and link with user32 static library.

• MinGW-w64:

  $ gcc my_program.c -luser32
  

• Visual C++:

  $ cl my_program.c user32.lib<z
  

• Visual Studio: add the following line at the top of your code to link with user32 library.

  #pragma comment(lib, "User32.lib")

• Other IDEs: find linker settings in your IDE and add libuser32.a or add -luser32 to the compiler options.

int main(void) {
    Console console = console_init(120, 40); // init library & create console window
    
    // repeat until "ESCAPE" is pressed
    while(!key_is_pressed(VK_ESCAPE)) {
        console_fill(console, FOREGROUND_RED_LIGHT | BACKGROUND_RED_LIGHT);
        
        // draw "EASY-CONSOLE EXAMPLE" at pos 0,0  with white foreground & light red background
        console_draw_string(console, 0, 0, "EASY-CONSOLE EXAMPLE",
                            FOREGROUND_WHITE | BACKGROUND_RED_LIGHT);
                            
        // draw 'H' at pos 0,10 with black foreground & light green background
        console_draw_char(console, 0, 10, 'H', FOREGROUND_BLACK | BACKGROUND_GREEN_LIGHT);
        
        // draw 5 char wide horizontal line starting from middle of console screen
        for(int i = 120/2; i < (120/2) + 5; i++)
            console_draw_char(console, i, 40/2, CHAR_RECT,
                              FOREGROUND_WHITE | BACKGROUND_WHITE);
            
        console_update(console); // update console screen
    }
    
    return 0; 
}

For a full game example see: Easy-Shooter.

• Initialize the library and create a console window.

  Console console_init(int width, int height)

• Update the console screen(should be called every frame after drawing).

  void console_update(Console console)

• Set the console window title(default title is "EASY-CONSOLE").

  void console_set_title(char* title)

• Draw ASCII character c at x, y position.

  void console_draw_char(Console console, int x, int y, char c, unsigned short color)

• Draw ASCII string at x, y position.

  void console_draw_string(Console console, int x, int y, char* string, unsigned short color)

• Paints the console screen with the desired color.

  void console_fill(Console console, unsigned short color)

• Check if a key is pressed or not.

  bool key_is_pressed(unsigned short key_code)

The Windows command-line supports just 16 RGB color combinations for both the background and foreground character colors. EASY-CONSOLE provides Macros for all possible combinations. Here's how to use them:

• To draw characters or strings OR the background and foreground colors together.

  console_draw_char(console, x, y, c, BACKGROUND_BLACK | FOREGROUND_WHITE);

• To fill the console use the same color for both background and foreground.

  console_fill(console, BACKGROUND_WHITE | FOREGROUND_WHITE);

• For alphabet keys(A, B, C......,Z), just use the uppercase ASCII value of the key.

  if(key_is_pressed('A') {
      // do something
  }

  if(key_is_pressed(0x41) {
      // do something
  }

• For other keys see: Virtual-Key Codes