How do I show a console output/window in a forms a

Question

To get stuck in straight away, a very basic example:

using System;
using System.Windows.Forms;

class test
{ 
    static void Main()
    { 
        Console.WriteLine("test");
        MessageBox.Show("test");
    }
}

If I compile this with default options (using csc at command line), as expected, it will compile to a console application. Also, because I imported System.Windows.Forms, it will also show a message box.

Now, if I use the option /target:winexe, which I think is the same as choosing Windows Application from within project options, as expected I will only see the Message Box and no console output.

(In fact, the moment it is launched from command line, I can issue the next command before the application has even completed).

So, my question is - I know that you can have "windows"/forms output from a console application, but is there anyway to show the console from a Windows application?

Answer 1

This worked for me, to pipe the output to a file. Call the console with

cmd /c "C:\path\to\your\application.exe" > myfile.txt

Add this code to your application.

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    static extern bool AttachConsole(UInt32 dwProcessId);
    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    private static extern bool GetFileInformationByHandle(SafeFileHandle hFile, out BY_HANDLE_FILE_INFORMATION lpFileInformation);
    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    private static extern SafeFileHandle GetStdHandle(UInt32 nStdHandle);
    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    private static extern bool SetStdHandle(UInt32 nStdHandle, SafeFileHandle hHandle);
    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    private static extern bool DuplicateHandle(IntPtr hSourceProcessHandle, SafeFileHandle hSourceHandle, IntPtr hTargetProcessHandle, out SafeFileHandle lpTargetHandle, UInt32 dwDesiredAccess, Boolean bInheritHandle, UInt32 dwOptions);
    private const UInt32 ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS = 0xFFFFFFFF;
    private const UInt32 STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE = 0xFFFFFFF5;
    private const UInt32 STD_ERROR_HANDLE = 0xFFFFFFF4;
    private const UInt32 DUPLICATE_SAME_ACCESS = 2;
    struct BY_HANDLE_FILE_INFORMATION
    {
        public UInt32 FileAttributes;
        public System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME CreationTime;
        public System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME LastAccessTime;
        public System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComTypes.FILETIME LastWriteTime;
        public UInt32 VolumeSerialNumber;
        public UInt32 FileSizeHigh;
        public UInt32 FileSizeLow;
        public UInt32 NumberOfLinks;
        public UInt32 FileIndexHigh;
        public UInt32 FileIndexLow;
    }
    static void InitConsoleHandles()
    {
        SafeFileHandle hStdOut, hStdErr, hStdOutDup, hStdErrDup;
        BY_HANDLE_FILE_INFORMATION bhfi;
        hStdOut = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
        hStdErr = GetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE);
        // Get current process handle
        IntPtr hProcess = Process.GetCurrentProcess().Handle;
        // Duplicate Stdout handle to save initial value
        DuplicateHandle(hProcess, hStdOut, hProcess, out hStdOutDup,
        0, true, DUPLICATE_SAME_ACCESS);
        // Duplicate Stderr handle to save initial value
        DuplicateHandle(hProcess, hStdErr, hProcess, out hStdErrDup,
        0, true, DUPLICATE_SAME_ACCESS);
        // Attach to console window – this may modify the standard handles
        AttachConsole(ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS);
        // Adjust the standard handles
        if (GetFileInformationByHandle(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE), out bhfi))
        {
            SetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE, hStdOutDup);
        }
        else
        {
            SetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE, hStdOut);
        }
        if (GetFileInformationByHandle(GetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE), out bhfi))
        {
            SetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE, hStdErrDup);
        }
        else
        {
            SetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE, hStdErr);
        }
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// The main entry point for the application.
    /// </summary>
    [STAThread]
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        // initialize console handles
        InitConsoleHandles();

        if (args.Length != 0)
        {

            if (args[0].Equals("waitfordebugger"))
            {
                MessageBox.Show("Attach the debugger now");
            }
            if (args[0].Equals("version"))
            {
                String TypeOfBuild = "";
                #if DEBUG
                    TypeOfBuild = "d";
                #else
                TypeOfBuild = "r";
                #endif
                String output = TypeOfBuild + Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Version.ToString();
                //Just for the fun of it
                Console.Write(output);
                Console.Beep(4000, 100);
                Console.Beep(2000, 100);
                Console.Beep(1000, 100);
                Console.Beep(8000, 100);
                return;
            }
        }
    }

I found this code here: http://www.csharp411.com/console-output-from-winforms-application/ I thought is was worthy to post it here as well.

Answer 2

//From your application set the Console to write to your RichTextkBox 
//object:
Console.SetOut(new RichTextBoxWriter(yourRichTextBox));

//To ensure that your RichTextBox object is scrolled down when its text is 
//changed add this event:
private void yourRichTextBox_TextChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    yourRichTextBox.SelectionStart = yourRichTextBox.Text.Length;
    yourRichTextBox.ScrollToCaret();
}

public delegate void StringArgReturningVoidDelegate(string text);
public class RichTextBoxWriter : TextWriter
{
    private readonly RichTextBox _richTextBox;
    public RichTextBoxWriter(RichTextBox richTexttbox)
    {
        _richTextBox = richTexttbox;
    }

    public override void Write(char value)
    {
        SetText(value.ToString());
    }

    public override void Write(string value)
    {
        SetText(value);
    }

    public override void WriteLine(char value)
    {
        SetText(value + Environment.NewLine);
    }

    public override void WriteLine(string value)
    {
        SetText(value + Environment.NewLine);
    }

    public override Encoding Encoding => Encoding.ASCII;

    //Write to your UI object in thread safe way:
    private void SetText(string text)
    {
        // InvokeRequired required compares the thread ID of the  
        // calling thread to the thread ID of the creating thread.  
        // If these threads are different, it returns true.  
        if (_richTextBox.InvokeRequired)
        {
            var d = new StringArgReturningVoidDelegate(SetText);
            _richTextBox.Invoke(d, text);
        }
        else
        {
            _richTextBox.Text += text;
        }
    }
}

Answer 3

You can any time switch between type of applications, to console or windows. So, you will not write special logic to see the stdout. Also, when running application in debugger, you will see all the stdout in output window. You might also just add a breakpoint, and in breakpoint properties change "When Hit...", you can output any messages, and variables. Also you can check/uncheck "Continue execution", and your breakpoint will become square shaped. So, the breakpoint messages without changhing anything in the application in the debug output window.

Answer 4

If you are not worrying about opening a console on-command, you can go into the properties for your project and change it to Console Application

.

This will still show your form as well as popping up a console window. You can't close the console window, but it works as an excellent temporary logger for debugging.

Just remember to turn it back off before you deploy the program.

Answer 5

this one should work.

using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    AllocConsole();
}

[DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
static extern bool AllocConsole();

Answer 6

Perhaps this is over-simplistic...

Create a Windows Form project...

Then: Project Properties -> Application -> Output Type -> Console Application

Then can have Console and Forms running together, works for me