••Key press at any time. HELP!••

[Forseth11]

I want to make a simple game using the console and X,Y coordinates. I haven't started on this project because if I can't figure out how to make the computer recognize a key (Like the up arrow.) at any time to make the character move on the screen then the game won't work.

I'm asking: how do I make a key be recognized any time in a loop and have it do something?

Thank you for your help in advance.

[Aceix]

Yeah you can use stuffs like this:

char temp;

temp=getch();   //temp = any key you press!

if(GetAsyncKeyState(VK_DOWN)   //if the key pressed was the down arrow key, execute...
{...........}

or you can download this game's .cpp file and look at how stuffs work!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/43721327/C%2B%2B/Skeptor/Skeptor-Code.zip

Hope it HELPS!!!

[Forseth11]

It doesn't do what I want is there a way to make it so it doesn't pause and have it where WHENEVER you press the up key it does something.

[Disch]

Obligatory link:

http://cplusplus.com/forum/articles/28558/

[Forseth11]

OK I read that, but I don't care I just want to learn how to go that so I can later use it with the free game engine I got.

[Disch]

A free game engine will have a different way of getting input than anything you'll do in the console... so if that's your goal... then learning how to do this in the console is a complete waste of time.

[Forseth11]

OK. Any ways I want to know how to do it. Can someone just answer me and stop telling me to not do it this way.
I know there is a way to do it because I have seen other programs made on the console that are games.

[Disch]

Well then GetAsyncKeyState is what you want (if you're on Windows).

GetAsyncKeyState alone will let you check the realtime state of any key, and it is non-blocking, meanting it will return immediately (not causing your program to stop).

[Forseth11]

OK. Tell me more. Show me an example please.

[Forseth11]

Never mind I found out how to do it with http://www.cplusplus.com/forum/windows/6632/.

[Forseth11]

Thank you for your help. This is the code I have so far. I think I'm going to make a maze with something chasing you.

#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <ctime>
#include <vector>
#include <cstdlib>
#include <conio.h>
using namespace std;

void gotoxy (int x, int y)
	{
	    COORD coord; // coordinates
	    coord.X = x; coord.Y = y; // X and Y coordinates
	    SetConsoleCursorPosition(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE), coord); // moves to the coordinates
	}


int main(){
	unsigned short int X=5;
	unsigned short int Y=5;
	while ( 1 ){
	char temp;
	if(GetAsyncKeyState(VK_DOWN))   //if the key pressed was the down arrow key, execute...
	{
		if (Y != 24){
		Y = Y + 1;
		}
		else continue;
	}
	if(GetAsyncKeyState(VK_UP))
	{
		if (Y != 0){
		Y = Y - 1;
		}
		else continue;
	}
	if(GetAsyncKeyState(VK_LEFT))
	{
		if (X != 1){
		X = X - 2;
		}
		else continue;
	}
	if(GetAsyncKeyState(VK_RIGHT))
	{
		if (X != 79){
		X = X + 2;
		}
		else continue;
	}
		system("CLS");
		gotoxy (X,Y);
		cout << X << ", " << Y;
	}
}

[Disch]

Glad it's working.

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go in the corner and cry because of this console nonsense.

[Forseth11]

What?

[Disch]

It just makes me sad to see effort wasted on console games. So I'm crying in a corner.

[Forseth11]

OK. It turns out I'm just going to make a program that you use arrow keys to move to words to start folders and shutdown the computer.