$CONSOLE - QB64Official/qb64 GitHub Wiki

The $CONSOLE metacommand creates a console window that can be used throughout a QB64 program module.

Syntax

$CONSOLE[:ONLY]

Description

  • _CONSOLE ON or OFF may be used to show or hide the console window at run time.
  • The :ONLY option can be used when only a console window is desired without a program window.
  • _DEST and _SOURCE are automatically set to _CONSOLE when the :ONLY option is used, in order to send screen output to the console window and get input from it too.
  • _SCREENHIDE and _SCREENSHOW can be used to hide or show the main program window.
  • _DELAY or SLEEP can be used to allow the console window to be set in front of the main program window.
  • _CONSOLETITLE can be used to change the title of the console window.
  • Note: Text can be copied partially or totally from console screens in Windows by highlighting and using the title bar menu.

To copy console text output, right click the title bar and select Edit for Mark to highlight and repeat to Copy

  • QB64 Metacommands are not commented out with ' or REM, differently from QBasic metacommands.

Example(s)

Hiding and displaying a console window. Use _DELAY to place console in front of main program window.


$CONSOLE
_DELAY 4

_CONSOLE OFF
_DELAY 4
_CONSOLE ON

_DEST _CONSOLE
PRINT "Close this console window or click main window and press a key!"

How to use a Console window to copy screen output using the Edit menu by right clicking the console title bar.


$CONSOLE
_DEST _CONSOLE

c&& = -1: d& = -1: e% = -1: f%% = -1
hx$ = HEX$(f%%)
PRINT "Max hex _BYTE = "; hx$; " with"; LEN(hx$); "digits ="; VAL("&H" + hx$)
hx$ = HEX$(e%)
PRINT "Max hex INTEGER = "; hx$; " with"; LEN(hx$); "digits ="; VAL("&H" + hx$)
hx$ = HEX$(d&)
PRINT "Max hex LONG = "; hx$; " with"; LEN(hx$); "digits ="; VAL("&H" + hx$)
hx$ = HEX$(c&&)
PRINT "Max hex _INTEGER64 = "; hx$; " with"; LEN(hx$); "digits ="; VAL("&H" + hx$)
hx$ = HEX$(9223372036854775807)
PRINT "Max _INTEGER64 value = "; hx$; " with"; LEN(hx$); "digits"
hx$ = HEX$(-9223372036854775808)
PRINT "Min _INTEGER64 value = "; hx$; " with"; LEN(hx$); "digits" 



Max hex _BYTE = FF with 2 digits = 255
Max hex INTEGER = FFFF with 4 digits = 65535
Max hex LONG = FFFFFFFF with 8 digits = 4294967295
Max hex _INTEGER64 = FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF with 16 digits =-1
Max _INTEGER64 value = 7FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF with 16 digits
Min _INTEGER64 value = 8000000000000000 with 16 digits

Console: Right click and select Edit > Select All (mouse highlight after) then hit Enter or select Edit > Copy to the _CLIPBOARD$ (function).


Max hex _BYTE = FF with 2 digits = 255
Max hex INTEGER = FFFF with 4 digits = 65535
Max hex LONG = FFFFFFFF with 8 digits = 4294967295
Max hex _INTEGER64 = FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF with 16 digits =-1

Copied text: The above text was copied after Select All was selected and the smaller area was re-highlighted with the mouse.

See Also