ReadConsoleOutputCharacter

The ReadConsoleOutputCharacter function copies a number of characters from consecutive cells of a console screen buffer, beginning at a specified location.

BOOL ReadConsoleOutputCharacter(
  HANDLE hConsoleOutput,
                      // handle to a console screen buffer
  LPTSTR lpCharacter, // address of buffer to receive characters
  DWORD nLength,      // number of character cells to read from
  COORD dwReadCoord,  // coordinates of first cell to read from
  LPDWORD lpNumberOfCharsRead 
                      // address of number of cells read from
);
 

Parameters

hConsoleOutput

Handle to a console screen buffer. The handle must have GENERIC_READ access.

lpCharacter

Pointer to a buffer that receives the characters read from the screen buffer.

nLength

Specifies the number of screen buffer character cells from which to read. The size of the buffer pointed to by the lpCharacter parameter should be nLength * sizeof(TCHAR).

dwReadCoord

Specifies the coordinates of the first cell in the screen buffer from which to read. The X member of the COORD structure is the column, and the Y member is the row.

lpNumberOfCharsRead

Pointer to a 32-bit variable that receives the number of characters actually read.

Return Values

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

If the number of characters to be read from extends beyond the end of the specified screen buffer row, characters are read from the next row. If the number of characters to be read from extends beyond the end of the screen buffer, characters up to the end of the screen buffer are read.

Windows NT: This function uses either Unicode characters or 8-bit characters from the console's current code page. The console's code page defaults initially to the system's OEM code page. To change the console's code page, use the SetConsoleCP or SetConsoleOutputCP functions, or use the chcp or mode con cp select= commands.

QuickInfo

  Windows NT: Requires version 3.1 or later.
  Windows: Requires Windows 95 or later.
  Windows CE: Unsupported.
  Header: Declared in wincon.h.
  Import Library: Use kernel32.lib.
  Unicode: Implemented as Unicode and ANSI versions on Windows NT.

See Also

Consoles and Character-Mode Support Overview, Console Functions, COORD, ReadConsoleOutput, ReadConsoleOutputAttribute, SetConsoleCP, SetConsoleOutputCP, WriteConsoleOutput, WriteConsoleOutputAttribute, WriteConsoleOutputCharacter