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C++ Keyboard Input for Gangsters from the Australian Hoods
Yo, brudda! You want to know how to get that keyboard game 🔥 in your C++ program? Then you’ve come to the right place, dawg! In this post, we’re gonna drop some knowledge on C++ keyboard input and how you can use it to take your programs to the next level.
C Keyboard Input
The foundation for C++ keyboard input is actually located in the C language – that’s where the infamous scanf function comes in. In C++, we have cin function, which stands for console input. It allows users to input data from the keyboard and assign it to a variable.
Let’s say you want to create a program that asks for the user’s name:
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
string name;
cout << What's your name, brudda? ;
cin >> name;
cout << Sup, << name << ! << endl;
return 0;
}
Here, we’re asking the user for their name using the cin function and assigning it to the variable name. We then greet the user using their name.
C Keyboard Input API
If you want to add some more advanced keyboard input features to your C++ program, you can make use of the C APIs. Specifically, you can use the conio.h header file, which provides functions for getting keyboard input without the need to press return. For example:
#include <conio.h>
int main()
{
char c;
c = getch();
return 0;
}
Here, we’re using the getch() function from the conio.h header to get input from the keyboard without waiting for the user to press enter. The input is stored in the variable c.
C Keyboard Input Example
Let’s put our newfound knowledge to the test with a simple example: a program that prints out which arrow key was pressed by the user. Here’s the code:
#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
char c;
cout << Press any arrow key: ;
c = _getch();
if (c == 224)
{
c = _getch();
switch (c)
{
case 72:
cout << Up arrow.; ;
default:
cout << Some other arrow.;
break;
}
}
return 0;
}
When the user presses any arrow key, the program will output which arrow key was pressed. We’re using the _getch() function from the conio.h header to get input from the keyboard without waiting for the user to press enter. We’re also making use of the 224 value that is returned when an arrow key is pressed.
C Keyboard Input Tutorial
If you’re more of a visual learner, there are plenty of tutorials online that can walk you through C++ keyboard input step-by-step. One such tutorial is available on YouTube, presented by a homie named Derek Banas. His tutorial covers the basics of keyboard input and goes into more advanced techniques, such as reading multiple keys and handling arrow keys.
C Keyboard Input Without Return
As we mentioned earlier, the cin function in C++ requires the user to press enter after inputting data. However, if you want to get input from the user without the need for enter, you can use the techniques presented earlier with the conio.h header file.
C Keyboard Input Console Application
All the examples we’ve presented so far have been console applications, which means they run in a command prompt or terminal. However, the techniques we’ve shown can also be used in other applications, such as graphical user interfaces. You’ll just need to adapt the code to work with the input mechanisms of those applications.
So there you have it, homie! A crash course in C++ keyboard input that’ll have you dropping mad input skills in no time. Hope you found this post helpful – if you’ve got any questions, feel free to drop a comment. Peace out!
