How do you clear the console screen in C?
CWindowsConsoleConsole ApplicationC Problem Overview
Is there a "proper" way to clear the console window in C, besides using system("cls")
?
C Solutions
Solution 1 - C
printf("\e[1;1H\e[2J");
This function will work on ANSI terminals, demands POSIX. I assume there is a version that might also work on window's console, since it also supports ANSI escape sequences.
#include <unistd.h>
void clearScreen()
{
const char *CLEAR_SCREEN_ANSI = "\e[1;1H\e[2J";
write(STDOUT_FILENO, CLEAR_SCREEN_ANSI, 12);
}
There are some other alternatives, some of which don't move the cursor to {1,1}.
Solution 2 - C
Well, C doesn't understand the concept of screen. So any code would fail to be portable. Maybe take a look at conio.h or curses, according to your needs?
Portability is an issue, no matter what library is used.
Solution 3 - C
For portability, try this:
#ifdef _WIN32
#include <conio.h>
#else
#include <stdio.h>
#define clrscr() printf("\e[1;1H\e[2J")
#endif
Then simply call clrscr()
. On Windows, it will use conio.h
's clrscr()
, and on Linux, it will use ANSI escape codes.
If you really want to do it "properly", you can eliminate the middlemen (conio
, printf
, etc.) and do it with just the low-level system tools (prepare for a massive code-dump):
#ifdef _WIN32
#define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN
#include <windows.h>
void ClearScreen()
{
HANDLE hStdOut;
CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO csbi;
DWORD count;
DWORD cellCount;
COORD homeCoords = { 0, 0 };
hStdOut = GetStdHandle( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE );
if (hStdOut == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) return;
/* Get the number of cells in the current buffer */
if (!GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo( hStdOut, &csbi )) return;
cellCount = csbi.dwSize.X *csbi.dwSize.Y;
/* Fill the entire buffer with spaces */
if (!FillConsoleOutputCharacter(
hStdOut,
(TCHAR) ' ',
cellCount,
homeCoords,
&count
)) return;
/* Fill the entire buffer with the current colors and attributes */
if (!FillConsoleOutputAttribute(
hStdOut,
csbi.wAttributes,
cellCount,
homeCoords,
&count
)) return;
/* Move the cursor home */
SetConsoleCursorPosition( hStdOut, homeCoords );
}
#else // !_WIN32
#include <unistd.h>
#include <term.h>
void ClearScreen()
{
if (!cur_term)
{
int result;
setupterm( NULL, STDOUT_FILENO, &result );
if (result <= 0) return;
}
putp( tigetstr( "clear" ) );
}
#endif
Solution 4 - C
A workaround tested on Windows(cmd.exe), Linux(Bash and zsh) and OS X(zsh):
#include <stdlib.h>
void clrscr()
{
system("@cls||clear");
}
Solution 5 - C
Using macros you can check if you're on Windows, Linux, Mac or Unix, and call the respective function depending on the current platform. Something as follows:
void clear(){
#if defined(__linux__) || defined(__unix__) || defined(__APPLE__)
system("clear");
#endif
#if defined(_WIN32) || defined(_WIN64)
system("cls");
#endif
}
Solution 6 - C
Since you mention cls
, it sounds like you are referring to windows. If so, then this KB item has the code that will do it. I just tried it, and it worked when I called it with the following code:
cls( GetStdHandle( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE ));
Solution 7 - C
#include <conio.h>
and use
clrscr()
Solution 8 - C
There is no C portable way to do this. Although various cursor manipulation libraries like curses are relatively portable. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conio.h">conio.h</a> is portable between OS/2 DOS and Windows, but not to *nix variants.
The entire notion of a "console" is a concept outside of the scope of standard C.
If you are looking for a pure Win32 API solution, There is no single call in the Windows console API to do this. One way is to http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms682663(VS.85).aspx">FillConsoleOutputCharacter of a sufficiently large number of characters. Or http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms687404(VS.85).aspx">WriteConsoleOutput</a> You can use http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms683171(VS.85).aspx">GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo to find out how many characters will be enough.
You can also create an entirely new Console Screen Buffer and make the current one.
Solution 9 - C
Windows:
system("cls");
Unix:
system("clear");
You could instead, insert newline chars until everything gets scrolled, take a look here.
With that, you achieve portability easily.
Solution 10 - C
just type clrscr(); function in void main().
as example:
void main()
{
clrscr();
printf("Hello m fresher in programming c.");
getch();
}
clrscr();
function easy to clear screen.
Solution 11 - C
In Windows I have made the mistake of using
system("clear")
but that is actually for Linux
The Windows type is
system("cls")
without #include conio.h
Solution 12 - C
The proper way to do it is by using tput
or terminfo
functions to obtain terminal properties and then insert newlines according to the dimensions..
Solution 13 - C
This should work. Then just call cls(); whenever you want to clear the screen.
(using the method suggested before.)
#include <stdio.h>
void cls()
{
int x;
for ( x = 0; x < 10; x++ )
{
printf("\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n");
}
}