how can i take input from the keyboard i.e the arrow keys and ''space'' in console mode , without pausing until the user presses a button? thanks

Im assuming you know about ReadConsoleInput. Just above ReadConsoleInput type this:

if(WAIT_TIMEOUT == WaitForSingleObject(m_hInput, 200))//Do what you want it to do here 

m_hInput is your input handle.

and 200 is the amount of miliseconds you want it to wait for.

Jeff D

It depends on what platform sometimes...I remember a whileback
there was like a KeyDown function, and what you could do was
do otherstuff, check to see if KeyDown was true, if so, call
getch();

Or something like that

-=Lohrno

Thanks Jeff D, i tried the code you gave me, (ReadConsoleInput is what i am using) but it did not work the way i want it to, although i may have put it in the wrong place.
It still wont perform the game loop continuosly without waiting to take the input.

The game i am making is a tetris clone and the problem is that the user has to press a keyboard button every single loop of the game to make the blocks fall.

Sorry if im just stupid and the code you gave me can work the way i want it to, if so can you post something to help me use it correctly. Otherwise, what ways are there of taking input in this way?
Thanks

This is what I would do.

First I would make the input part its own function and have it return an int 0 for nothing, 1 playermoved item left, 2 player moved item right,3 player forced item down, 4 player rotated item right, 5 player rotated item left.

ok heres the code:

//hInput is your handleint GetUserInput(){   //locals   INPUT_RECORD InputRecord;   DWORD Events = 0;      //function body   FlushConsoleInputBuffer(hInput);   if(WAIT_TIMEOUT == WaitForSingleObject(hInput, 200))      return 0; //Player did nothing   ReadConsoleInput(hInput, &InputRecord, 1, &Events);   if(InputRecord.EventType == KEY_EVENT)   {      if(InputRecord.Event.KeyEvent.bKeyDown)      {         switch(InputRecord.Event.KeyEvent.wVirtualKeyCode)         {             case VK_DOWN:  //Moves piece down                return 3;                break;             case VK_LEFT:  //moves piece left                return 1;                break;             case VK_RIGHT: //moves piece right                return 2;                break;             case VK_SHIFT: //rotates piece left                return 4;                break;             case VK_RETURN://rotates piece right                return 5;                break;         }      }   }   return 7;  //Reason is that if user pushes anything thats not              //above it willdo the loop fast.}//This is your game loop done is a bool that starts false//localsint UserInput;while(!Done){   UserInput = GetUserInput();   if(UserInput != 7)   {   //This will be where you find out what the user inputed and do   //what you need to the piece.   }} 

I hope that helps.

Jeff D

Edited by - Jeff D on February 26, 2002 5:49:40 PM

Or use Direct Input.

,Jay

Yeah I dont know if hes writing it in Linux, or Windows or what
but if its windows, I''d just use GetAsyncKeyState() or
DirectInput.(its an API)

you''d use it something like this:

if (GetAynscKeyState(VK_LEFT)
paddle.moveleft(); //Or whatever

For a list of VK codes, look at MSDN for VK and you should find
a list somewhere. Also you can use GetAsyncKeyState for Mouse
Buttons.

If it''s something else, IE DOS, or linux, or mac or something
it might be something else but I believe that KeyDown, and
getch() will work too. (or however they''re spelled) It''d work
something like

if (KeyDown())
getch(c);

-=Lohrno

Jeff D''s solution is kinda good because it''s not so specific.
You could use it for a menu as well as the game.

-=Lohrno

He states hes in Console mode. No Win32 API at all.

Jeff D

Edited by - Jeff D on February 26, 2002 6:38:27 PM

if you dont want to use that massive win32 console api, use std-io/lib

  #include <stdio.h>bool keyPressed(char key){ char c = 0; if ( kbhit() )    if (!(c = getch() ) c = getch();  return (c == key);}