Console.SetWindowPosition(Int32, Int32) Method

public:
 static void SetWindowPosition(int left, int top);

[System.Runtime.Versioning.SupportedOSPlatform("windows")]
public static void SetWindowPosition(int left, int top);

public static void SetWindowPosition(int left, int top);

[<System.Runtime.Versioning.SupportedOSPlatform("windows")>]
static member SetWindowPosition : int * int -> unit

static member SetWindowPosition : int * int -> unit

Public Shared Sub SetWindowPosition (left As Integer, top As Integer)

Parameters

Attributes

SupportedOSPlatformAttribute

Exceptions

Examples

The following example demonstrates the WindowLeft, WindowTop, WindowWidth, WindowHeight, BufferWidth, BufferHeight, and CursorVisible properties; and the SetWindowPosition, SetBufferSize, and ReadKey methods. The example draws a grid pattern in the screen buffer based on the screen buffer width. Then the example moves the console window in response to which of the UP ARROW, DOWN ARROW, LEFT ARROW, or RIGHT ARROW console keys is pressed. The grid pattern helps you see the movement of the console window relative to the screen buffer.

// This example demonstrates the Console.WindowLeft and
// Console.WindowTop properties.
using System;
using System.Text;
using System.IO;
//
class Sample
{
 public static int saveBufferWidth;
 public static int saveBufferHeight;
 public static int saveWindowHeight;
 public static int saveWindowWidth;
 public static bool saveCursorVisible;
//
 public static void Main()
 {
 string m1 = "1) Press the cursor keys to move the console window.\n" +
 "2) Press any key to begin. When you're finished...\n" +
 "3) Press the Escape key to quit.";
 string g1 = "+----";
 string g2 = "| ";
 string grid1;
 string grid2;
 StringBuilder sbG1 = new StringBuilder();
 StringBuilder sbG2 = new StringBuilder();
 ConsoleKeyInfo cki;
 int y;
//
 try
 {
 saveBufferWidth = Console.BufferWidth;
 saveBufferHeight = Console.BufferHeight;
 saveWindowHeight = Console.WindowHeight;
 saveWindowWidth = Console.WindowWidth;
 saveCursorVisible = Console.CursorVisible;
//
 Console.Clear();
 Console.WriteLine(m1);
 Console.ReadKey(true);

// Set the smallest possible window size before setting the buffer size.
 Console.SetWindowSize(1, 1);
 Console.SetBufferSize(80, 80);
 Console.SetWindowSize(40, 20);

// Create grid lines to fit the buffer. (The buffer width is 80, but
// this same technique could be used with an arbitrary buffer width.)
 for (y = 0; y < Console.BufferWidth/g1.Length; y++)
 {
 sbG1.Append(g1);
 sbG2.Append(g2);
 }
 sbG1.Append(g1, 0, Console.BufferWidth%g1.Length);
 sbG2.Append(g2, 0, Console.BufferWidth%g2.Length);
 grid1 = sbG1.ToString();
 grid2 = sbG2.ToString();

 Console.CursorVisible = false;
 Console.Clear();
 for (y = 0; y < Console.BufferHeight-1; y++)
 {
 if (y%3 == 0)
 Console.Write(grid1);
 else
 Console.Write(grid2);
 }

 Console.SetWindowPosition(0, 0);
 do
 {
 cki = Console.ReadKey(true);
 switch (cki.Key)
 {
 case ConsoleKey.LeftArrow:
 if (Console.WindowLeft > 0)
 Console.SetWindowPosition(
 Console.WindowLeft-1, Console.WindowTop);
 break;
 case ConsoleKey.UpArrow:
 if (Console.WindowTop > 0)
 Console.SetWindowPosition(
 Console.WindowLeft, Console.WindowTop-1);
 break;
 case ConsoleKey.RightArrow:
 if (Console.WindowLeft < (Console.BufferWidth-Console.WindowWidth))
 Console.SetWindowPosition(
 Console.WindowLeft+1, Console.WindowTop);
 break;
 case ConsoleKey.DownArrow:
 if (Console.WindowTop < (Console.BufferHeight-Console.WindowHeight))
 Console.SetWindowPosition(
 Console.WindowLeft, Console.WindowTop+1);
 break;
 }
 }
 while (cki.Key != ConsoleKey.Escape); // end do-while
 } // end try
 catch (IOException e)
 {
 Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
 }
 finally
 {
 Console.Clear();
 Console.SetWindowSize(1, 1);
 Console.SetBufferSize(saveBufferWidth, saveBufferHeight);
 Console.SetWindowSize(saveWindowWidth, saveWindowHeight);
 Console.CursorVisible = saveCursorVisible;
 }
 } // end Main
} // end Sample
/*
This example produces results similar to the following:

1) Press the cursor keys to move the console window.
2) Press any key to begin. When you're finished...
3) Press the Escape key to quit.

...

+----+----+----+-
| | | |
| | | |
+----+----+----+-
| | | |
| | | |
+----+----+----+-

*/

' This example demonstrates the Console.WindowLeft and
' Console.WindowTop properties.
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Text

Class Sample
 Public Shared saveBufferWidth As Integer
 Public Shared saveBufferHeight As Integer
 Public Shared saveWindowHeight As Integer
 Public Shared saveWindowWidth As Integer
 Public Shared saveCursorVisible As Boolean
 
 Public Shared Sub Main()
 Dim m1 As String = _
 "1) Press the cursor keys to move the console window." & vbCrlf & _
 "2) Press any key to begin. When you're finished..." & vbCrlf & _
 "3) Press the Escape key to quit."
 Dim g1 As String = "+----"
 Dim g2 As String = "| "
 Dim grid1 As String
 Dim grid2 As String
 Dim sbG1 As New StringBuilder()
 Dim sbG2 As New StringBuilder()
 Dim cki As ConsoleKeyInfo
 Dim y As Integer
 '
 Try
 saveBufferWidth = Console.BufferWidth
 saveBufferHeight = Console.BufferHeight
 saveWindowHeight = Console.WindowHeight
 saveWindowWidth = Console.WindowWidth
 saveCursorVisible = Console.CursorVisible
 '
 Console.Clear()
 Console.WriteLine(m1)
 Console.ReadKey(True)
 
 ' Set the smallest possible window size before setting the buffer size.
 Console.SetWindowSize(1, 1)
 Console.SetBufferSize(80, 80)
 Console.SetWindowSize(40, 20)
 
 ' Create grid lines to fit the buffer. (The buffer width is 80, but
 ' this same technique could be used with an arbitrary buffer width.)
 For y = 0 To (Console.BufferWidth / g1.Length) - 1
 sbG1.Append(g1)
 sbG2.Append(g2)
 Next y
 sbG1.Append(g1, 0, Console.BufferWidth Mod g1.Length)
 sbG2.Append(g2, 0, Console.BufferWidth Mod g2.Length)
 grid1 = sbG1.ToString()
 grid2 = sbG2.ToString()
 
 Console.CursorVisible = False
 Console.Clear()
 For y = 0 To (Console.BufferHeight - 2)
 If y Mod 3 = 0 Then
 Console.Write(grid1)
 Else
 Console.Write(grid2)
 End If
 Next y 
 '
 Console.SetWindowPosition(0, 0)
 Do
 cki = Console.ReadKey(True)
 Select Case cki.Key
 Case ConsoleKey.LeftArrow
 If Console.WindowLeft > 0 Then
 Console.SetWindowPosition(Console.WindowLeft - 1, Console.WindowTop)
 End If
 Case ConsoleKey.UpArrow
 If Console.WindowTop > 0 Then
 Console.SetWindowPosition(Console.WindowLeft, Console.WindowTop - 1)
 End If
 Case ConsoleKey.RightArrow
 If Console.WindowLeft < Console.BufferWidth - Console.WindowWidth Then
 Console.SetWindowPosition(Console.WindowLeft + 1, Console.WindowTop)
 End If
 Case ConsoleKey.DownArrow
 If Console.WindowTop < Console.BufferHeight - Console.WindowHeight Then
 Console.SetWindowPosition(Console.WindowLeft, Console.WindowTop + 1)
 End If
 End Select
 Loop While cki.Key <> ConsoleKey.Escape
 ' end do-while
 ' end try
 Catch e As IOException
 Console.WriteLine(e.Message)
 Finally
 Console.Clear()
 Console.SetWindowSize(1, 1)
 Console.SetBufferSize(saveBufferWidth, saveBufferHeight)
 Console.SetWindowSize(saveWindowWidth, saveWindowHeight)
 Console.CursorVisible = saveCursorVisible
 End Try
 End Sub
End Class
'
'This example produces results similar to the following:
'
'1) Press the cursor keys to move the console window.
'2) Press any key to begin. When you're finished...
'3) Press the Escape key to quit.
'
'...
'
'+----+----+----+-
'| | | |
'| | | |
'+----+----+----+-
'| | | |
'| | | |
'+----+----+----+-
'

// This example demonstrates the Console.WindowLeft and
// Console.WindowTop properties.
open System
open System.Text
open System.IO

[<EntryPoint>]
let main argv =
 let m1 = 
 "1) Press the cursor keys to move the console window.\n" + 
 "2) Press any key to begin. When you're finished...\n" + 
 "3) Press the Escape key to quit."
 let g1 = "+----";
 let g2 = "| ";
 let sbG1 = StringBuilder()
 let sbG2 = StringBuilder()


 let saveBufferWidth = Console.BufferWidth
 let saveBufferHeight = Console.BufferHeight
 let saveWindowHeight = Console.WindowHeight
 let saveWindowWidth = Console.WindowWidth
 let saveCursorVisible = Console.CursorVisible

 try
 try
 Console.Clear()
 Console.WriteLine(m1)
 Console.ReadKey(true) |> ignore

 // Set the smallest possible window size before setting the buffer size.
 Console.SetWindowSize(1, 1)
 Console.SetBufferSize(80, 80)
 Console.SetWindowSize(40, 20)

 // Create grid lines to fit the buffer. (The buffer width is 80, but
 // this same technique could be used with an arbitrary buffer width.)
 // for y = 0 to (Console.BufferWidth / g1.Length - 1)
 for _ in 1..(Console.BufferWidth / g1.Length) do
 (sbG1.Append(g1)) |> ignore
 (sbG2.Append(g2)) |> ignore

 sbG1.Append(g1, 0, Console.BufferWidth % g1.Length) |> ignore
 sbG2.Append(g2, 0, Console.BufferWidth % g2.Length) |> ignore
 let grid1 = sbG1.ToString()
 let grid2 = sbG2.ToString()

 Console.CursorVisible <- false
 Console.Clear()
 for y in 0..(Console.BufferHeight - 1) do
 if (y % 3 = 0) then
 Console.Write(grid1)
 else
 Console.Write(grid2)

 Console.SetWindowPosition(0, 0)

 let interactiveKeySequence = 
 Seq.initInfinite (fun _ -> (Console.ReadKey(true)).Key)
 |> Seq.takeWhile (fun key -> key <> ConsoleKey.Escape)

 for key in interactiveKeySequence do
 match key with
 | ConsoleKey.LeftArrow ->
 if Console.WindowLeft > 0
 then Console.SetWindowPosition(Console.WindowLeft - 1, Console.WindowTop)
 | ConsoleKey.UpArrow ->
 if Console.WindowTop > 0
 then Console.SetWindowPosition(Console.WindowLeft, Console.WindowTop - 1)
 | ConsoleKey.RightArrow ->
 if Console.WindowLeft < (Console.BufferWidth - Console.WindowWidth)
 then Console.SetWindowPosition(Console.WindowLeft + 1, Console.WindowTop)
 | ConsoleKey.DownArrow ->
 if Console.WindowTop < (Console.BufferHeight - Console.WindowHeight)
 then Console.SetWindowPosition(Console.WindowLeft, Console.WindowTop + 1)
 | _ -> 
 ()
 0
 with 
 | :? IOException as ex -> printf "%s" ex.Message; 1
 finally
 Console.Clear()
 Console.SetWindowSize(1, 1)
 Console.SetBufferSize(saveBufferWidth, saveBufferHeight)
 Console.SetWindowSize(saveWindowWidth, saveWindowHeight)
 Console.CursorVisible <- saveCursorVisible

Remarks

The operating system window displays the console window, and the console window displays a portion of the screen buffer. The SetWindowPosition method affects the position of the console window relative to the screen buffer, but does not affect the position of the operating system window relative to the desktop.

The console and operating system windows generally do not affect each other. However, if the screen buffer cannot be displayed in the current boundaries of the console window, the operating system automatically appends scroll bars to the operating system window. In that case, moving the operating system window scroll bars affects the position of the console window, and moving the console window with the SetWindowPosition method affects the position of the operating system window scroll bars.