C Programming Central

1. How do I change my code into a program?
2. How do I add color to my DOS console program?
3. How do I pause my program and wait until enter is pressed?
4. How do I execute another program in my program?

1. How do I change my code into a program?
You need to compile the code. You do this with a compiler, see the compilers page.[back to top]

2. How do I add color to my DOS console program?
Add this code to the beginning of the function to use color in:

HANDLE h = GetStdHandle ( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE );
WORD wOldColorAttrs;
CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO csbiInfo;
GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(h, &csbiInfo);
wOldColorAttrs = csbiInfo.wAttributes;

Then add this code to change your text color:

SetConsoleTextAttribute ( h, FOREGROUND_COLOR-HERE | FOREGROUND_INTENSITY );

Or this code to change your background:

SetConsoleTextAttribute ( h, BACKGROUND_COLOR-HERE | BACKGROUND_INTENSITY );

Colors to choose from:

RED
GREEN
BLUE

To change back to white on black (or whatever the color was when you used the first bit of code):

SetConsoleTextAttribute ( h, wOldColorAttrs);
[back to top]

3. How can I pause my program and wait until enter is pressed?
There are a few ways. First is getchar() which is in stdio.h, next is getch() in conio.h, or if yourworing in DOS you can use system("pause") in stdio.h.[back to top]

4. How do I execute another program in my program?
To execute anotther program you use system() in stdio.h which sends a command to the operating system. For example, in DOS you would use system("program-name") in *nix you would use system("./program-name").[back to top]

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