Console.TreatControlCAsInput Property

Definition

Namespace:

System

Assembly:

System.Console.dll

Source:

Console.cs

Gets or sets a value indicating whether the combination of the Control modifier key and C console key (Ctrl+C) is treated as ordinary input or as an interruption that is handled by the operating system.

public:
 static property bool TreatControlCAsInput { bool get(); void set(bool value); };

[System.Runtime.Versioning.UnsupportedOSPlatform("browser")]
[System.Runtime.Versioning.UnsupportedOSPlatform("android")]
[System.Runtime.Versioning.UnsupportedOSPlatform("ios")]
[System.Runtime.Versioning.UnsupportedOSPlatform("tvos")]
public static bool TreatControlCAsInput { get; set; }

[<System.Runtime.Versioning.UnsupportedOSPlatform("browser")>]
[<System.Runtime.Versioning.UnsupportedOSPlatform("android")>]
[<System.Runtime.Versioning.UnsupportedOSPlatform("ios")>]
[<System.Runtime.Versioning.UnsupportedOSPlatform("tvos")>]
static member TreatControlCAsInput : bool with get, set

Public Shared Property TreatControlCAsInput As Boolean

Property Value

Boolean

true if Ctrl+C is treated as ordinary input; otherwise, false.

Attributes

UnsupportedOSPlatformAttribute

Exceptions

IOException

Unable to get or set the input mode of the console input buffer.

Examples

The following example demonstrates the TreatControlCAsInput property.

using namespace System;

void main()
{
   ConsoleKeyInfo cki;
   // Prevent example from ending if CTL+C is pressed.
   Console::TreatControlCAsInput = true;

   Console::WriteLine("Press any combination of CTL, ALT, and SHIFT, and a console key.");
   Console::WriteLine("Press the Escape (Esc) key to quit: \n");
   do 
   {
      cki = Console::ReadKey();
      Console::Write(" --- You pressed ");
      if((cki.Modifiers & ConsoleModifiers::Alt) != ConsoleModifiers()) Console::Write("ALT+");
      if((cki.Modifiers & ConsoleModifiers::Shift) != ConsoleModifiers()) Console::Write("SHIFT+");
      if((cki.Modifiers & ConsoleModifiers::Control) != ConsoleModifiers()) Console::Write("CTL+");
      Console::WriteLine(cki.Key.ToString());
   } while (cki.Key != ConsoleKey::Escape);
}
// This example displays output similar to the following:
//       Press any combination of CTL, ALT, and SHIFT, and a console key.
//       Press the Escape (Esc) key to quit:
//       
//       a --- You pressed A 
//       k --- You pressed ALT+K 
//       ► --- You pressed CTL+P 
//         --- You pressed RightArrow 
//       R --- You pressed SHIFT+R 
//                --- You pressed CTL+I 
//       j --- You pressed ALT+J 
//       O --- You pressed SHIFT+O 
//       § --- You pressed CTL+U }

using System;

class Example
{
   public static void Main()
   {
      ConsoleKeyInfo cki;
      // Prevent example from ending if CTL+C is pressed.
      Console.TreatControlCAsInput = true;

      Console.WriteLine("Press any combination of CTL, ALT, and SHIFT, and a console key.");
      Console.WriteLine("Press the Escape (Esc) key to quit: \n");
      do
      {
         cki = Console.ReadKey();
         Console.Write(" --- You pressed ");
         if((cki.Modifiers & ConsoleModifiers.Alt) != 0) Console.Write("ALT+");
         if((cki.Modifiers & ConsoleModifiers.Shift) != 0) Console.Write("SHIFT+");
         if((cki.Modifiers & ConsoleModifiers.Control) != 0) Console.Write("CTL+");
         Console.WriteLine(cki.Key.ToString());
       } while (cki.Key != ConsoleKey.Escape);
    }
}
// This example displays output similar to the following:
//       Press any combination of CTL, ALT, and SHIFT, and a console key.
//       Press the Escape (Esc) key to quit:
//
//       a --- You pressed A
//       k --- You pressed ALT+K
//       ► --- You pressed CTL+P
//         --- You pressed RightArrow
//       R --- You pressed SHIFT+R
//                --- You pressed CTL+I
//       j --- You pressed ALT+J
//       O --- You pressed SHIFT+O
//       § --- You pressed CTL+U

open System

// Prevent example from ending if CTL+C is pressed.
Console.TreatControlCAsInput <- true

printfn "Press any combination of CTL, ALT, and SHIFT, and a console key."
printfn "Press the Escape (Esc) key to quit: \n"

let mutable cki = Unchecked.defaultof<ConsoleKeyInfo>

while cki.Key <> ConsoleKey.Escape do
    cki <- Console.ReadKey()
    printf " --- You pressed "
    if int (cki.Modifiers &&& ConsoleModifiers.Alt) <> 0 then printf "ALT+"
    if int (cki.Modifiers &&& ConsoleModifiers.Shift) <> 0 then printf "SHIFT+"
    if int (cki.Modifiers &&& ConsoleModifiers.Control) <> 0 then printf "CTL+"
    printfn $"{cki.Key}"


// This example displays output similar to the following:
//       Press any combination of CTL, ALT, and SHIFT, and a console key.
//       Press the Escape (Esc) key to quit:
//
//       a --- You pressed A
//       k --- You pressed ALT+K
//       ► --- You pressed CTL+P
//         --- You pressed RightArrow
//       R --- You pressed SHIFT+R
//                --- You pressed CTL+I
//       j --- You pressed ALT+J
//       O --- You pressed SHIFT+O
//       § --- You pressed CTL+U

Class Example
   Public Shared Sub Main()
      Dim cki As ConsoleKeyInfo
      ' Prevent example from ending if CTL+C is pressed.
      Console.TreatControlCAsInput = True

      Console.WriteLine("Press any combination of CTL, ALT, and SHIFT, and a console key.")
      Console.WriteLine("Press the Escape (Esc) key to quit: " + vbCrLf)
      Do
         cki = Console.ReadKey()
         Console.Write(" --- You pressed ")
         If (cki.Modifiers And ConsoleModifiers.Alt) <> 0 Then Console.Write("ALT+")
         If (cki.Modifiers And ConsoleModifiers.Shift) <> 0 Then Console.Write("SHIFT+")
         If (cki.Modifiers And ConsoleModifiers.Control) <> 0 Then Console.Write("CTL+")
         Console.WriteLine(cki.Key.ToString)
      Loop While cki.Key <> ConsoleKey.Escape
   End Sub 
End Class 
' This example displays output similar to the following:
'       Press any combination of CTL, ALT, and SHIFT, and a console key.
'       Press the Escape (Esc) key to quit:
'       
'       a --- You pressed A 
'       k --- You pressed ALT+K 
'       ► --- You pressed CTL+P 
'         --- You pressed RightArrow 
'       R --- You pressed SHIFT+R 
'                --- You pressed CTL+I 
'       j --- You pressed ALT+J 
'       O --- You pressed SHIFT+O 
'       § --- You pressed CTL+U

Remarks

If the value of the TreatControlCAsInput property is false and Ctrl+C is pressed, the pressed keys are not stored in the input buffer and the operating system terminates the currently executing process. This is the default value.

Caution

Use this property judiciously because setting it to true has such a dramatic effect. Most users expect Ctrl+C to terminate a console application. If you disable the effect of Ctrl+C, the user must remember to use Ctrl+Break to terminate the application, which is a less familiar key combination.

See also

• Control
• C
• CancelKeyPress