_getch, _getwch
Gets a character from the console without echo.
int _getch( void ); wint_t _getwch( void );
The _getch and _getwch functions read a single character from the console without echoing the character. None of these functions can be used to read CTRL+C. When reading a function key or an arrow key, each function must be called twice; the first call returns 0 or 0xE0, and the second call returns the actual key code.
These functions lock the calling thread and are therefore thread-safe. For non-locking versions, see _getch_nolock, _getwch_nolock.
| Tchar.h routine | _UNICODE and _MBCS not defined | _MBCS defined | _UNICODE defined |
|---|---|---|---|
| _gettch | _getch | _getch | _getwch |
| Routine | Required header | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|
| _getch | <conio.h> | Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003 |
| _getwch | <conio.h> or <wchar.h> | Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003 |
For more compatibility information, see Compatibility in the Introduction.
// crt_getch.c
// compile with: /c
// This program reads characters from
// the keyboard until it receives a 'Y' or 'y'.
#include <conio.h>
#include <ctype.h>
int main( void )
{
int ch;
_cputs( "Type 'Y' when finished typing keys: " );
do
{
ch = _getch();
ch = toupper( ch );
} while( ch != 'Y' );
_putch( ch );
_putch( '\r' ); // Carriage return
_putch( '\n' ); // Line feed
}
Input
abcdey
Output
Type 'Y' when finished typing keys: Y
Not applicable. To call the standard C function, use PInvoke. For more information, see Platform Invoke Examples.
