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.NET Development
.NET Framework 3.5
System Namespace
Console Class
 BackgroundColor Property
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This page is specific to
Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:
.NET Framework Class Library
Console..::.BackgroundColor Property

Gets or sets the background color of the console.

Namespace:  System
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Shared Property BackgroundColor As ConsoleColor
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim value As ConsoleColor

value = Console.BackgroundColor

Console.BackgroundColor = value
C#
public static ConsoleColor BackgroundColor { get; set; }
Visual C++
public:
static property ConsoleColor BackgroundColor {
    ConsoleColor get ();
    void set (ConsoleColor value);
}
JScript
public static function get BackgroundColor () : ConsoleColor
public static function set BackgroundColor (value : ConsoleColor)

Property Value

Type: System..::.ConsoleColor
A ConsoleColor that specifies the background color of the console; that is, the color that appears behind each character. The default is black.
ExceptionCondition
ArgumentException

The color specified in a set operation is not a valid member of System..::.ConsoleColor.

SecurityException

The user does not have permission to perform this action.

IOException

An I/O error occurred.

A get operation for a Windows-based application, in which a console does not exist, returns Black.

The following example demonstrates the System..::.ConsoleColor enumeration in conjunction with the Console..::.ForegroundColor and Console..::.BackgroundColor properties, and the Console..::.ResetColor method. You must run the example on a console to see the described color effects.

Two constants in the example, Black and White, are specified explicitly and all the other constants (Blue, DarkRed, and so on) are specified indirectly. First the names of the constants are obtained by using the GetNames method, which is inherited from the Enum class. Then the Enum..::.Parse method uses each name to create the corresponding enumerated constant.

Visual Basic
Public Module Example
   Public Sub Main()
      ' Get a string array with the names of ConsoleColor enumeration members.
      Dim colorNames() As String = ConsoleColor.GetNames(GetType(ConsoleColor))

      ' Display each foreground color except black on a constant black background.
      Console.WriteLine("All the foreground colors (except Black) on a constant black background:")

      For Each colorName As String In colorNames
         ' Convert the string representing the enum name to the enum value.
         Dim color As ConsoleColor = CType(System.Enum.Parse(GetType(ConsoleColor), _
                                                colorName), ConsoleColor)

         If color = ConsoleColor.Black Then Continue For

         Console.Write("{0,11}: ", colorName)
         Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black
         Console.ForegroundColor = color
         Console.WriteLine("This is foreground color {0}.", colorName)
         ' Restore the original foreground and background colors.
         Console.ResetColor()
      Next 
      Console.WriteLine()

      ' Display each background color except white with a constant white foreground.
      Console.WriteLine("All the background colors (except White) with a constant white background:")

      For Each colorName As String In colorNames
         ' Convert the string representing the enum name to the enum value.
         Dim color As ConsoleColor = CType([Enum].Parse(GetType(ConsoleColor), _
                                                colorName), ConsoleColor)

         If color = ConsoleColor.White then Continue For
         Console.Write("{0,11}: ", colorName)
         Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White
         Console.BackgroundColor = color
         Console.WriteLine("This is background color {0}.", colorName)
         Console.ResetColor()
      Next
   End Sub
End Module
'The example displays the following output:
' All the foreground colors (except Black) on a constant black background:
'    DarkBlue: This is foreground color DarkBlue.
'   DarkGreen: This is foreground color DarkGreen.
'    DarkCyan: This is foreground color DarkCyan.
'     DarkRed: This is foreground color DarkRed.
' DarkMagenta: This is foreground color DarkMagenta.
'  DarkYellow: This is foreground color DarkYellow.
'        Gray: This is foreground color Gray.
'    DarkGray: This is foreground color DarkGray.
'        Blue: This is foreground color Blue.
'       Green: This is foreground color Green.
'        Cyan: This is foreground color Cyan.
'         Red: This is foreground color Red.
'     Magenta: This is foreground color Magenta.
'      Yellow: This is foreground color Yellow.
'       White: This is foreground color White.
' 
' All the background colors (except White) with a constant white background:
'       Black: This is background color Black.
'    DarkBlue: This is background color DarkBlue.
'   DarkGreen: This is background color DarkGreen.
'    DarkCyan: This is background color DarkCyan.
'     DarkRed: This is background color DarkRed.
' DarkMagenta: This is background color DarkMagenta.
'  DarkYellow: This is background color DarkYellow.
'        Gray: This is background color Gray.
'    DarkGray: This is background color DarkGray.
'        Blue: This is background color Blue.
'       Green: This is background color Green.
'        Cyan: This is background color Cyan.
'         Red: This is background color Red.
'     Magenta: This is background color Magenta.
'      Yellow: This is background color Yellow.
C#
using System;

class Example
{
   public static void Main() 
   {
      // Get a string array with the names of ConsoleColor enumeration members.
      String[] colorNames = ConsoleColor.GetNames(typeof(ConsoleColor));

      // Display each foreground color except black on a constant black background.
      Console.WriteLine("All the foreground colors (except Black) on a constant black background:");

      foreach (string colorName in colorNames)
      {
         // Convert the string representing the enum name to the enum value.
         ConsoleColor color = (ConsoleColor) Enum.Parse(typeof(ConsoleColor), colorName);

         if (color == ConsoleColor.Black) continue;

         Console.Write("{0,11}: ", colorName);
         Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
         Console.ForegroundColor = color;
         Console.WriteLine("This is foreground color {0}.", colorName);
         // Restore the original foreground and background colors.
         Console.ResetColor();
      }
      Console.WriteLine();

      // Display each background color except white with a constant white foreground.
      Console.WriteLine("All the background colors (except White) with a constant white background:");

      foreach (string colorName in colorNames)
      {
         // Convert the string representing the enum name to the enum value.
         ConsoleColor color = (ConsoleColor) Enum.Parse(typeof(ConsoleColor), colorName);

         if (color == ConsoleColor.White) continue;

         Console.Write("{0,11}: ", colorName);
         Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White;
         Console.BackgroundColor = (ConsoleColor) Enum.Parse(typeof(ConsoleColor), colorName);
         Console.WriteLine("This is background color {0}.", colorName);
         Console.ResetColor();
      }
   }
}
//The example displays the following output:
// All the foreground colors (except Black) on a constant black background:
//    DarkBlue: This is foreground color DarkBlue.
//   DarkGreen: This is foreground color DarkGreen.
//    DarkCyan: This is foreground color DarkCyan.
//     DarkRed: This is foreground color DarkRed.
// DarkMagenta: This is foreground color DarkMagenta.
//  DarkYellow: This is foreground color DarkYellow.
//        Gray: This is foreground color Gray.
//    DarkGray: This is foreground color DarkGray.
//        Blue: This is foreground color Blue.
//       Green: This is foreground color Green.
//        Cyan: This is foreground color Cyan.
//         Red: This is foreground color Red.
//     Magenta: This is foreground color Magenta.
//      Yellow: This is foreground color Yellow.
//       White: This is foreground color White.
// 
// All the background colors (except White) with a constant white background:
//       Black: This is background color Black.
//    DarkBlue: This is background color DarkBlue.
//   DarkGreen: This is background color DarkGreen.
//    DarkCyan: This is background color DarkCyan.
//     DarkRed: This is background color DarkRed.
// DarkMagenta: This is background color DarkMagenta.
//  DarkYellow: This is background color DarkYellow.
//        Gray: This is background color Gray.
//    DarkGray: This is background color DarkGray.
//        Blue: This is background color Blue.
//       Green: This is background color Green.
//        Cyan: This is background color Cyan.
//         Red: This is background color Red.
//     Magenta: This is background color Magenta.
//      Yellow: This is background color Yellow.

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0
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