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.NET Development
.NET Framework 3.5
System Namespace
Console Class
 CursorLeft 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..::.CursorLeft Property

Gets or sets the column position of the cursor within the buffer area.

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

value = Console.CursorLeft

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

Property Value

Type: System..::.Int32
The current position, in columns, of the cursor.
ExceptionCondition
ArgumentOutOfRangeException

The value in a set operation is less than zero.

-or-

The value in a set operation is greater than or equal to BufferWidth.

SecurityException

The user does not have permission to perform this action.

IOException

An I/O error occurred.

This example demonstrates the CursorLeft and CursorTop properties, and the SetCursorPosition and Clear methods. The example positions the cursor, which determines where the next write will occur, to draw a 5 character by 5 character rectangle using a combination of "+", "|", and "-" strings. Note that the rectangle could be drawn with fewer steps using a combination of other strings.

Visual Basic
' This example demonstrates the 
'     Console.CursorLeft and 
'     Console.CursorTop properties, and the
'     Console.SetCursorPosition and 
'     Console.Clear methods.
Imports System

Class Sample
   Protected Shared origRow As Integer
   Protected Shared origCol As Integer

   Protected Shared Sub WriteAt(s As String, x As Integer, y As Integer)
      Try
         Console.SetCursorPosition(origCol + x, origRow + y)
         Console.Write(s)
      Catch e As ArgumentOutOfRangeException
         Console.Clear()
         Console.WriteLine(e.Message)
      End Try
   End Sub 'WriteAt

   Public Shared Sub Main()
      ' Clear the screen, then save the top and left coordinates.
      Console.Clear()
      origRow = Console.CursorTop
      origCol = Console.CursorLeft

      ' Draw the left side of a 5x5 rectangle, from top to bottom.
      WriteAt("+", 0, 0)
      WriteAt("|", 0, 1)
      WriteAt("|", 0, 2)
      WriteAt("|", 0, 3)
      WriteAt("+", 0, 4)

      ' Draw the bottom side, from left to right.
      WriteAt("-", 1, 4) ' shortcut: WriteAt("---", 1, 4)
      WriteAt("-", 2, 4) ' ...
      WriteAt("-", 3, 4) ' ...
      WriteAt("+", 4, 4)

      ' Draw the right side, from bottom to top.
      WriteAt("|", 4, 3)
      WriteAt("|", 4, 2)
      WriteAt("|", 4, 1)
      WriteAt("+", 4, 0)

      ' Draw the top side, from right to left.
      WriteAt("-", 3, 0) ' shortcut: WriteAt("---", 1, 0)
      WriteAt("-", 2, 0) ' ...
      WriteAt("-", 1, 0) ' ...
      '
      WriteAt("All done!", 0, 6)
      Console.WriteLine()
   End Sub 'Main
End Class 'Sample
'
'This example produces the following results:
'
'+---+
'|   |
'|   |
'|   |
'+---+
'
'All done!
'

C#
// This example demonstrates the 
//     Console.CursorLeft and 
//     Console.CursorTop properties, and the
//     Console.SetCursorPosition and 
//     Console.Clear methods.
using System;

class Sample 
{
    protected static int origRow;
    protected static int origCol;

    protected static void WriteAt(string s, int x, int y)
    {
    try
        {
        Console.SetCursorPosition(origCol+x, origRow+y);
        Console.Write(s);
        }
    catch (ArgumentOutOfRangeException e)
        {
        Console.Clear();
        Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
        }
    }

    public static void Main() 
    {
// Clear the screen, then save the top and left coordinates.
    Console.Clear();
    origRow = Console.CursorTop;
    origCol = Console.CursorLeft;

// Draw the left side of a 5x5 rectangle, from top to bottom.
    WriteAt("+", 0, 0);
    WriteAt("|", 0, 1);
    WriteAt("|", 0, 2);
    WriteAt("|", 0, 3);
    WriteAt("+", 0, 4);

// Draw the bottom side, from left to right.
    WriteAt("-", 1, 4); // shortcut: WriteAt("---", 1, 4)
    WriteAt("-", 2, 4); // ...
    WriteAt("-", 3, 4); // ...
    WriteAt("+", 4, 4);

// Draw the right side, from bottom to top.
    WriteAt("|", 4, 3);
    WriteAt("|", 4, 2);
    WriteAt("|", 4, 1);
    WriteAt("+", 4, 0);

// Draw the top side, from right to left.
    WriteAt("-", 3, 0); // shortcut: WriteAt("---", 1, 0)
    WriteAt("-", 2, 0); // ...
    WriteAt("-", 1, 0); // ...
//
    WriteAt("All done!", 0, 6);
    Console.WriteLine();
    }
}
/*
This example produces the following results:

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

All done!

*/

Visual C++
// This example demonstrates the 
//     Console.CursorLeft and 
//     Console.CursorTop properties, and the
//     Console.SetCursorPosition and 
//     Console.Clear methods.
using namespace System;
int origRow;
int origCol;
void WriteAt( String^ s, int x, int y )
{
   try
   {
      Console::SetCursorPosition( origCol + x, origRow + y );
      Console::Write( s );
   }
   catch ( ArgumentOutOfRangeException^ e ) 
   {
      Console::Clear();
      Console::WriteLine( e->Message );
   }

}

int main()
{

   // Clear the screen, then save the top and left coordinates.
   Console::Clear();
   origRow = Console::CursorTop;
   origCol = Console::CursorLeft;

   // Draw the left side of a 5x5 rectangle, from top to bottom.
   WriteAt( "+", 0, 0 );
   WriteAt( "|", 0, 1 );
   WriteAt( "|", 0, 2 );
   WriteAt( "|", 0, 3 );
   WriteAt( "+", 0, 4 );

   // Draw the bottom side, from left to right.
   WriteAt( "-", 1, 4 ); // shortcut: WriteAt("---", 1, 4)
   WriteAt( "-", 2, 4 ); // ...
   WriteAt( "-", 3, 4 ); // ...
   WriteAt( "+", 4, 4 );

   // Draw the right side, from bottom to top.
   WriteAt( "|", 4, 3 );
   WriteAt( "|", 4, 2 );
   WriteAt( "|", 4, 1 );
   WriteAt( "+", 4, 0 );

   // Draw the top side, from right to left.
   WriteAt( "-", 3, 0 ); // shortcut: WriteAt("---", 1, 0)
   WriteAt( "-", 2, 0 ); // ...
   WriteAt( "-", 1, 0 ); // ...

   //
   WriteAt( "All done!", 0, 6 );
   Console::WriteLine();
}

/*
This example produces the following results:

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

All done!

*/

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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