Console.Out Property (System)

.NET Framework Class Library

Console..::.Out Property

Updated: May 2009

Gets the standard output stream.

Namespace: System
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

Public Shared ReadOnly Property Out As TextWriter

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim value As TextWriter

value = Console.Out

public static TextWriter Out { get; }

Visual C++

public:
static property TextWriter^ Out {
    TextWriter^ get ();
}

JScript

public static function get Out () : TextWriter

Property Value

Type: System.IO..::.TextWriter
A TextWriter that represents the standard output stream.

Remarks

This property is set to the standard output stream by default. This property can be set to another stream with the SetOut method.

Note that calls to Console.Out.WriteLine methods are equivalent to calls to the corresponding WriteLine methods.

Examples

The following example uses the Out property to display an array containing the names of files in the application's current directory to the standard output device. It then sets the standard output to a file named Files.txt and lists the array elements to the file. Finally, it sets the output to the standard output stream and again displays the array elements to the standard output device.

Visual Basic

Imports System.IO

Module Example
   Public Sub Main()
      ' Get all files in the current directory.
      Dim files() As String = Directory.GetFiles(".")
      Array.Sort(files)

      ' Display the files to the current output source to the console.
      Console.WriteLine("First display of filenames to the console:")
      Array.ForEach(files, Function(s) WriteOutput(s))   
      Console.Out.WriteLine()

      ' Redirect output to a file named Files.txt and write file list.
      Dim sw As StreamWriter = New StreamWriter(".\Files.txt")
      sw.AutoFlush = True
      Console.SetOut(sw)
      Console.Out.WriteLine("Display filenames to a file:")
      Array.ForEach(files, Function(s) WriteOutput(s))
      Console.Out.WriteLine()

      ' Close previous output stream and redirect output to standard output.
      Console.Out.Close()
      sw = New StreamWriter(Console.OpenStandardOutput())
      sw.AutoFlush = True
      Console.SetOut(sw)

      ' Display the files to the current output source to the console.
      Console.Out.WriteLine("Second display of filenames to the console:")
      Array.ForEach(files, Function(s) WriteOutput(s))   
   End Sub

   Private Function WriteOutput(s As String) As Boolean
      Console.Out.WriteLine(s)
      Return True
   End Function
End Module

using System;
using System.IO;

public class Example
{
   public static void Main()
   {
      // Get all files in the current directory.
      string[] files = Directory.GetFiles(".");
      Array.Sort(files);

      // Display the files to the current output source to the console.
      Console.WriteLine("First display of filenames to the console:");
      Array.ForEach(files, s => Console.Out.WriteLine(s));   
      Console.Out.WriteLine();

      // Redirect output to a file named Files.txt and write file list.
      StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter(@".\Files.txt");
      sw.AutoFlush = true;
      Console.SetOut(sw);
      Console.Out.WriteLine("Display filenames to a file:");
      Array.ForEach(files, s => Console.Out.WriteLine(s));   
      Console.Out.WriteLine();

      // Close previous output stream and redirect output to standard output.
      Console.Out.Close();
      sw = new StreamWriter(Console.OpenStandardOutput());
      sw.AutoFlush = true;
      Console.SetOut(sw);

      // Display the files to the current output source to the console.
      Console.Out.WriteLine("Second display of filenames to the console:");
      Array.ForEach(files, s => Console.Out.WriteLine(s));   
   }   
}

Platforms

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, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Xbox 360, Zune

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.

Version Information