Console::Beep Method (Int32, Int32)

.NET Framework (current version)

Plays the sound of a beep of a specified frequency and duration through the console speaker.

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

Syntax

public:
[HostProtectionAttribute(SecurityAction::LinkDemand, UI = true)]
static void Beep(
	int frequency,
	int duration
)

Parameters

frequency: Type: System::Int32
The frequency of the beep, ranging from 37 to 32767 hertz.

duration: Type: System::Int32
The duration of the beep measured in milliseconds.

Exceptions

Exception	Condition
ArgumentOutOfRangeException	frequency is less than 37 or more than 32767 hertz. -or- duration is less than or equal to zero.
HostProtectionException	This method was executed on a server, such as SQL Server, that does not permit access to the console.

Beep wraps a call to the Windows Beep function. Whether Beep produces a sound on versions of Windows before Windows 7 depends on the presence of a 8254 programmable interval timer chip. Starting with Windows 7, it depends on the default sound device.

Note
The Beep method is not supported on the 64-bit editions of Windows Vista and Windows XP.

Win9xFamily

The frequency and duration parameters are ignored for these operating systems.

Examples

This example demonstrates the Beep method by playing the first few notes of a song through the console speaker.

C++

// This example demonstrates the Console.Beep(Int32, Int32) method
using namespace System;
using namespace System::Threading;
ref class Sample
{
protected:

   // Define the frequencies of notes in an octave, as well as 
   // silence (rest).
   enum class Tone
   {
      REST = 0,
      GbelowC = 196,
      A = 220,
      Asharp = 233,
      B = 247,
      C = 262,
      Csharp = 277,
      D = 294,
      Dsharp = 311,
      E = 330,
      F = 349,
      Fsharp = 370,
      G = 392,
      Gsharp = 415
   };


   // Define the duration of a note in units of milliseconds.
   enum class Duration
   {
      WHOLE = 1600,
      HALF = Duration::WHOLE / 2,
      QUARTER = Duration::HALF / 2,
      EIGHTH = Duration::QUARTER / 2,
      SIXTEENTH = Duration::EIGHTH / 2
   };


public:

   // Define a note as a frequency (tone) and the amount of 
   // time (duration) the note plays.
   value struct Note
   {
   public:
      Tone toneVal;
      Duration durVal;

      // Define a constructor to create a specific note.
      Note( Tone frequency, Duration time )
      {
         toneVal = frequency;
         durVal = time;
      }


      property Tone NoteTone 
      {

         // Define properties to return the note's tone and duration.
         Tone get()
         {
            return toneVal;
         }

      }

      property Duration NoteDuration 
      {
         Duration get()
         {
            return durVal;
         }

      }

   };


protected:

   // Play the notes in a song.
   static void Play( array<Note>^ tune )
   {
      System::Collections::IEnumerator^ myEnum = tune->GetEnumerator();
      while ( myEnum->MoveNext() )
      {
         Note n =  *safe_cast<Note ^>(myEnum->Current);
         if ( n.NoteTone == Tone::REST )
                  Thread::Sleep( (int)n.NoteDuration );
         else
                  Console::Beep( (int)n.NoteTone, (int)n.NoteDuration );
      }
   }


public:
   static void Main()
   {

      // Declare the first few notes of the song, "Mary Had A Little Lamb".
      array<Note>^ Mary = {Note( Tone::B, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::A, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::GbelowC, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::A, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::B, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::B, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::B, Duration::HALF ),Note( Tone::A, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::A, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::A, Duration::HALF ),Note( Tone::B, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::D, Duration::QUARTER ),Note( Tone::D, Duration::HALF )};

      // Play the song
      Play( Mary );
   }

};

int main()
{
   Sample::Main();
}

/*
This example produces the following results:

This example plays the first few notes of "Mary Had A Little Lamb" 
through the console speaker.
*/

Version Information

.NET Framework
Available since 2.0