So pretty straightforward question. I have a c# .dll with a whole lot of Console.Writeline code and would like to be able to view that output in a forms application using this .dll. Is there a relatively easy way of binding the console output to a RichEdit (or other suitable control)? Alternatively, can I embed an actual console shell within the form? I have found a few somewhat similar questions but in most cases people wanted to be able to recieve console input, which for me is not necessary.
Thanks.
You can use Console.SetOut() to redirect the output. Here's a sample form that demonstrates the approach. Drop a RichTextBox and a button on the form.
public partial class Form1 : Form {
public Form1() {
InitializeComponent();
button1.Click += button1_Click;
Console.SetOut(new MyLogger(richTextBox1));
}
class MyLogger : System.IO.TextWriter {
private RichTextBox rtb;
public MyLogger(RichTextBox rtb) { this.rtb = rtb; }
public override Encoding Encoding { get { return null; } }
public override void Write(char value) {
if (value != '\r') rtb.AppendText(new string(value, 1));
}
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) {
Console.WriteLine(DateTime.Now);
}
}
I assume it won't be very fast but looked okay when I tried it. You could optimize by overriding more methods.
IMO, it would be better to refactor the existing code, replacing the existing Console.WriteLine to some central method in your code, and then repoint this method, presumably by supplying another TextWriter:
private static TextWriter output = Console.Out;
public static TextWriter Output {
get {return output;}
set {output = value ?? Console.Out;}
}
public static void WriteLine(string value) {
output.WriteLine(value);
}
public static void WriteLine(string format, params string[] args) {
output.WriteLine(format, args);
}
Or (simpler and less hacky re a static field), simply pass a TextWriter into your existing code and write to that?
Related
Problem: I want to write the same message to a textbox control that I am writing to a log file.
I have a windows form (Form1.cs) that calls a crosscutting class of static methods. In each of the crosscutting methods, they call WriteLogEntry to update a log file of what they are doing. I'd like to send back an event to Form1 so I can write the same log message to a control on the form.
I have looked at events but do not understand enough to make sense of the examples and have not found a simple enough example to do what I want. Can someone show me a simiple example of how to add an event to my code to accomplish this?
namespace MainForm
{
public delegate void MyDel(string str);
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public event MyDel MyEvent;
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
MyEvent += new MyDel(WriteSomething);
Crosscutting.DoSomething();
}
public void WriteSomething(string message)
{
Console.WriteLine(message);
}
}
//Crosscutting.cs
public class Crosscutting
{
private static void WriteLogEntry(string message)
{
// Code to write message to log file.
}
public static void DoSomething()
{
WriteSomething obj = new WriteSomething();
// Code to do something.
WriteLogEntry("I'm doing something");
}
}
}
After not being able to figure out how to use a delegate to get back to the form, I tried another way. By creating an instance of Form1 on "MyClass", I was able to use a public method to write back to the form. Not the way I wanted, but it is a way to get it done for now. If anyone can explain how to do this a better way, please do so.
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
private string message = string.Empty;
public static Form1 form;
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
form = this;
}
public void UpdateTextBox(string message)
{
textBox1.Text += message + Environment.NewLine;
this.Update();
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
var myClass = new MyClass();
myClass.DoSomething();
}
}
public class MyClass
{
public void DoSomething()
{
Log("I did something");
}
private void Log(string message)
{
Console.WriteLine(message);
Form1.form.UpdateTextBox(message);
}
}
I'm trying to add a "log" message from my class to a ListBox on my form. Within the form I would just be able to use lblog.add("message"), but as I'm trying to clean up my code, what is the best way to pass the "message" to the front end?
I found a suggestion that has the code below, but wondering if there is a simpler way?
Form:
// This is all required so that we can call the function from another class
public void publicLogMessage(string message)
{
if (InvokeRequired)
{
Invoke(new OutputDelegate(logMessage), message);
}
}
public delegate void OutputDelegate(string message);
public void logMessage(string message)
{
lblog.Items.Add(DateTime.Now + " " + message);
}
Class:
//This is required so that we can call the "PublicLogMessage" function on the main form
public frmMain formToOutput;
public speechRecognition(frmMain f)
{
formToOutput = f;
}
Usage:
formToOutput.logMessage
You now have a pretty tight coupling between your algorithm and your ouput method. Your algorithm knows all about your output method (for example that it's a form with a specific signature).
I would suggest decoupling it:
private readonly Action<string> log;
public speechRecognition(Action<string> log)
{
this.log = log;
}
public void DoWork()
{
this.log("work started");
// ...
this.log("work in progress");
// ...
this.log("work ended");
}
This class knows nothing about the logging method. It only knows it gets a string. The class controlling both the output method (form) and algorithm (class above) can then link them together:
var form = new YourFormWithLoggingWindow();
var algorithm = new speechRecognition(form.publicLogMessage);
Now the algorithm will log to the form. You could have called it using
var algorithm = new speechRecognition(Console.WriteLine);
and it would log to the console in a Console Application. The algorithm does not care and does not need your form to compile. It's independent. Your form does not know the algorithm either. It's independent, too.
You could even have unit testing that checks the logging:
var log = new List<string>();
var algorithm = new speechRecognition(log.Add);
algorithm.DoWork();
Assert.AreEqual(log.Count, 3);
Use if/else when using InvokeRequired, I don't think there are other optimizations at the moment.
public void publicLogMessage(string message)
{
if (InvokeRequired)
Invoke(new OutputDelegate(logMessage), message);
else
logMessage(message);
}
public delegate void OutputDelegate(string message);
private void logMessage(string message)
{
lblog.Items.Add(DateTime.Now + " " + message);
}
private void listboxlrm(byte[] text)
{
if (this.listBox2.InvokeRequired)
{
SetTextCallback d = new SetTextCallback(listboxlrm);
this.Invoke(d, new object[] { text });
}
else
{
byte[] convert = new byte[text[4]];
Array.Copy(text, 6, convert, 0, text[4]);
string yourtext = System.Text.Encoding.UTF8.GetString(convert);
this.listBox2.Items.Insert(0, string.Format(yourtext));
}
}
I am using that method.... If you use insert always add the top.
Guten Tag!
The problem is: I have some code which prints some text messages via Console class on terminal (command line window). I need this info to be placed in two 'containers' - terminal and text file.
Is there a way of adding output stream to Console class in order to make it output data not only on terminal?
It'd be grate if I wont need to change existing code too much (there are a lot of places where Console.Write() and Console.WriteLine() are used).
This is not a full implementation but it should be enough to get you started down the path you seek.
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
DualOut.Init();
Console.WriteLine("Hello");
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
public static class DualOut
{
private static TextWriter _current;
private class OutputWriter : TextWriter
{
public override Encoding Encoding
{
get
{
return _current.Encoding;
}
}
public override void WriteLine(string value)
{
_current.WriteLine(value);
File.WriteAllLines("Output.txt", new string[] { value });
}
}
public static void Init()
{
_current = Console.Out;
Console.SetOut(new OutputWriter());
}
}
If you run this code you will see that "Hello" is printed to both the console and to the file "Output.txt"
You can't do it without changing your code. Simply create another class, for example "MyConsole" and add static methods "Write()" and "WriteLine()" to it. Internally call Console.Write() and Console.WriteLine() methods from your created methods. Also call methods that write text to a file from your methods. Then use your MyConsole class instead of Console for output data. Visual Studio Find/Replace feature will help you changing your code.
You should use StreamWriter. It requires minimum additional code.
Follow this example and it will work.
you need to type " using System.IO" in order for this code to work. Don't forget to write it.
the "YourTextFile.txt" needs the .txt.
In order to see the results in you text file, you need to go to the actual folder in your computer, and open the Text file from there. The text file in Visual Studio will appear empty.
( e.g. c:/documents/visualstudio/projects/ConsoleApplication1/bin/debug/YourTextFile.txt)
Solution
First Create a text file YourTextFile.txt in Visual Studio. Then in the Solution Explorer menu to the right, click on YourTextFile in order to see the Properties below the Solution Explorer. Change the property "Copy to Output Directory" from "Do Not Copy" to "Copy Always". (This is an absolute must)
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.IO;
namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
class Answer
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
string text = "This text will appear on your console and be saved in the txt file";
Console.WriteLine(text);
StreamWriter saveText = new StreamWriter("YourTextFile.txt");
saveText.WriteLine(text);
saveText.Close();
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}
This should do the job. I don't know what your output in the console looks like, but if it is not just one line, and there are multiple Console.Writelines giving output to the console, then you can use while and if, to check every line of the console and if it is not null to write it out. e.g. while (line != null) followed byif (line != null)(assuming you set "line" to equal the output in your console)
I can't get the post by iamkrillin to work.
But the following does work:
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
ConsoleFileOutput cf = new ConsoleFileOutput("Output.txt", Console.Out);
Console.SetOut(cf);
Console.WriteLine("0ne");
Console.WriteLine("two");
Console.WriteLine("three");
cf.Close();
}
public class ConsoleFileOutput : TextWriter
{
#region Fields
private Encoding encoding = Encoding.UTF8;
private StreamWriter writer;
private TextWriter console;
#endregion
#region Properties
public override Encoding Encoding
{
get
{
return encoding;
}
}
#endregion
#region Constructors
public ConsoleFileOutput(string filePath, TextWriter console, Encoding encoding = null)
{
if (encoding != null)
{
this.encoding = encoding;
}
this.console = console;
this.writer = new StreamWriter(filePath, false, this.encoding);
this.writer.AutoFlush = true;
}
#endregion
#region Overrides
public override void Write(string value)
{
Console.SetOut(console);
Console.Write(value);
Console.SetOut(this);
this.writer.Write(value);
}
public override void WriteLine(string value)
{
Console.SetOut(console);
Console.WriteLine(value);
this.writer.WriteLine(value);
Console.SetOut(this);
}
public override void Flush()
{
this.writer.Flush();
}
public override void Close()
{
this.writer.Close();
}
#endregion
#region IDisposable
new public void Dispose()
{
this.writer.Flush();
this.writer.Close();
this.writer.Dispose();
base.Dispose();
}
#endregion
}
}
So, my overall goal with this code is to set the text property of labels, from a different thread (in a safe manner).
namespace csDinger3
{
public delegate void setlblStarted_txt(string text);
public partial class ClientUI : Form
{
public void setlblStarted_txt(string text)
{
var setlblStarted a = new setlblStarted(setlblStarted_txt);
if (this.lblStarted.InvokeRequired)
{
this.Invoke(a, new object[] { text });
}
else
{
this.lblStarted.Text = text;
}
}
}
}
Calling code:
namespace csDinger3
{
public class Program
{
// Some code that's not relevant
public static void updateText(Int32 number)
{
setlblStarted x = new setlblStarted(ClientUI.setlblStarted_txt);
x(number.ToString());
}
}
}
From what I can understand (and please correct me if I'm wrong), I need to create a new instance of setlblStarted_txt, point that new instance at method setlblStarted_txt, but the issue is currently ClientUI.setlblStarted_txt isn't static, and wants an object reference.
I've tried using ClientUI c = new ClientUI();, but that doesn't work (because it's creating a new instance of the form?)
What am I doing wrong, and if possible, can you help me understand why?
In .Net 4.0, you can use actions:
if (InvokeRequired)
{
Invoke(new Action<string>(updateText), "some text");
}
else
{
updateText("some text");
}
Also, void updateText(string text) does not need to be static.
As I understand, you are trying to use MethodInvoker delegate to update your text. I suggest you to change this approach to simplify your code:
namespace csDinger3
{
public class Program
{
static ClientUI aForm;
static void Main()
{
aForm = new ClientUI();
aForm.Show();
}
// Some code that's not relevant
public static void updateText(Int32 number)
{
aForm.setlblStarted_txt(number.ToString());
}
public partial class ClientUI : Form
{
public void setlblStarted_txt(string text)
{
if (lblStarted.InvokeRequired)
{
Invoke(new EventHandler(delegate
{
lblStarted.Text = text
}));
}
else
{
lblStarted.Text = text;
}
}
You can achieve the same behaviour with using the ThreadPool or SynchronizationContext or Dispatcher (in WPF). Please see this tutorial for better understanding:
Beginners Guide to Threading in .NET: Part 5 of n
Understanding SynchronizationContext (Part I)
It's All About the SynchronizationContext
I was wondering if anyone could explain why when I use the following code I get different results. For further explaination, I'm using a dll that was created in C#, it's an rcon framework. The richtextbox displays 3 lines then will not display anymore whereas my debug console continues to get data from my rcon connection.
I'm using:
Private Shared Sub HandleMessage(args As BattlEyeMessageEventArgs)
Debug.WriteLine(args.Message)
Form1.RichTextBox3.AppendText(args.Message & vbNewLine)
Form1.RichTextBox3.SelectionStart = Form1.RichTextBox3.TextLength
If args.Message = "Connected!" Then
Form1.Button3.Enabled = True
End If
End Sub
If it helps, here's the C# code for the EventHandler:
using System;
namespace BattleNET
{
public delegate void BattlEyeMessageEventHandler(BattlEyeMessageEventArgs args);
public class BattlEyeMessageEventArgs : EventArgs
{
public BattlEyeMessageEventArgs(string message)
{
Message = message;
}
public string Message { get; private set; }
}
}
private delegate void UpdateRichTextBox3Delegate(RichTextBox3 textBox, string text);
private void UpdateRichTextBox3(RichTextBox3 textBox, string text){
if(textBox.InvokeRequired){
textBox.Invoke(new UpdateRichTextBox3Delegate(UpdateRichTextBox3),new object[]{textBox, text});
return;
}
textBox.AppendText(String.format("{0}{1}", text,Environment.NewLine));
}
Check if RichTextBox3 doesn't require to be invoked first before updating it.
call UpdateRichTextBox3(Form1.RichTextBox3, "some text to append");