I am writing a server app and I want it to be console based. I need the user to be able to input different commands, but at the same time there is a possibility that something will be output to the console while the user is writing. This messes the buffer up. Is there any clean way of doing this?
Thanks.
I started work on a test program to show how you could divide the console into an output area and an input area, where the input area is moved down as the output area expands with more output. It's not perfect yet, but you may be able to develop it into the answer you're looking for:
static int outCol, outRow, outHeight = 10;
static void Main(string[] args)
{
bool quit = false;
System.DateTime dt = DateTime.Now;
do
{
if (Console.KeyAvailable)
{
if (Console.ReadKey(false).Key == ConsoleKey.Escape)
quit = true;
}
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(0);
if (DateTime.Now.Subtract(dt).TotalSeconds > .1)
{
dt = DateTime.Now;
WriteOut(dt.ToString(" ss.ff"), false);
}
} while (!quit);
}
static void WriteOut(string msg, bool appendNewLine)
{
int inCol, inRow;
inCol = Console.CursorLeft;
inRow = Console.CursorTop;
int outLines = getMsgRowCount(outCol, msg) + (appendNewLine?1:0);
int outBottom = outRow + outLines;
if (outBottom > outHeight)
outBottom = outHeight;
if (inRow <= outBottom)
{
int scrollCount = outBottom - inRow + 1;
Console.MoveBufferArea(0, inRow, Console.BufferWidth, 1, 0, inRow + scrollCount);
inRow += scrollCount;
}
if (outRow + outLines > outHeight)
{
int scrollCount = outRow + outLines - outHeight;
Console.MoveBufferArea(0, scrollCount, Console.BufferWidth, outHeight - scrollCount, 0, 0);
outRow -= scrollCount;
Console.SetCursorPosition(outCol, outRow);
}
Console.SetCursorPosition(outCol, outRow);
if (appendNewLine)
Console.WriteLine(msg);
else
Console.Write(msg);
outCol = Console.CursorLeft;
outRow = Console.CursorTop;
Console.SetCursorPosition(inCol, inRow);
}
static int getMsgRowCount(int startCol, string msg)
{
string[] lines = msg.Split('\n');
int result = 0;
foreach (string line in lines)
{
result += (startCol + line.Length) / Console.BufferWidth;
startCol = 0;
}
return result + lines.Length - 1;
}
Personally i would use event handlers to managed a console that handles both input and outup at the same time, create a class ScreenManager or whatever, inside that class add a void RunProgram() mthod, create an event with handler and required variables for reading the input key "Console.ReadKey(bool).key".
static Consolekey newKey;
on your main program, creat an instance of your class "whatev you called it", then create a thread of that instances internal method, Thread coreThread = new Thread(delegate() {myinstance.myProgramMrthod()});
loop in your main until the threads up and running. while (!Thread.IsAlive) ;
then create the main program loop.
while (true)
{
}
then for safty, join your custom thread so the main program doesnt continue until the custom thread is closed/disposed.
customThread.Join();
you now have two threads running seperatly.
back to your class, create a switch inside your event handler method.
switch (newkey)
{
case Consolekey.enter
Console.WriteLine("enter pressed");
break;
ect, ect.
default:
Console.write(newkey); // writes character key that dont match above conditions to the screen.
break;
}
stick allyour logic inhere with how you want to handle keys.
How to use multiple modifier keys in C#
might be of some help.
inside your instance's method RunProgram() or whatev you choose to call it, after you've done whatever code you need to, create an infinite loop to check for key change.
while (true)
{
newKey = Console.ReadKey(true).Key;
if (newKey != oldKey)
{
KeyChange.Invoke();
}
}
this loop stores any key pressed and then checks to see if theres a new key, if true fires the event.
you now have the core of what your looking for, one string that loops askng for a new key, whilst the main loop is free to display whatever text you wish to display.
two fixable bugs with this that i can think of, one is "default" inside switch will print to console in caps or strings. and the other is any text added to the console is added at the cursor point so it adds to the text the user has just input.
hwoever i will, since i've just made it, how you have to manager the text been added to the console. again im using an event. i could use methods and functions throughout but events add move flexability to the program, i think.
okay so we want to be able to add text to the console, without it upsetting the input we enter. keeping the input at the bottom;
create a new delegate that has a signiture with a string argument, void delegate myDelegate(string Arg). then create an event with this delegate, call it newline, newinput, whatev you like.
the events handler will take a string argument (repersenting the console update text: what you want to insert into the console above the users input) it will grab the text the user has been entering into the console, store it, then print out the paramiter string onto the console, then print out the users input underneith.
personally i chose to create a static string at the top outside the method, initialise it to empty, cos its going to be frequently used and you dont want to be creating a new identifyer and then initialising the variable everytime the method is called, then dispose of it at the end of the method, only to recreate a new one again, and again.
call the string "input" or whatever.
in the default area of the keychange event handle add input +=newkey.
in the Consolekey.enter section console writline input then input = string.empty Or string = "".
in the event handler add some logic.
public void OnInsert(string Argument)
{
Console.CursorTop -= 1;
// moves the cursor to far left so new input overwrites the old.
// if arg string is longer, then print arg string then print input // string.
if (Argument.Length > input.Length)
{
Console.WriteLine(Argument);
Console.WriteLine(input);
}
else
{
// if the users input if longer than the argument text then print
// out the argument text, then print white spaces to overwrite the
// remaining input characters still displayed on screen.
for (int i = 0; i < input.Length;i++ )
{
if (i < Argument.Length)
{
Console.Write(Argument[i]);
}
else
{
Console.Write(' ');
}
}
Console.Write(Environment.NewLine);
Console.WriteLine(input);
}
}
hope this helps some of you, its not perfect, a quick put together test that works enough to be built on.
If you need to allow output to arrive while the user is typing I recommend sending the output to a new window. So, you could have one window that is used to start the application and then it spawns a thread to open a new console for input and then it continues to send any output messages to the original window. I think you will run in to too many resource locking issues if you try to keep everything in the same window.
This sort of thing becomes a somewhat simpler problem if you treat the server as a client/server application. Let the server have "n" connections to client admin applications that send commands and receive output. The client application could completely separate input and output, having one thread to handle input, and one to handle output.
The output thread could block if the input thread is in the middle of entering a line, and unblock when the line is either cancelled or committed.
I got my example working using Console.MoveBufferArea(), but note that this won't work on platforms other than Windows because the method is not implemented on those platforms.
With this example you would use Read() instead of Console.ReadLine() and Log(...) instead of Console.WriteLine(...) in your code.
class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
// Reader
new Thread(() =>
{
string line;
while ((line = Read()) != null)
{
//...
}
Environment.Exit(0);
}).Start();
// Writer
new Thread(() =>
{
while (true)
{
Thread.Sleep(1000);
Log("----------");
}
}).Start();
}
static int lastWriteCursorTop = 0;
static void Log(string message)
{
int messageLines = message.Length / Console.BufferWidth + 1;
int inputBufferLines = Console.CursorTop - lastWriteCursorTop + 1;
Console.MoveBufferArea(sourceLeft: 0, sourceTop: lastWriteCursorTop,
targetLeft: 0, targetTop: lastWriteCursorTop + messageLines,
sourceWidth: Console.BufferWidth, sourceHeight: inputBufferLines);
int cursorLeft = Console.CursorLeft;
Console.CursorLeft = 0;
Console.CursorTop -= inputBufferLines - 1;
Console.WriteLine(message);
lastWriteCursorTop = Console.CursorTop;
Console.CursorLeft = cursorLeft;
Console.CursorTop += inputBufferLines - 1;
}
static string Read()
{
Console.Write(">"); // optional
string line = Console.ReadLine();
lastWriteCursorTop = Console.CursorTop;
return line;
}
}
Have you tried calling OpenStandardInput, reading any input and resetting it's position, then writing to the output stream. Afterwards, you can call OpenStandardInput again and fill the data back into the stream.
There's no perfect way of accomplishing this, I think. What telnet does (at least the last version I used) was not print any input (just read the keystrokes) and simply print the output as it arrives. The alternative is to store any data that needs to be output to the console in a buffer, and only print it once the user has finished entering their command. (You could even timestamp the output, to make it more obvious.) I really can't see any better alternative here - you're inevitably going to run into problems using a synchronous I/O interface (i.e. the command line) together with asynchronous operations in the backend.
Related
Using C# 4 in a Windows console application that continually reports progress how can I make the "redraw" of the screen more fluid?
I'd like to do one of the following:
- Have it only "redraw" the part of the screen that's changing (the progress portion) and leave the rest as is.
- "Redraw" the whole screen but not have it flicker.
Currently I re-write all the text (application name, etc.). Like this:
Console.Clear();
WriteTitle();
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Deleting:\t{0} of {1} ({2})".FormatString(count.ToString("N0"), total.ToString("N0"), (count / (decimal)total).ToString("P2")));
Which causes a lot of flickering.
Try Console.SetCursorPosition. More details here: How can I update the current line in a C# Windows Console App?
static void Main(string[] args)
{
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, 0);
Console.Write("################################");
for (int row = 1; row < 10; row++)
{
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, row);
Console.Write("# #");
}
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, 10);
Console.Write("################################");
int data = 1;
System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch clock = new System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch();
clock.Start();
while (true)
{
data++;
Console.SetCursorPosition(1, 2);
Console.Write("Current Value: " + data.ToString());
Console.SetCursorPosition(1, 3);
Console.Write("Running Time: " + clock.Elapsed.TotalSeconds.ToString());
Thread.Sleep(1000);
}
Console.ReadKey();
}
I know this question is a bit old but I found if you set Console.CursorVisible = false then the flickering stops as well.
Here's a simple working demo that shows multi-line usage without flickering. It shows the current time and a random string every second.
private static void StatusUpdate()
{
var whiteSpace = new StringBuilder();
whiteSpace.Append(' ', 10);
var random = new Random();
const string chars = "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789";
var randomWord = new string(Enumerable.Repeat(chars, random.Next(10)).Select(s => s[random.Next(s.Length)]).ToArray());
while (true)
{
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, 0);
var sb = new StringBuilder();
sb.AppendLine($"Program Status:{whiteSpace}");
sb.AppendLine("-------------------------------");
sb.AppendLine($"Last Updated: {DateTime.Now}{whiteSpace}");
sb.AppendLine($"Random Word: {randomWord}{whiteSpace}");
sb.AppendLine("-------------------------------");
Console.Write(sb);
Thread.Sleep(1000);
}
}
The above example assumes your console window is blank to start. If not, make sure to use Console.Clear() first.
Technical Note:
SetCursorPosition(0,0) places the cursor back to the top (0,0) so the next call to Console.Write will start from line 0, char 0. Note, it doesn't delete the previous content before writing. As an example, if you write "asdf" over a previous line such as "0123456", you'll end up with something like "asdf456" on that line. For that reason, we use a whiteSpace variable to ensure any lingering characters from the previous line are overwritten with blank spaces. Adjust the length of the whiteSpace variable to meet your needs. You only need the whiteSpace variable for lines that change.
Personal Note:
For my purposes, I wanted to show the applications current status (once a second) along with a bunch of other status information and I wanted to avoid any annoying flickering that can happen when you use Console.Clear(). In my application, I run my status updates behind a separate thread so it constantly provides updates even though I have numerous other threads and long running tasks going at the same time.
Credits:
Thanks to previous posters and dtb for the random string generator used in the demo.
How can I generate random alphanumeric strings in C#?
You could try to hack something together using the core libraries.
Rather than waste your time for sub-standard results, I would check out this C# port of the ncurses library (which is a library used for formatting console output):
Curses Sharp
I think you can use \r in Windows console to return the beginning of a line.
You could also use SetCursorPosition.
I would recommend the following extension methods. They allow you to use a StringBuilder to refresh the console view without any flicker, and also tidies up any residual characters on each line
The Problem: The following demo demonstrates using a standard StringBuilder, where updating lines that are shorter than the previously written line get jumbled up. It does this by writing a short string, then a long string on a loop:
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
var switchTextLength = false;
while(true)
{
var sb = new StringBuilder();
if (switchTextLength)
sb.AppendLine("Short msg");
else
sb.AppendLine("Longer message");
sb.UpdateConsole();
switchTextLength = !switchTextLength;
Thread.Sleep(500);
}
}
Result:
The Solution: By using the extension method provided below, the issue is resolved
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
var switchTextLength = false;
while(true)
{
var sb = new StringBuilder();
if (switchTextLength)
sb.AppendLineEx("Short msg");
else
sb.AppendLineEx("Longer message");
sb.UpdateConsole();
switchTextLength = !switchTextLength;
Thread.Sleep(500);
}
}
Result:
Extension Methods:
public static class StringBuilderExtensions
{
/// <summary>
/// Allows StrinbBuilder callers to append a line and blank out the remaining characters for the length of the console buffer width
/// </summary>
public static void AppendLineEx(this StringBuilder c, string msg)
{
// Append the actual line
c.Append(msg);
// Add blanking chars for the rest of the buffer
c.Append(' ', Console.BufferWidth - msg.Length - 1);
// Finish the line
c.Append(Environment.NewLine);
}
/// <summary>
/// Combines two StringBuilders using AppendLineEx
/// </summary>
public static void AppendEx(this StringBuilder c, StringBuilder toAdd)
{
foreach (var line in toAdd.ReadLines())
{
c.AppendLineEx(line);
}
}
/// <summary>
/// Hides the console cursor, resets its position and writes out the string builder
/// </summary>
public static void UpdateConsole(this StringBuilder c)
{
// Ensure the cursor is hidden
if (Console.CursorVisible) Console.CursorVisible = false;
// Reset the cursor position to the top of the console and write out the string builder
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, 0);
Console.WriteLine(c);
}
}
I actually had this issue so I made a quick simple method to try and eliminate this.
static void Clear(string text, int x, int y)
{
char[] textChars = text.ToCharArray();
string newText = "";
//Converts the string you just wrote into a blank string
foreach(char c in textChars)
{
text = text.Replace(c, ' ');
}
newText = text;
//Sets the cursor position
Console.SetCursorPosition(x, y);
//Writes the blank string over the old string
Console.WriteLine(newText);
//Resets cursor position
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, 0);
}
It actually worked surprisingly well and I hope it may work for you!
Naive approach but for simple applications is working:
protected string clearBuffer = null; // Clear this if window size changes
protected void ClearConsole()
{
if (clearBuffer == null)
{
var line = "".PadLeft(Console.WindowWidth, ' ');
var lines = new StringBuilder();
for (var i = 0; i < Console.WindowHeight; i++)
{
lines.AppendLine(line);
}
clearBuffer = lines.ToString();
}
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, 0);
Console.Write(clearBuffer);
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, 0);
}
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, 0); //Instead of Console.Clear();
WriteTitle();
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Deleting:\t{0} of {1} ({2})".FormatString(count.ToString("N0")
I'm modifying existing C# code in order to pilote a piston. Every 30ms, I have a direct feedback of the position of this piston, through an event. The value is stored in a global variable I use to get the current position of the piston.
What I'm trying to achieve: for a given distance input (A->C), I want the piston to travel at full speed for 95% of the distance (A->B), and then slower for the remaining 5% (B->C).
I have access to a command that defines the speed and the destination of the piston : pos(velocity, destination).
However, if I write that code:
pos(fullSpeed,B);
pos(reducedSpeed, C);
the piston directly goes from fullSpeed to reducedSpeed
I tried to use a while loop to compare the current position of the piston with the goal destination, however, upon entering the while loop, the variable storing the piston position does not update anymore.
However, I noticed that by throwing a MessageBox in between, the position value keeps on getting updated, and I can simply click "ok" to launch the second command.
pos(fullSpeed,B);
MessageBox.show("Wait");
pos(reducedSpeed, C);
I would like to know why the "while" loop stops the update of the position variable but the MessageBox does not. I mean, as long as I don't click the "ok" button, the box is here preventing me from doing anything, which for me ressembles a while loop behaviour. Is there another way for me to do this instead of the MessageBox ?
I have little to no knowledge when it comes to C# and no support. I have tried to look in the documentation, but I did not find an answer (I have probably missed it). Any lead is more than welcome.
EDIT: I have no documentation for that code, and it is barely commented. Here is what I gathered (really hope it helps):
To move the piston, taht function is called:
MyEdc.Move.Pos(control, speed, destination, ref MyTan);
control simply define what we pilote (a distance or a load, it is an enum), and I have no idea what MyTan does. Only thing I know is that the MyEdc.Move.Pos returns an error code.
If I look at the definition of "pos", I am redirected to class
public DoPEmove Move;
containing among other things:
public DoPE.ERR Pos(DoPE.CTRL MoveCtrl, double Speed, double Destination, ref short Tan);
DoPE.ERR is also an type enum. However, I cannot reach the definition of a function named "Pos". Coud it be within the .dll included ?
The following is the code that allows me to access the position of the piston (without the global variables):
private int OnData(ref DoPE.OnData Data, object Parameter)
{
if (Data.DoPError == DoPE.ERR.NOERROR)
{
DoPE.Data Sample = Data.Data;
Int32 Time = Environment.TickCount;
if ((Time - LastTime) >= 300 /*ms*/)
{
LastTime = Time;
string text;
text = String.Format("{0}", Sample.Time.ToString("0.000"));
guiTime.Text = text;
text = String.Format("{0}", Sample.Sensor[(int)DoPE.SENSOR.SENSOR_S].ToString("0.000"));
guiPosition.Text = text;
text = String.Format("{0}", Sample.Sensor[(int)DoPE.SENSOR.SENSOR_F].ToString("0.000"));
guiLoad.Text = text;
text = String.Format("{0}", Sample.Sensor[(int)DoPE.SENSOR.SENSOR_E].ToString("0.000"));
guiExtension.Text = text;
}
}
return 0;
}
Which is called using
MyEdc.Eh.OnDataHdlr += new DoPE.OnDataHdlr(OnData);
I realise how little I know on how the soft operates, and how frustrating this is for you. If you think this is a lost cause, no problem, I'll try Timothy Jannace solution, and if it does not help me, I'll stick with the MessageBox solution. I just wanted to know why the MessageBox allowed me to sort of achieve my objectif, but the while loop did not, and how to use it in my advantage here.
I tried to use a while loop to compare the current position of the
piston with the goal destination, however, upon entering the while
loop, the variable storing the piston position does not update
anymore.
While you are in the while loop, your app can no longer receive and process the feedback event.
One possible solution would be to use async/await like this:
private const int fullSpeed = 1;
private const int reducedSpeed = 2;
private int currentPistonPositon = 0; // global var updated by event as you described
private async void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
int B = 50;
int C = 75;
pos(fullSpeed, B);
await Task.Run(() =>
{ // pick one below?
// assumes that "B" and "currentPistonPosition" can actually be EXACTLY the same value
while (currentPistonPositon != B)
{
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(25);
}
// if this isn't the case, then perhaps when it reaches a certain threshold distance?
while (Math.Abs(currentPistonPositon - B) > 0.10)
{
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(25);
}
});
pos(reducedSpeed, C);
}
Note the button1_Click method signature has been marked with async. The code will wait for the while loop inside the task to complete while still processing event messages because of the await. Only then will it move on to the second pos() call.
Thank you for your answer ! It works like a charm ! (good catch on the
EXACT value). I learnt a lot, and I am sure the async/await combo is
going to be very usefull in the future ! – MaximeS
If that worked well, then you might want to consider refactoring the code and making your own "goto position" method like this:
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
int B = 50;
int C = 75;
GotoPosition(fullSpeed, B);
GotoPosition(reducedSpeed, C);
}
private async void GotoPosition(int speed, int position)
{
pos(speed, position);
await Task.Run(() =>
{
while (Math.Abs(currentPistonPositon - position) > 0.10)
{
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(25);
}
});
}
Readability would be greatly improved.
You could even get fancier and introduce a timeout concept into the while loop. Now your code could do something like below:
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
int B = 50;
int C = 75;
if (GotoPosition(fullSpeed, B, TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(750)).Result)
{
if (GotoPosition(reducedSpeed, C, TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(1500)).Result)
{
// ... we successfully went to B at fullSpeed, then to C at reducedSpeed ...
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("Piston Timed Out");
}
}
else
{
MessageBox.Show("Piston Timed Out");
}
}
private async Task<bool> GotoPosition(int speed, int position, TimeSpan timeOut)
{
pos(speed, position); // call the async API
// wait for the position to be reached, or the timeout to occur
bool success = true; // assume we have succeeded until proven otherwise
DateTime dt = DateTime.Now.Add(timeOut); // set our timeout DateTime in the future
await Task.Run(() =>
{
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(50); // give the piston a chance to update maybe once before checking?
while (Math.Abs(currentPistonPositon - position) > 0.10) // see if the piston has reached our target position
{
if (DateTime.Now > dt) // did we move past our timeout DateTime?
{
success = false;
break;
}
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(25); // very small sleep to reduce CPU usage
}
});
return success;
}
If you're using events you are probably having concurrency issues. Especially with events being raised every 30ms!
A very simple way to handle concurrency is to use a lock object to prevent different threads from using contested resources simultaneously:
class MyEventHandler
{
private object _lockObject;
MyEventHandler()
{
_lockObject = new object();
}
public int MyContestedResource { get; }
public void HandleEvent( object sender, MyEvent event )
{
lock ( _lockObject )
{
// do stuff with event here
MyContestedResource++;
}
}
}
Keep in mind that is very simple and by no means perfect in every scenario. If you provide more information about how the events are raised and what you're doing with them people will be able to provide more help.
EDIT:
Using that signature you posted for the Pos method I was able to find documentation on the library you are using: https://www.academia.edu/24938060/Do_PE
The reason you only see the method signature when you goto definition is because the library has been compiled into a dll. Actually, it probably wouldn't be that useful to see the code anyway because it looks like the library is a C# wrapper around native (c or c++) code.
Anyways, I hope the documentation is helpful to you. If you look at page 20 there are some pointers on doing movement. This is going to be a challenge for a new programmer but you can do it. I would suggest you avoid using the event handler to drive your logic and instead stick with using the synchronous versions of commands. Using the synchronous commands your code should operate the same way it reads.
I believe what you'll want to do is add a call to:
Application.DoEvents();
This will allow your application to process posted messages (events), which will allow that global variable to be updated.
I just wanted to know why the MessageBox allowed me to sort of achieve my objectif, but the while loop did not, and how to use it in my advantage here.
The reason that works is because you're giving the WndProc a chance to process events which have been sent to the application. It's not an intended feature of that call to MessageBox.Show();, but it is a consequence. You can do the same thing with a call to Application.DoEvents(); without the interruption of the message box.
I'm working on a program that's supposed to establish "n" many SSH connections with a remote Linux server, and run time consuming commands on each connection. The "time consuming operation" is basically running a script that sets up Wireshark and listens to the traffic.
For this I'm using the SharpSSH library for C# and n many BackgroundWorkers as threads. Also for simplicity, the code below has n=2 BGW threads and SSH connections.
Code:
// runs when start is pressed
private void startButton_Click_1(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
sb = new StringBuilder();
DateTime timeNow = DateTime.Now;
clickTime = timeNow.ToString("yyyyMMddhhmmssfff"); // store the exact time of the click
bw = bwArray[0];
int index = 0; // ignore these 2 constants
foreach (BackgroundWorker bgw in bwArray)
{
if (bgw.IsBusy != true)
{
bgw.RunWorkerAsync();
// runWorkerAsync for every BackgroundWorker in the array
//index++;
}
}
}
// runWorkerAsync leads the BGWorker to this function
private void bw_doWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
BackgroundWorker worker = sender as BackgroundWorker;
if (worker.CancellationPending == true)
{
e.Cancel = true;
}
else
{
// let the UI know of button changes
int p = 0;
object param = "something"; // use this to pass any additional parameter back to the UI
worker.ReportProgress(p, param);
// UI notifying part ends here
// for the simplex case
if (numberOfConnections == 1)
startOperation();
// for the multiplex case
else if (numberOfConnections > 1)
{
//while (p < numberOfConnections)
//{
multiStartOperation();
// p++;
//}
}
Thread.Sleep(500);
}
}
// will be called for all ssh connections (in multiplex case)
private void multiStartOperation()
{
string[] command1Array = { "host2", "host2" };
string[] command2Array = { clickTime + "_h2", clickTime + "_h2" };
for (int index = 0; index < numberOfConnections; index++)
{
// shellArray is an array of SshExec objects
shellArray[index] = new SshExec(IPAddress, username, password);
try
{
shellArray[index].Connect();
}
catch (JSchException se)
{
Console.Write(se.StackTrace);
System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Couldn't connect to the specified port.", "Connection Error!");
}
sb.Append(shellArray[index].RunCommand(command1Array[index]) + Environment.NewLine);
// first command is host3, or host4 etc.
// below is the time consuming command to run
string command = "./logcap.sh -c " + command2Array[index] + " -z";
// sb is a global stringBuilder object,
// to which the command output is appended
sb.Append(shellArray[index].RunCommand(command));
}
}
My problem is the following:
When I press the start button on the GUI, both connections should start and run the script. Whereas in the code given above, the first index of shellArray (which consists of SshExec objects) gets connected, prepares the commands and runs the time consuming command, at which point the program goes back to the UI, without even starting the second connection. This is obviously because of the for loop, but I couldn't figure out how to work around this yet.
I need to get the other backgroundworker to establish and run the second command with the second server, so that when I press the stop button on the GUI all connections and threads can stop all together.
PS: The commands will not stop running unless the user clicks stop, which sends a Ctrl-C signal to the server.
I'm relatively new to all the multithreading and networking concepts, so if there is any confusion or mistake please let me know.
Have a nice day.
Thank you for your answers, and the welcome. :)
The problem indeed was not being able to run multiple backgroundworkers at the same time.
I managed to solve the issue. It turns out that all I had to figure out was how to assign backgroundworkers to SSH connections. To do that, I created a class as follows:
class BGW
{
private BackgroundWorker bgw;
private int index;
//getters, setters, constructors...
}
After this, I converted bwArray which was an array of BackgroundWorkers into an array of BGW objects. At initialization, I assigned each BGW object an index.
Instead of having the stupid loop within multiStartOperation(), I sent an integer parameter to multiStartOperation() and that function used that index to reach the allocated backgroundworker.
So far it seems to work.
Have a nice day.
I'm trying to make a console application. I want the ". . ." after "Press any key to exit" to blink.
The blinking is working fine and all, but now my Console.ReadKey() is unreachable code.
I'm just wondering if there is anyway to let the Console.ReadKey() line be reached, or where I would move it to be able to let it be run?
static void Main(string[] args)
{
string blinkExit = ". . ."; //Variable for blinking periods after 'exit'
Console.Write("\n\nPress any key to exit"); //Displays a message to press any key to exit in the console
while (true)
{
WriteBlinkingText(blinkExit, 500, true);
WriteBlinkingText(blinkExit, 500, false);
}
Console.ReadKey();
}
private static void WriteBlinkingText(string text, int delay, bool visible)
{
if (visible)
Console.Write(text);
else
for (int i = 0; i < text.Length; i++)
Console.Write(" ");
Console.CursorLeft -= text.Length;
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(delay);
}
It seems like you just want this text to blink until a key is pressed by the user. If that is the case then why not just loop until there is a key available to be read?
while (!Console.KeyAvailable)
{
WriteBlinkingText(blinkExit, 500, true);
WriteBlinkingText(blinkExit, 500, false);
}
This avoids all of the nasty issues that can come up with using multiple threads
just change your while code with this
Task.Factory.StartNew(() =>
{
while (true)
{
WriteBlinkingText(blinkExit, 500, true);
WriteBlinkingText(blinkExit, 500, false);
}
});
pressing any key will close the console
Imagine threads as workers, when you use the console application, you are working on one thread, and by using a loop which doesn't end, you are essentially stopping any other task from occurring from that point onwards because the thread is busy looping!
To solve the problem you need to place a trigger of sorts in the loop which is going to exit once a key is pressed. I've demonstrated a simple way to do this below.
Examine the code, you'll find that I've used a new class called Interlocked, the reason I used this is to avoid any thread safety issues, thread safety is a deep topic, and isn't something I want to be trying to explain in a few sentences, but the idea is that any resources being shared between two different threads, must be locked. You'll also find a lambda expression, these are all intermediate topics, and trying to learn them now is going to achieve one thing... a headache!
private static long _isKeyPressed;
private static void Main()
{
// Create a new Thread and Start it.
new Thread(() =>
{
// Variable for blinking periods after 'exit'
const string blinkExit = ". . .";
// Displays a message to press any key to exit in the console
Console.Write("\n\nPress any key to exit");
// Run until no keys are pressed.
while (Interlocked.Read(ref _isKeyPressed) == 0)
{
WriteBlinkingText(blinkExit, 500, true);
WriteBlinkingText(blinkExit, 500, false);
}
}).Start();
Console.ReadKey();
// Once a key has been pressed, increment the value of _isKeyPressed to 1.
// This will indicate to the thread running above that it should exit it's loop.
// as _isKeyPressed is no longer equal to 0.
Interlocked.Increment(ref _isKeyPressed);
}
private static void WriteBlinkingText(string text, int delay, bool visible)
{
if (visible) Console.Write(text);
else
{
for (int i = 0; i < text.Length; i++)
{
Console.Write(" ");
}
}
Console.CursorLeft -= text.Length;
Thread.Sleep(delay);
}
I need to write a long string to the console that uses multiple colors, but I need it to only update visually after all the writes are done. Simply changing the color of the text could be achieved by setting Console.ForegroundColor, but is there any way to "lock" the console, and have it only update once when all writes are complete? One way to achieve this without locking the console would be to use ANSI color codes, but they aren't supported on newer Windows operating systems. What is the best way to only update the console when I've finished my lengthy writes?
Something similar to this:
Console.Lock() // Prevents visual updates
// multi_colored_string is StringBuilder
for (int counter = 0; counter < multi_colored_string.Length; counter++)
{
char next_char = multi_colored_string[counter];
if (next_char == "a")
{
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Magenta;
}
else if (next_char == "b")
{
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Cyan;
}
Console.Write(next_char);
}
Console.Unlock() // Allows console to update again, reflecting all writes