C++ Colored text in console not showing when launching application directly

Question

I have implemented my own Logging class for my applications I write in C++. I implemented the Logging class using this way (https://stackoverflow.com/a/54062826/12873837) of coloring the text. It does work very well, if I launch my program inside visual studio with the debugger, but it doesn't if I launch my application directly. Instead of colored text, the ANSI escape color codes get printed directly before my actual console output. Any ideas why this could happen?

This screenshot is the output, if I start the application directly.

Possible solutions are [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/9262270/color-console-output-with-c-in-windows) or [here](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/63426368/enabling-ansi-color-support-in-windows-console-with-custom-screen-buffer-c) (the same solution applies to the default console window). — 1201ProgramAlarm, Jan 27 '21 at 18:09

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 29 '21 at 23:16

Maybe this code can be usefull

Printing Unicode


#include <iostream>
#include <set>
#include <string>
#include <locale>

// WINDOWS
#if (_WIN32)
#include <Windows.h>
#include <conio.h>
#define WINDOWS_PLATFORM 1
#define DLLCALL STDCALL
#define DLLIMPORT _declspec(dllimport)
#define DLLEXPORT _declspec(dllexport)
#define DLLPRIVATE
#define NOMINMAX

//EMSCRIPTEN
#elif defined(__EMSCRIPTEN__)
#include <emscripten/emscripten.h>
#include <emscripten/bind.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <termios.h>
#define EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM 1
#define DLLCALL
#define DLLIMPORT
#define DLLEXPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
#define DLLPRIVATE __attribute__((visibility("hidden")))

// LINUX - Ubuntu, Fedora, , Centos, Debian, RedHat
#elif (__LINUX__ || __gnu_linux__ || __linux__ || __linux || linux)
#define LINUX_PLATFORM 1
#include <unistd.h>
#include <termios.h>
#define DLLCALL CDECL
#define DLLIMPORT
#define DLLEXPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
#define DLLPRIVATE __attribute__((visibility("hidden")))
#define CoTaskMemAlloc(p) malloc(p)
#define CoTaskMemFree(p) free(p)

//ANDROID
#elif (__ANDROID__ || ANDROID)
#define ANDROID_PLATFORM 1
#define DLLCALL
#define DLLIMPORT
#define DLLEXPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
#define DLLPRIVATE __attribute__((visibility("hidden")))

//MACOS
#elif defined(__APPLE__)
#include <unistd.h>
#include <termios.h>
#define DLLCALL
#define DLLIMPORT
#define DLLEXPORT __attribute__((visibility("default")))
#define DLLPRIVATE __attribute__((visibility("hidden")))
#include "TargetConditionals.h"
#if TARGET_OS_IPHONE && TARGET_IPHONE_SIMULATOR
#define IOS_SIMULATOR_PLATFORM 1
#elif TARGET_OS_IPHONE
#define IOS_PLATFORM 1
#elif TARGET_OS_MAC
#define MACOS_PLATFORM 1
#else

#endif

#endif



typedef std::string String;
typedef std::wstring WString;

#define EMPTY_STRING u8""s
#define EMPTY_WSTRING L""s

using namespace std::literals::string_literals;

class Strings
{
public:
    static String WideStringToString(const WString& wstr)
    {
        if (wstr.empty())
        {
            return String();
        }
        size_t pos;
        size_t begin = 0;
        String ret;

#if WINDOWS_PLATFORM
        int size;
        pos = wstr.find(static_cast<wchar_t>(0), begin);
        while (pos != WString::npos && begin < wstr.length())
        {
            WString segment = WString(&wstr[begin], pos - begin);
            size = WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, WC_ERR_INVALID_CHARS, &segment[0], segment.size(), NULL, 0, NULL, NULL);
            String converted = String(size, 0);
            WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, WC_ERR_INVALID_CHARS, &segment[0], segment.size(), &converted[0], converted.size(), NULL, NULL);
            ret.append(converted);
            ret.append({ 0 });
            begin = pos + 1;
            pos = wstr.find(static_cast<wchar_t>(0), begin);
        }
        if (begin <= wstr.length())
        {
            WString segment = WString(&wstr[begin], wstr.length() - begin);
            size = WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, WC_ERR_INVALID_CHARS, &segment[0], segment.size(), NULL, 0, NULL, NULL);
            String converted = String(size, 0);
            WideCharToMultiByte(CP_UTF8, WC_ERR_INVALID_CHARS, &segment[0], segment.size(), &converted[0], converted.size(), NULL, NULL);
            ret.append(converted);
        }
#elif LINUX_PLATFORM || MACOS_PLATFORM || EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        size_t size;
        pos = wstr.find(static_cast<wchar_t>(0), begin);
        while (pos != WString::npos && begin < wstr.length())
        {
            WString segment = WString(&wstr[begin], pos - begin);
            size = wcstombs(nullptr, segment.c_str(), 0);
            String converted = String(size, 0);
            wcstombs(&converted[0], segment.c_str(), converted.size());
            ret.append(converted);
            ret.append({ 0 });
            begin = pos + 1;
            pos = wstr.find(static_cast<wchar_t>(0), begin);
        }
        if (begin <= wstr.length())
        {
            WString segment = WString(&wstr[begin], wstr.length() - begin);
            size = wcstombs(nullptr, segment.c_str(), 0);
            String converted = String(size, 0);
            wcstombs(&converted[0], segment.c_str(), converted.size());
            ret.append(converted);
        }
#else
        static_assert(false, "Unknown Platform");
#endif
        return ret;
    }

    static WString StringToWideString(const String& str)
    {
        if (str.empty())
        {
            return WString();
        }

        size_t pos;
        size_t begin = 0;
        WString ret;
#ifdef WINDOWS_PLATFORM
        int size = 0;
        pos = str.find(static_cast<char>(0), begin);
        while (pos != std::string::npos) {
            std::string segment = std::string(&str[begin], pos - begin);
            std::wstring converted = std::wstring(segment.size() + 1, 0);
            size = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, MB_ERR_INVALID_CHARS, &segment[0], segment.size(), &converted[0], converted.length());
            converted.resize(size);
            ret.append(converted);
            ret.append({ 0 });
            begin = pos + 1;
            pos = str.find(static_cast<char>(0), begin);
        }
        if (begin < str.length()) {
            std::string segment = std::string(&str[begin], str.length() - begin);
            std::wstring converted = std::wstring(segment.size() + 1, 0);
            size = MultiByteToWideChar(CP_UTF8, MB_ERR_INVALID_CHARS, segment.c_str(), segment.size(), &converted[0], converted.length());
            converted.resize(size);
            ret.append(converted);
        }

#elif LINUX_PLATFORM || MACOS_PLATFORM || EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        size_t size;
        pos = str.find(static_cast<char>(0), begin);
        while (pos != String::npos)
        {
            String segment = String(&str[begin], pos - begin);
            WString converted = WString(segment.size(), 0);
            size = mbstowcs(&converted[0], &segment[0], converted.size());
            converted.resize(size);
            ret.append(converted);
            ret.append({ 0 });
            begin = pos + 1;
            pos = str.find(static_cast<char>(0), begin);
        }
        if (begin < str.length())
        {
            String segment = String(&str[begin], str.length() - begin);
            WString converted = WString(segment.size(), 0);
            size = mbstowcs(&converted[0], &segment[0], converted.size());
            converted.resize(size);
            ret.append(converted);
        }
#else
        static_assert(false, "Unknown Platform");
#endif
        return ret;
    }
};

enum class ConsoleTextStyle
{
    DEFAULT = 0,
    BOLD = 1,
    FAINT = 2,
    ITALIC = 3,
    UNDERLINE = 4,
    SLOW_BLINK = 5,
    RAPID_BLINK = 6,
    REVERSE = 7,
};

enum class ConsoleForeground
{
    DEFAULT = 39,
    BLACK = 30,
    DARK_RED = 31,
    DARK_GREEN = 32,
    DARK_YELLOW = 33,
    DARK_BLUE = 34,
    DARK_MAGENTA = 35,
    DARK_CYAN = 36,
    GRAY = 37,
    DARK_GRAY = 90,
    RED = 91,
    GREEN = 92,
    YELLOW = 93,
    BLUE = 94,
    MAGENTA = 95,
    CYAN = 96,
    WHITE = 97
};

enum class ConsoleBackground
{
    DEFAULT = 49,
    BLACK = 40,
    DARK_RED = 41,
    DARK_GREEN = 42,
    DARK_YELLOW = 43,
    DARK_BLUE = 44,
    DARK_MAGENTA = 45,
    DARK_CYAN = 46,
    GRAY = 47,
    DARK_GRAY = 100,
    RED = 101,
    GREEN = 102,
    YELLOW = 103,
    BLUE = 104,
    MAGENTA = 105,
    CYAN = 106,
    WHITE = 107
};

class Console
{
private:
    static void EnableVirtualTermimalProcessing()
    {
#if defined WINDOWS_PLATFORM
        HANDLE hOut = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
        DWORD dwMode = 0;
        GetConsoleMode(hOut, &dwMode);
        if (!(dwMode & ENABLE_VIRTUAL_TERMINAL_PROCESSING))
        {
            dwMode |= ENABLE_VIRTUAL_TERMINAL_PROCESSING;
            SetConsoleMode(hOut, dwMode);
        }
#endif
    }

    static void ResetTerminalFormat()
    {
        std::cout << u8"\033[0m";
    }

    static void SetVirtualTerminalFormat(ConsoleForeground foreground, ConsoleBackground background, std::set<ConsoleTextStyle> styles)
    {
        String format = u8"\033[";
        format.append(std::to_string(static_cast<int>(foreground)));
        format.append(u8";");
        format.append(std::to_string(static_cast<int>(background)));
        if (styles.size() > 0)
        {
            for (auto it = styles.begin(); it != styles.end(); ++it)
            {
                format.append(u8";");
                format.append(std::to_string(static_cast<int>(*it)));
            }
        }
        format.append(u8"m");
        std::cout << format;
    }
public:
    static void Clear()
    {

#ifdef WINDOWS_PLATFORM
        std::system(u8"cls");
#elif LINUX_PLATFORM || defined MACOS_PLATFORM
        std::system(u8"clear");
#elif EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        emscripten::val::global()["console"].call<void>(u8"clear");
#else
        static_assert(false, "Unknown Platform");
#endif
    }

    static void Write(const String& s, ConsoleForeground foreground = ConsoleForeground::DEFAULT, ConsoleBackground background = ConsoleBackground::DEFAULT, std::set<ConsoleTextStyle> styles = {})
    {
#ifndef EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        EnableVirtualTermimalProcessing();
        SetVirtualTerminalFormat(foreground, background, styles);
#endif
        String str = s;
#ifdef WINDOWS_PLATFORM
        WString unicode = Strings::StringToWideString(str);
        WriteConsole(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE), unicode.c_str(), static_cast<DWORD>(unicode.length()), nullptr, nullptr);
#elif defined LINUX_PLATFORM || defined MACOS_PLATFORM || EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        std::cout << str;
#else
        static_assert(false, "Unknown Platform");
#endif

#ifndef EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        ResetTerminalFormat();
#endif
    }

    static void WriteLine(const String& s, ConsoleForeground foreground = ConsoleForeground::DEFAULT, ConsoleBackground background = ConsoleBackground::DEFAULT, std::set<ConsoleTextStyle> styles = {})
    {
        Write(s, foreground, background, styles);
        std::cout << std::endl;
    }

    static void Write(const WString& s, ConsoleForeground foreground = ConsoleForeground::DEFAULT, ConsoleBackground background = ConsoleBackground::DEFAULT, std::set<ConsoleTextStyle> styles = {})
    {
#ifndef EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        EnableVirtualTermimalProcessing();
        SetVirtualTerminalFormat(foreground, background, styles);
#endif
        WString str = s;

#ifdef WINDOWS_PLATFORM
        WriteConsole(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE), str.c_str(), static_cast<DWORD>(str.length()), nullptr, nullptr);
#elif LINUX_PLATFORM || MACOS_PLATFORM || EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        std::cout << Strings::WideStringToString(str);
#else
        static_assert(false, "Unknown Platform");
#endif

#ifndef EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        ResetTerminalFormat();
#endif
    }

    static void WriteLine(const WString& s, ConsoleForeground foreground = ConsoleForeground::DEFAULT, ConsoleBackground background = ConsoleBackground::DEFAULT, std::set<ConsoleTextStyle> styles = {})
    {
        Write(s, foreground, background, styles);
        std::cout << std::endl;
    }

    static void WriteLine()
    {
        std::cout << std::endl;
    }

    static void Pause()
    {
        char c;
        do
        {
            c = getchar();
            std::cout << "Press Key " << std::endl;
        } while (c != 64);
        std::cout << "KeyPressed" << std::endl;
    }

    static int PauseAny(bool printWhenPressed = false, ConsoleForeground foreground = ConsoleForeground::DEFAULT, ConsoleBackground background = ConsoleBackground::DEFAULT, std::set<ConsoleTextStyle> styles = {})
    {
        int ch;
#ifdef WINDOWS_PLATFORM
        ch = _getch();
#elif LINUX_PLATFORM || MACOS_PLATFORM || EMSCRIPTEN_PLATFORM
        struct termios oldt, newt;
        tcgetattr(STDIN_FILENO, &oldt);
        newt = oldt;
        newt.c_lflag &= ~(ICANON | ECHO);
        tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &newt);
        ch = getchar();
        tcsetattr(STDIN_FILENO, TCSANOW, &oldt);
#else
        static_assert(false, "Unknown Platform");
#endif
        if (printWhenPressed)
        {
            Console::Write(String(1, ch), foreground, background, styles);
        }
        return ch;
    }
};



int main()
{
    std::locale::global(std::locale(u8"en_US.UTF8"));
    auto str = u8"\0Hello\0123456789也不是可运行的程序１２３４５６７８９日本"s;//
    WString wstr = L"\0Hello\0123456789也不是可运行的程序１２３４５６７８９日本"s;
    WString wstrResult = Strings::StringToWideString(str);
    String strResult = Strings::WideStringToString(wstr);
    bool equals1 = wstr == wstrResult;
    bool equals2 = str == strResult;

    Console::WriteLine(u8"█ Converted Strings printed with Console::WriteLine"s, ConsoleForeground::GREEN);
    Console::WriteLine(wstrResult, ConsoleForeground::BLUE);
    Console::WriteLine(strResult, ConsoleForeground::BLUE);
    
    Console::WriteLine(u8"█ Converted Strings printed with std::cout/std::wcout"s, ConsoleForeground::GREEN);
    std::cout << strResult << std::endl;
    std::wcout << wstrResult << std::endl;
    Console::WriteLine();
    Console::WriteLine(u8"Press any key to exit"s, ConsoleForeground::DARK_GRAY);
    Console::PauseAny();

}

Output

Using clang in repl.it Default encoding on Linux is UTF-8.

Using Visual C++ compiler with The new Windows terminal. Default encoding on Windows is UTF-16. The problem exists when we have unicode chars with 2 wchar_t units(surrogate pairs), classic console can print chars with one wchar_t unit. The new Windows terminal can handle this issue. Check in this example the dog have 2 wchar_t units cannot be printed ok in classic console but in Windows terminal is OK.

Using Visual C++ compiler with classic console

Thank you very much for this answer! Gonna check it out tomorrow and will come back to you then :) — Can, Jan 31 '21 at 20:57
Thank you very much for this example! It worked really good! Just one thing, converting c strings in wide strings can be done much simpler like this: `std::string cStr = "HelloWorld"; std::wstring theSameStrInWide(cStr.begin(), cStr.end());` and of course the other way would look the same. But other than that worked really good! :D — Can, Feb 01 '21 at 19:07

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 29 '21 at 19:31

1

Thanks to @1201ProgramAlarm I finally found the solution here: https://stackoverflow.com/a/63426872/12873837

This worked perfectly fine for me :)

answered Jan 29 '21 at 19:31

Can

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C++ Colored text in console not showing when launching application directly

2 Answers2