How to make a loading animation in Console Application written in C++?

Question

I am coding a Console Application in c++ and I need to make something like a "loading.gif" just by using ASCII characters.

The following is the list of the characters that I should be using:

--
\
|
/
--

These symbols will make a loading animation by cycling.

However, when I write the output, it become like:

Output line 1: -- Output line 2: \ Output line 3: | Output line 4: / Output line 5: --

I need to do this like this:

Output line 1: [this will be replaced all the time]

It should never go to the second line.

How can I do this in C++? Is there any kind of replace function?

possible duplicate of [Print spinning cursor in a terminal running application using C](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/199336/print-spinning-cursor-in-a-terminal-running-application-using-c) — Nicol Bolas, Dec 13 '11 at 08:37

score 19 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 13 '11 at 08:33

19

You can use the backspace character ('\b') to go back and overwrite characters on the console. You'll also need to flush the output after each change, otherwise the output might stay in a buffer and not appear on the console.

Here is a simple example:

#include <iostream>
#include <unistd.h> // for sleep()

int main()
{
    std::cout << '-' << std::flush;
    for (;;) {
        sleep(1);
        std::cout << "\b\\" << std::flush;
        sleep(1);
        std::cout << "\b|" << std::flush;
        sleep(1);
        std::cout << "\b/" << std::flush;
        sleep(1);
        std::cout << "\b-" << std::flush;
    }
}

answered Dec 13 '11 at 08:33

Mike Seymour

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on osx(and possibly *nix/any unicode console) "\b" prints an upside-down ? – Matthew Clark Dec 13 '11 at 08:54
@MatthewClark: That's strange. It works as expected on my Linux bash console. – Mike Seymour Dec 13 '11 at 08:58

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 13 '11 at 09:39

The Microsoft Windows version.

#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h> // for sleep()

int main()
{
    std::cout << '-' << std::flush;
    for (;;) {
        Sleep(10);
        std::cout << "\b\\" << std::flush;
        Sleep(10);
        std::cout << "\b|" << std::flush;
        Sleep(10);
        std::cout << "\b/" << std::flush;
        Sleep(10);
        std::cout << "\b-" << std::flush;
    }

    return 0;
}

score 4 · Answer 3 · edited Jan 13 '15 at 15:33

Mike Seymour's Logic used but with a realistic look.

#include <iostream>
#include <unistd.h> // for sleep()

int main()
{

    std::cout << "Loading Please Wait";
    while (true)
    {
        sleep(1);
        std::cout << "." << std::flush;
        sleep(1);
        std::cout << "." << std::flush;
        sleep(1);
        std::cout << "." << std::flush;
        sleep(1);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b   \b\b\b" << std::flush;
    }
}

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 10 '17 at 17:39

#include <iostream>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <windows.h>

int main()
{
    for (;;) {

        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLoading   " << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLOading   " << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLoAding   " << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLoaDing   " << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLoadIng   " << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLoadiNg   " << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLoadinG   " << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLoading.  " << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLoading.." << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
        std::cout << "\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\b\bLoading..." << std::flush;
        Sleep(100);
    }
}

score 2 · Answer 5 · answered Feb 13 '16 at 21:12

And a cross-platform answer:

#include <iostream>
#include <chrono>
#include <thread>

/* Comment for c++11 solution. */
using namespace std::literals::chrono_literals;

int main(int argc, char** argv)
{
    /* Uncomment for c++11 solution. */
    // std::chrono::seconds s(1);

    std::cout << '-' << std::flush;
    for (;;) {
        std::this_thread::sleep_for(1s);
        std::cout << "\b\\" << std::flush;
        std::this_thread::sleep_for(1s);
        std::cout << "\b|" << std::flush;
        std::this_thread::sleep_for(1s);
        std::cout << "\b/" << std::flush;
        std::this_thread::sleep_for(1s);
        std::cout << "\b-" << std::flush;
    }

    return 0;
}

Note that chrono_literals are only available in c++14, you can use std::chrono::seconds s(1); instead, passing s to std::thread::sleep_for();

score 2 · Answer 6 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

2

Staying very simple, you can use the backspace character, as explained here, which actually appears to be a duplicate of your question. For more complicated things, it gets platform specific; to set the cursor position maybe this can help, if you're on Windows.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

Community

1
1

answered Dec 13 '11 at 08:27

codeling

11,056
4
42
71

score -6 · Answer 7 · edited Mar 10 '16 at 12:03

-6

for(i=0; i<100; i++)
{
    system("cls");
    cout << "Loading: " << i << " %  \n";
    if(i==100)
    {    
        redirect to void or... ?
    }
}

edited Mar 10 '16 at 12:03

ArnonZ

3,822
4
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42

answered Mar 09 '16 at 23:16

l3mpik

1

How to make a loading animation in Console Application written in C++?

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