winapi - How to use SetConsoleTextAttribute C++ -

i have searched countless forums , websites can't seem find answer. i'm trying use setconsoletextattribute affects text. how can affect whole screen command color 1f would? code is:

#include <iostream> #include <stdio.h> #include <stdlib.h> #include <windows.h> #include <wincon.h>  using namespace std;  int main() {     setconsoletitle("c++ calculator"); // title of window     int x; // decision     int a; // first number     int b; // second number     int c; // answer     handle con;     con = getstdhandle(std_output_handle);     setconsoletextattribute(con, background_blue | foreground_blue | foreground_green | foreground_red);     cout << "calculator" << endl << endl;     cout << "1:addition" << endl << "2:subtraction" << endl << "3:multiplication";     cout << endl << "4:division" << endl << "5:exit" << endl;     cin >> x;     switch (x)     {         case 1: // addition code             cout << endl << "addition" << endl << "first number:";             cin >> a;             cout << endl << "second number:";             cin >> b;             c = + b;             cout << endl << "answer:" << c;             break;         case 2: // subtraction code             cout << endl << "subtraction" << endl << "first number:";             cin >> a;             cout << endl << "second number:";             cin >> b;             c = - b;             cout << endl << "answer:" << c;             break;         case 3: // multiplication code             cout << endl << "multiplication" << endl << "first number:";             cin >> a;             cout << endl << "second number:";             cin >> b;             c = * b;             cout << endl << "answer:" << c;             break;         case 4: // division code             cout << endl << "division" << endl << "first number:";             cin >> a;             cout << endl << "second number:";             cin >> b;             c = / b;             cout << endl << "answer:" << c;             break;         case 5: // exit code             return 0;       }  } 

this solution relies on these winapi functions , structures:

• getconsolescreenbufferinfo screen dimensions
• fillconsoleoutputattribute fill screen attribute
• console_screen_buffer_info structure store screen information

the code follows:

handle hcon; console_screen_buffer_info csbiscreeninfo; coord coordstart = { 0, 0 };  // screen coordinate upper left dword dwnumwritten = 0;       // holds # of cells written                                // fillconsoleoutputattribute dword dwscrsize; word  wattributes = background_blue | foreground_blue | foreground_green | foreground_red;  hcon = getstdhandle(std_output_handle);  // screen buffer information including size , position of window if (!getconsolescreenbufferinfo(hcon, &csbiscreeninfo)) {     // put error handling here     return 1; } // calculate number of cells on screen screen size dwscrsize = csbiscreeninfo.dwmaximumwindowsize.x * csbiscreeninfo.dwmaximumwindowsize.y; // fill screen specified attribute fillconsoleoutputattribute(hcon, wattributes, dwscrsize, coordstart, &dwnumwritten); // set attribute newly written text setconsoletextattribute(hcon, wattributes); 

the inline comments should enough understand basics of going supplied documentation links. screen size getconsolescreenbufferinfo , use determine number of cells on screen update new attribute using fillconsoleoutputattribute . use setconsoletextattribute ensure new text gets printed matches attribute used color entire console screen.

for brevity have left off error check calls fillconsoleoutputattribute , setconsoletextattribute. put stub error handling getconsolescreenbufferinfo . leave exercise original poster add appropriate error handling if choose.