[C++] How to read progress from CMD prompts like FFMPEG's

[squadjot]

Hi everybody.

I would like to build a little encoder application that uses CMD line executeables to do the work.
A problem i havent found a solution to, is how to get the contents of a CMD prompt in progress.

Alltho i TOTAL noob in C++ , i managed to create another .dll application once for a game, that did something like it. (getting text from game console) and it was using WM_GETTEXT

So, i'm convinced that i can use WM_GETTEXT in c++ to get the contents of 8any) window.. but i dont' know exaclty how to.. =/

Here's the fundamental stuff of my old similar project
#include "dll.h"
#include <windows.h> 
using namespace std;
#pragma warning(disable:4129) 
#define PARENTWND "Console" 
#define CHILDWND "Edit" 
#define MAX_BUFFER 16384  
#define CR 13 
#define LF 10 

static HWND hwndParent        = NULL; 
static HWND hwndEdit          = NULL; 
static HWND hwndConsole       = NULL; 
void SetWindowHandles(){ 
   hwndParent   = FindWindow(0, PARENTWND); 
   hwndEdit   	= FindWindowEx(hwndParent, NULL, CHILDWND, NULL); 
   hwndConsole   = FindWindowEx(hwndParent, hwndEdit, CHILDWND, NULL); 
   } 
char* GetTextFromWindow() { 
      SendMessage(hwndConsole, WM_GETTEXT, (WPARAM)sizeof(consolestream), (LPARAM)consolestream);
return consolestream;
}


int main(){ 
    SetWindowHandles(); 
}

Any pointers would be highly apreciated

[midders]

There's a possible solution here, but I'm wondering why it is you want to capture the output in the first place. If you want to show progress, then why not just bring the cmd window into the foreground. Or is it for some other reason?

Also, if you're going to be using command line tools for all the work, then why not just write a batch file, rather than diving in to C++. Check out the link in my sig for an example.

Slainte

midders

[jagabo]

why not just bring the cmd window into the foreground...
why not just write a batch file...

Because it's ugly? Ugly doesn't bother me but it bothers many people.

[freebird73717]

Google search for "redirect stdout to a textbox"

[midders]

Google search for "redirect stdout to a textbox"

Many of the command line tools don't output to stdout or stderr, or at least attempts to redirect these output streams to files in a command window are ineffectual.

Because it's ugly? Ugly doesn't bother me but it bothers many people.

If you say so. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beerholder.

A quick fix solution would be to run the command line tool in a child window of your main application; then you can move the window around, change it's size and colour etc. however you like.