how to clear cmd screen

[glacial bay]

hi,

can anyone tell me how to clear the cmd screen, I have commeneted where it should be "//to clear the screen from here"

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>

int main()
{

    int hp = 100;
    int choice;


    while (hp > 0){

    //to clear the screen from here



    printf("1.Attack\n\n");
    printf("2.Magic hit\n\n");
    printf("3.ultimate\n\n");

    printf("enemy hp %d:\n\n", hp);

    scanf ("%d", &choice);



        if(choice == 1){

            hp = hp - 20;
            printf("\nhit for 20\n");

        }
        if(choice == 2){
            hp = hp - 25;
            printf("\nmagic hit for 25\n\n");

        }
        if(choice  == 3){
            hp = hp - 50;
            printf("\nultimate for 50\n\n");
        }
        //printf("\n\nenemy hp: %d\n\n", hp);
    }
        printf("\nenemy defeated\n");



    return 0;
}

[azure hazel]

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[clever cobalt]

You can use ANSI escape codes.

[glacial bay]

what is that?

[clever cobalt]

You can try searching.

[glacial bay]

ESC[2J erase entire screen

[crimson beacon]

would: ```c
#include <stdlib.h>

int main(void) {
system("clear");
return 0;
}```
work?

but I think it's a buffer overflow hazzard to use system() like that lol

[clever cobalt]

There's no such hazard here, just that this is not portable.

[crimson beacon]

yeah I guess

[glacial bay]

"'clear' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file."

while
system("clear");

[crimson beacon]

you are on windows

window's command is cls

but I'd recommend @clever cobalt solution

printf("ESC[2J");

[clever cobalt]

That's not how it's written.

[crimson beacon]

o oh

nvm

[clever cobalt]

"ESC" there is just placeholder of the actual character.

It is an actual character called "escape".

[crimson beacon]

yes I got it

so

printf("%c[2J", 27);

??

seems good enough

[glacial bay]

nah, that just prints "←[2J"

[crimson beacon]

🗿

@glacial bay

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void) {
    printf("Hello world\n");
    
    printf("\033[H\033[J");

    return 0;
}```

[glacial bay]

that prints
←[H←[J

[crimson beacon]

which terminal are you using

[glacial bay]

terminal?

[crimson beacon]

this

or this

[clever cobalt]

You don't need to do that.

[crimson beacon]

I think his terminal doesn't support ansi codes

[glacial bay]

oh

[clever cobalt]

Windows terminal enables ANSI escapes by default, the legacy console host requires an explicit toggle.

[crimson beacon]

thats why I'm asking him

[clever cobalt]

My reply there has nothing to do with terminals though, by the way.

[glacial bay]

im using C, on a compiler called Code Blocks

[clever cobalt]

There is a way to write the character directly into the string literal.

[glacial bay]

found it

system("cls");

[crimson beacon]

it doesn't support ansi

[glacial bay]

it works

[crimson beacon]

bruh

[clever cobalt]

Again CodeBlocks has nothing to do with that.

[crimson beacon]

.. ☠️

[clever cobalt]

Well again that's not portable.

[glacial bay]

i just ran it

it clears

[clever cobalt]

You understand what "portable" means?

[crimson beacon]

???? I just told him CodeBlocks doesn't support ANSI, I get it you can print the character directly printf("\033");

[clever cobalt]

CodeBlocks has nothing to do with ANSI escapes.

[crimson beacon]

It has a built in terminal

[clever cobalt]

The program is run in a terminal, and thus it's up to the terminal.

[clever cobalt]

It doesn't.

[crimson beacon]

yes

[clever cobalt]

CodeBlocks runs its program in the Windows console host.

[crimson beacon]

Alright

[clever cobalt]

And then:

the legacy console host requires an explicit toggle.

[tacit trellis]

Just use include stdlib and use system("cls")

You are only compiling for windows right?

[glacial bay]

i am windows, yes

[clever cobalt]

Here's demonstration code:

#include <stdio.h>

int main(void) {
    printf("This doesn't work.\n\x1B[2JIf you don't see anything above this line, it's working.\n");
}

[glacial bay]

i found it on google

system("cls");

[clever cobalt]

That is not portable, meaning, it may not work in other environments.

[tacit trellis]

Then I would use:

#include <stdlib.h>

int main(){
    system("cls");
}

[crimson beacon]

@glacial bay The system("cls") works only in windows

[tacit trellis]

OP said that they are only compiling for windows

[crimson beacon]

if another user tries to run it on linux it wouldn't work

[clever cobalt]

Even in the same Windows.

[tacit trellis]

how?

[clever cobalt]

A different shell.

[tacit trellis]

*true

[crimson beacon]

and how are we sure that shell allows ansi

[clever cobalt]

This can be used on Windows to enable ANSI escapes:

const HANDLE console = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
DWORD consoleMode;
GetConsoleMode(console, &consoleMode);
SetConsoleMode(console, consoleMode | ENABLE_VIRTUAL_TERMINAL_PROCESSING);

[crimson beacon]

and how would you know if you are on the windows shell or another in order to run that?
I'd say let's keep things simple, I don't think OP really wants something like that

[clever cobalt]

Macro switches that only include that code when compiling for Windows.

[tacit trellis]

#include <stdio.h>
int main(){
    printf("\033[2J\033[1;1H");
    return 0;
}

Just use this op

Doesn't this work?

[crimson beacon]

it doesn't

[tacit trellis]

How?

[crimson beacon]

because he has ansi off (off by default on windows console host)

[tacit trellis]

What terminal is OP using?

[clever cobalt]

Does on Windows terminal and doesn't on the console host which CodeBlocks launches.

It's a sour state, everyone admits, but it is how it is.

[clever cobalt]

Yes, that's the console host.

Meanwhile here's my Minesweeper on the Windows terminal:

[tacit trellis]

Meanwhile, I can't even get a sudoku puzzle to solve

We are going off topic though

[glacial bay]

im gonna make this solved

if you guys are finished

[tacit trellis]

system("cls") worked right?

It's up to the programmer I guess

[clever cobalt]

Works for now.

[glacial bay]

system("cls");

worked, yes

!solved