consolex 0.1.0

Windows console utilities: probe, create, and release the console of the current process, plus a small CLI.
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consolex

Windows console utilities: probe, create, and release the console of the current process, plus a small CLI built on the library API.

Windows-only.

Library

[dependencies]
consolex = "0.1"

The recommended usage is [init] with a [Mode] resolved from the command-line flags. [init] returns true when a new console window was created, which is your cue to pause so the window stays readable:

use consolex::{init, wait_key, Mode};

// Build the mode from the arguments: `--show` → Show, `--hide` → Hide,
// otherwise Auto. Any other arguments are ignored.
let mode: Mode = std::env::args_os().skip(1).collect();

let created = init(mode)?;
println!("hello from a console-aware program");

// Keep a newly created window open long enough to read the output.
if created {
    wait_key()?;
}
# Ok::<(), consolex::Error>(())

Modes

Mode Behavior init returns
Auto Use the existing terminal, else create a window. true if a window was created
Show Always create a new window. true
Hide Detach the console; produce no output. false
Keep Leave the console state untouched. false

API

All names are short and explicit:

Item Meaning
Mode Desired console policy (auto/show/hide/keep), with FromStr and FromIterator impls.
init(mode) Apply a mode; returns whether a new window was created.
wait_key Block until a key is pressed (no-op on pipes).
has_console Is a console attached?
set_mode(mode) Apply a mode (discards whether a window was created).
attach Use the parent terminal, else create a window.
show Always create a new console window.
detach Release the console if one is attached.

Errors are managed with thiserror: consolex::Error with variants Alloc, Free, Parse, and Input.

Build your binary as a GUI-subsystem executable so no console flashes when a third-party program launches it:

#![cfg_attr(windows, windows_subsystem = "windows")]

CLI

The bundled consolex binary demonstrates the library. It is built as a GUI-subsystem executable; console behavior is resolved at runtime:

Launch context Behavior
Double-click A console opens showing the version info and waits for a key.
From a terminal Version info goes to the existing console, then exits.
Third-party, default A console is opened (no output is captured by the caller).
--hide Detaches the console and exits without output.
--show Always opens a new console window. 
Usage: consolex [OPTIONS]

Options:
      --show     Open a new console window
      --hide     Detach the console and exit without output
  -h, --help     Print help
  -V, --version  Print version

Notes

  • has_console uses GetConsoleCP, so consoles created with CREATE_NO_WINDOW (no visible window) are still detected correctly.
  • wait_key temporarily disables line buffering and echo, restoring the original console mode afterwards, and returns immediately when standard input is redirected.