From: Usano <usano@...>
Date: 2002-12-19T05:11:31+09:00
Subject: Re: How to read a single character from DOS prompt in windows (without <Enter>)?

Thanks AW.  I have used the following...

require "Win32API"

print "Answer (Y/N): "
char = Win32API.new("crtdll", "_getch", [], 'L').Call
putc char
putc ?\n
if [?Y,?y].include? char
	puts "You pressed 'Y'"
else
	puts "You didn't press 'Y'"
end

....but I have a question about your use of kbhit() and sleep().  I
assume that while my code is waiting, Windows will still allocate time
slices for other programs that might be running at the same time.
Does using kbhit() and sleep() allow time to be given to other threads
that may be running concurrently in the same Ruby program as the
_getch()?

Thank you for the help,
   - Usano

On Mon, 16 Dec 2002 20:18:58 GMT, AW <sturmpanzer@metacrawler.com>
wrote:

>This (or something like it) was posted a while ago by some helpfull
>person (I forget their name). Its a win32 version.
>
>require 'Win32API'
>
>kbhit = Win32API.new("crtdll", "_kbhit", [], 'L')
>getch = Win32API.new("crtdll", "_getch", [], 'L')
>loop{
>       puts " #{getch.Call.chr} pressed" if kbhit.Call != 0
>       sleep 0.1
>}
>
>>Can anyone tell me how to get a single character from the command line
>>prompt without the user pressing <Enter>?  This would be in response
>>to a Yes/No question or a number from a simple printed menu.
>>
>>I did notice something in my "The Ruby Way" book which talked about
>>the feature being in TK.  Is there nothing in standard Ruby?
>>
>>Thanks,
>>   - Usano