Larger font in larger output console window

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bkoopers
Posts: 19
Joined: Mar 08, 2013 12:10

Larger font in larger output console window

Post by bkoopers »

If I use the Width command to increase the columns and rows, it increases the output window size but the font size remains the same.

If I use the Screen or ScreenRes command, it creates a larger window but the font size remains the same and the larger window is opened as a second window.

How can I set a larger font in a larger output console window (with no second window opening)?

Thanks to anyone who can help me out.
counting_pine
Site Admin
Posts: 6323
Joined: Jul 05, 2005 17:32
Location: Manchester, Lancs

Re: Larger font in larger output console window

Post by counting_pine »

You have no control over the text size in the console. At least not without jumping through some pretty nasty hoops..
The graphics window has character sets 8 pixels wide, and 8/14/16 pixels high. You can set this using Width.
KeyPgWidth

You can also use Draw String with a custom character sets of any size.
KeyPgDrawstring
Some people have produced code to turn fonts into FB character sets. I don't remember where, but you can try searching the forum or waiting for someone more familiar with this than I am to post a relevant link here.
I3I2UI/I0
Posts: 90
Joined: Jun 03, 2005 10:39
Location: Germany

Re: Larger font in larger output console window

Post by I3I2UI/I0 »

Hi,
http://www.freebasic-portal.de/code-bei ... n-232.html

Code: Select all

#Include Once "windows.bi"
'ab Windows Vista
Const FF_LUCIDA = 54
'Const FF_TERMINAL = 48

Type CONSOLE_FONT_INFOEX
  cbSize     As UInteger
  nFont      As Integer
  dwFontSize As COORD
  FontFamily As UInteger
  FontWeight As UInteger
  FaceName   As WString * LF_FACESIZE
End Type

Declare Function SetConsoleFont(ByVal sTypeface As String, wFontWidth As Short, wFontHeight As Short, wFontStyle As Short) As Integer

Dim Shared As Any Ptr Kernel32
Dim Shared GetCurrentConsoleFontEx As Function (ByVal hConsoleOutput As HANDLE _
,   ByVal bMaximumWindow As Integer _
,   ByVal lpConsoleCurrentFontEx As Any Ptr) As Integer
Dim Shared SetCurrentConsoleFontEx  As Function (ByVal hConsoleOutput As HANDLE _
,   ByVal bMaximumWindow As Integer _
,   lpConsoleCurrentFontEx As Any Ptr) As Integer

Kernel32 = DylibLoad( "Kernel32.dll" )
If Kernel32 Then
  GetCurrentConsoleFontEx = DylibSymbol( Kernel32, "GetCurrentConsoleFontEx" )
  SetCurrentConsoleFontEx = DylibSymbol( Kernel32, "SetCurrentConsoleFontEx" )
Else
  End
EndIf

Dim As Integer dwMxScrn = SetConsoleFont("Lucida Console", 10, 50, FF_LUCIDA)
If dwMxScrn Then
  Print "Konsole mit " & LoWord(dwMxScrn) & "x" & HiWord(dwMxScrn) & " Zeichen."
  Print "Test"
End If

DylibFree Kernel32
Sleep

Function SetConsoleFont(ByVal sTypeface As String,wFontWidth As Short _
  ,      wFontHeight As Short, wFontStyle As Short) As Integer
  Dim hConHdl As HANDLE = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE)
  If hConHdl < 0 Then Return 0
  Dim ConFont As CONSOLE_FONT_INFOEX
  With ConFont
    .cbSize = SizeOf(ConFont)
    .nFont = 0
    .FontFamily = wFontStyle
    .dwFontSize.X = wFontWidth
    .dwFontSize.Y = wFontHeight
    .FaceName = sTypeface
  End With
  If SetCurrentConsoleFontEx(hConHdl, 1, @ConFont) Then
    GetCurrentConsoleFontEx(hConHdl, 1, @ConFont)
    Function = ConFont.dwFontSize.X Shl(16) + ConFont.dwFontSize.Y
  End If
End Function
bkoopers
Posts: 19
Joined: Mar 08, 2013 12:10

Re: Larger font in larger output console window

Post by bkoopers »

I do not understand the code posted by I3I2UI/I0 but I tried it and when I execute the compiled code, Windows immediately says it encountered a problem and closes the window.

I just remembered that when the console windows is open, if I right-click on the title bar and change the font size from 8x12 to 10x18 and select "save properties for future windows with same title", then that compiled program always opens in the larger size I want. I would have preferred if I could have built that font size into the program so if I gave the program to somebody, it would open with the larger font without having to adjust it once manually.
Last edited by bkoopers on Mar 24, 2013 21:08, edited 1 time in total.
MichaelW
Posts: 3500
Joined: May 16, 2006 22:34
Location: USA

Re: Larger font in larger output console window

Post by MichaelW »

I recall some years ago modifying the registry to indirectly control the console font size, but ATM I can’t find my code. I recall testing with the Lucida Console font, changing the font size in the console properties, observing what changes this made in the registry, and then trying to create code to change the registry directly. I think I managed to make it work somewhat, but I also seem to recall some limitation that I could not work around.
counting_pine
Site Admin
Posts: 6323
Joined: Jul 05, 2005 17:32
Location: Manchester, Lancs

Re: Larger font in larger output console window

Post by counting_pine »

Perhaps the simplest solution might be to run the app in a graphics screen, and scale up the results, either manually or possibly running in full screen mode.

My personal feeling is that people won't thank you for messing with their console settings.
MichaelW
Posts: 3500
Joined: May 16, 2006 22:34
Location: USA

Re: Larger font in larger output console window

Post by MichaelW »

counting_pine wrote:My personal feeling is that people won't thank you for messing with their console settings.
I think the changes can be restricted to the console for a single instance of an application, but if an application made any sort of global change in my console settings it would do so only once.
counting_pine
Site Admin
Posts: 6323
Joined: Jul 05, 2005 17:32
Location: Manchester, Lancs

Re: Larger font in larger output console window

Post by counting_pine »

Even so, I dislike presumptions like: "you don't want my console app to look like a normal console app", or "you don't want to multitask my app with anything else, and you won't mind me going full-screen and changing your screen resolution without asking".
Or the old favourite, "you'd be much happier with your global volume control ramped up to 100%"

I digress slightly, but I still think a console app should look like a console app.
But at bare minimum, if I run it from the command line, any changes it makes to the console should all be undone by the time I get my prompt back.
bkoopers
Posts: 19
Joined: Mar 08, 2013 12:10

Re: Larger font in larger output console window

Post by bkoopers »

counting_pine: In general I agree with you, but in my case, I am converting a program to FreeBASIC that I use in a baseball simulation league that I run and it is only used by the 30 managers in the league (mostly people of older age whose eyesight is not what it used to be). I know all the end users and know that they would prefer the window to be a little bigger than the default size.
Cherry
Posts: 358
Joined: Oct 23, 2007 12:06
Location: Austria
Contact:

Re: Larger font in larger output console window

Post by Cherry »

bkoopers wrote:I do not understand the code posted by I3I2UI/I0 but I tried it and when I execute the compiled code, Windows immediately says it encountered a problem and closes the window.
It only works with Windows Vista and above.

In general, you might really consider using a graphics window using ScreenRes and scaling the font up to the size you like, or using one of the font libraries to draw text in a completely custom font (e.g. XFont)
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