WriteConsoleA

WriteConsoleA is a Windows API function in Kernel32.dll that writes a sequence of ANSI characters to a console screen buffer. It is the ANSI (8-bit) variant of the console writing functions, with WriteConsoleW providing the wide-character version. This function is commonly used with console handles obtained from GetStdHandle or other console creation APIs.

The function signature is:

BOOL WriteConsoleA(HANDLE hConsoleOutput, const void* lpBuffer, DWORD nCharsToWrite, LPDWORD lpCharsWritten, LPVOID lpReserved);

Parameters:

- hConsoleOutput: a handle to the console screen buffer or the console's standard output.

- lpBuffer: a pointer to a buffer containing the characters to write.

- nCharsToWrite: the number of characters to write from the buffer.

- lpCharsWritten: receives the number of characters actually written.

- lpReserved: must be NULL.

Return value:

- Nonzero indicates success.

- Zero indicates failure; extended error information can be obtained with GetLastError.

Notes:

- The input bytes are interpreted according to the current ANSI code page, and may be translated to the console’s output representation as needed.

- If the console cannot accommodate all requested characters, the function writes as many as will fit and returns success; the number written is reported via lpCharsWritten.

- The function requires a console output handle; if the handle is not connected to a console, the call fails with an appropriate error (for example, ERROR_NOT_CONNECTED).

Usage considerations:

- For Unicode applications, WriteConsoleW is generally preferred to avoid code page translation concerns.

- The lpReserved parameter must be NULL.

See also: WriteConsoleW, WriteConsoleOutputA, GetStdHandle, STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE, GetLastError.