C# Signature:

[DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    static extern bool GetCurrentConsoleFont(
        IntPtr hConsoleOutput,
        bool bMaximumWindow,
        out CONSOLE_FONT_INFO lpConsoleCurrentFont);

User-Defined Types:

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    public struct CONSOLE_FONT_INFO
    {
        public int nFont;
        public Coord dwFontSize;
    }

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

Notes:

None.

Sample Code:

Here's a method that uses this method in conjunction with GetConsoleFontSize to return the size of the currently selected console font.

    private Coord GetCurrentFontSize()
    {

      //Need to use reflection to obtain pointer to the console output buffer
      Type consoleType = typeof(Console);

      IntPtr _consoleOutputHandle = (IntPtr)consoleType.InvokeMember(
        "_consoleOutputHandle",
        BindingFlags.Static | BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.GetField,
        null,
        null,
        null);

       //Obtain the current console font index
        CONSOLE_FONT_INFO currentFont;
        bool success = GetCurrentConsoleFont(
        _consoleOutputHandle,
        false,
        out currentFont);

       //Use that index to obtain font size    
        Coord coord = GetConsoleFontSize(_consoleOutputHandle, currentFont.nFont);
        return coord;
    }

//-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

// i was unable to get the above code to work [.NET Framework 4.0, VS 2010] but i wrote

// this set of functions to do the same thing, hope this helps someone.

//

// the nullable return types are gravy; you could of course return bool status values and

// use out or ref COORD and CONSOLE_FONT_INFO parameters to return the values, if they exist

    /// <summary>
    /// purpose is to return the current console's COORD font size, if it exists
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns>either the COORD-based font size, or null</returns>
    public static COORD? getConsoleFontSize()
    {
        COORD? RetVal = null;
        CONSOLE_FONT_INFO? consoleFontOrNull = getConsoleFontInfo();

        if (consoleFontOrNull != null)
        {
            CONSOLE_FONT_INFO consoleFont = consoleFontOrNull.Value;
            //Use that index to obtain font size
            RetVal = GetConsoleFontSize(getConsoleOutputHandle(), consoleFont.nFont);
        }

        return RetVal;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// returns the current console's CONSOLE_FONT_INFO structure, if it exists
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns>either the current console's CONSOLE_FONT_INFO structure, or null</returns>
    public static CONSOLE_FONT_INFO? getConsoleFontInfo()
    {
        CONSOLE_FONT_INFO currentFont;

        //Obtain the current console font index
        bool success = GetCurrentConsoleFont(getConsoleOutputHandle(), false, out currentFont);

        // probably could dispense with the currentFont variable, and just use
        // RetVal.Value in the call, but for clarity and safety's sake i have
        // separated them out
        CONSOLE_FONT_INFO? RetVal = null;

        // if the call succeeded, set the value of the nullable otherwise, leave it null
        if (success)
            RetVal = currentFont;

        return RetVal;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// returns the current console's output handle as an IntPtr, if it exists
    /// </summary>
    /// <returns>either the current console's output handle, or IntPtr.Zero</returns>
    public static IntPtr getConsoleOutputHandle()
    {
        Type consoleType = typeof(System.Console);

        // for some reason .InvokeMember wasn't working for me, but this strikes me
        // as a bit more clear anyway.  might just be me.  but, it does seem to work.
        FieldInfo _consoleOutputHandle_fieldinfo =
            consoleType.GetField("_consoleOutputHandle", BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Static);

        IntPtr RetVal;

        // this is probably a pretty safe operation as System.Console is a static type,
        // but just to be on the safe side might as well do a little exception handling.
        try
        {
            // since System.Console is a static class/type, you just pass null where an
            // object is requested, apparently. i have checked this in the debugger and
            // it does work, so i'll just take people's word for it.
            RetVal = (IntPtr)_consoleOutputHandle_fieldinfo.GetValue(null);
        }

        // not really doing anything if there's an exception; not much to do. could give a
        // parameter name if you wanted to for logging and such.
        catch (Exception)
        {
            RetVal = IntPtr.Zero;
        }

        return RetVal;
    }        

Please edit this page!

Do you have...

• helpful tips or sample code to share for using this API in managed code?
• corrections to the existing content?
• variations of the signature you want to share?
• additional languages you want to include?

Select "Edit This Page" on the right hand toolbar and edit it! Or add new pages containing supporting types needed for this API (structures, delegates, and more).