Zip My Code

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

namespace ZipMyCode.Cli
{
	/// <summary>
	/// Class containing methods responsible for attaching to and detatching from the console.
	/// </summary>
	static class ConsoleHelper
	{
		private const int ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS = -1;


		/// <summary>
		/// Attaches the process to the console or creates a new if needed.
		/// </summary>
		public static void AttachOrCreate()
		{
			if (!AttachConsole(ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS))
			{
				AllocConsole();
			};

			// Write a empty line since the code above doesn't work as intended. Creating or attaching to
			// a console somehow produces the first call to Console.WriteLine to print on a new DOS
			// prompt.
			Console.WriteLine();
		}


		/// <summary>
		/// Detaches the process from the console.
		/// </summary>
		public static void Detach()
		{
			FreeConsole();
		}


		[DllImport("kernel32", SetLastError = true)]
		static extern bool AllocConsole();


		[DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
		static extern bool AttachConsole(int dwProcessId);


		[DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true, ExactSpelling = true)]
		static extern bool FreeConsole();
	}
}