SetConsoleTextAttribute

The SetConsoleTextAttribute function sets the foreground (text) and background color attributes of characters written to the screen buffer by the WriteFile or WriteConsole function, or echoed by the ReadFile or ReadConsole function. This function affects only text written after the function call.

BOOL SetConsoleTextAttribute(
  HANDLE hConsoleOutput,  // handle to console screen buffer
  WORD wAttributes        // text and background colors
);
 

Parameters

hConsoleOutput

Handle to a console screen buffer. The handle must have GENERIC_READ access.

wAttributes

Specifies the foreground and background color attributes. Any combination of the following values can be specified: FOREGROUND_BLUE, FOREGROUND_GREEN, FOREGROUND_RED, FOREGROUND_INTENSITY, BACKGROUND_BLUE, BACKGROUND_GREEN, BACKGROUND_RED, and BACKGROUND_INTENSITY. For example, the following combination of values produces white text on a black background:

FOREGROUND_RED | FOREGROUND_GREEN | FOREGROUND_BLUE 
 

Return Values

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

To determine the current color attributes of a screen buffer, call the GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo function.

QuickInfo

  Windows NT: Requires version 3.1 or later.
  Windows: Requires Windows 95 or later.
  Windows CE: Unsupported.
  Header: Declared in wincon.h.
  Import Library: Use kernel32.lib.

See Also

Consoles and Character-Mode Support Overview, Console Functions, GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo, ReadConsole, ReadFile, WriteConsole, WriteFile