How to view printf output in a Win32 application on Visual Studio 2010?

Question

How can you view printf output in a Win32 application (entering with a WinMain) in Visual Studio 2010?

Answer 1

You'll need a console window. By far the easiest way to get one is to change a linker option: Project + Properties, Linker, System, SubSystem = Console. Add a main() method:

int main() {
    return _tWinMain(GetModuleHandle(NULL), NULL, GetCommandLine(), SW_SHOW);
}

Answer 2

Another way which wouldn't require changing existing printf's and also print to VS output window would go something like this:

#define printf printf2

int __cdecl printf2(const char *format, ...)
{
    char str[1024];

    va_list argptr;
    va_start(argptr, format);
    int ret = vsnprintf(str, sizeof(str), format, argptr);
    va_end(argptr);

    OutputDebugStringA(str);

    return ret;
}

...

printf("remains %s", "the same");

Answer 3

Strictly answering your question, you may use printf-like functions in a Win32 application in Visual Studio 2010 using the winbase.h OutputDebugString function.

I wrote a simple program that shows how to do it.

#include <windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>

int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdShow, int nCmdShow)
{
    int number = 10;
    char str[256];
    sprintf_s(str, "It works! - number: %d \n", number);

    OutputDebugString(str);

    return 0;
}

The OutputDebugString function takes an LPCSTR as a parameter. I used the sprintf_s to format the string before printing.

This would print the result to the Visual Studio 2010 output window.

I hope it helps!

Answer 4

Here is a page that will tell you how to do this, including sample code.

You must create a console window using AllocConsole(), then associate the C standard file handles to the HANDLEs of the new console window.

Answer 5

For MinGW use "_A_SYSTEM" instead "_O_TEXT". So ported Quintin Willison answer is as follows:

#include <io.h>
void SetStdOutToNewConsole()
{
  // allocate a console for this app
  AllocConsole();
  // redirect unbuffered STDOUT to the console
  HANDLE consoleHandle = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
  int fileDescriptor = _open_osfhandle((intptr_t)consoleHandle, _A_SYSTEM);
  FILE *fp = _fdopen( fileDescriptor, "w" );
  *stdout = *fp;
  setvbuf( stdout, NULL, _IONBF, 0 );
  // give the console window a nicer title
  SetConsoleTitle(L"Debug Output");
  // give the console window a bigger buffer size
  CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO csbi;
  if ( GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(consoleHandle, &csbi) )
  {
    COORD bufferSize;
    bufferSize.X = csbi.dwSize.X;
    bufferSize.Y = 9999;
    SetConsoleScreenBufferSize(consoleHandle, bufferSize);
  }
}

Answer 6

I know that I have done this in the past using the AllocConsole function, but I also recall that it was just a little trickier than I expected.

A quick Google search on AllocConsole yields what is apparently a Windows Developer Journal article that seems relevant. From there, the following seems similar to what I recall, vague as it is.

void SetStdOutToNewConsole()
{
    int hConHandle;
    long lStdHandle;
    FILE *fp;

    // Allocate a console for this app
    AllocConsole();

    // Redirect unbuffered STDOUT to the console
    lStdHandle = (long)GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
    hConHandle = _open_osfhandle(lStdHandle, _O_TEXT);
    fp = _fdopen(hConHandle, "w");
    *stdout = *fp;

    setvbuf(stdout, NULL, _IONBF, 0);
}