C# modify console font, font size at runtime?

Question

I'm in the process of creating a rougelike and to assure my game displays correctly I am wanting to change the console font and font size at runtime.

I am very noob to programming and c# so I'm hoping this can be explained in a way I or anyone else can easily implement.

This resource list the full syntax of the CONSOLE_FONT_INFOEX structure:

typedef struct _CONSOLE_FONT_INFOEX {
  ULONG cbSize;
  DWORD nFont;
  COORD dwFontSize;
  UINT  FontFamily;
  UINT  FontWeight;
  WCHAR FaceName[LF_FACESIZE];
} CONSOLE_FONT_INFOEX, *PCONSOLE_FONT_INFOEX;

Specifically I'm wanting to change the console font to NSimSum and font size to 32 at runtime.

EDIT 1: Could I have it explained how to use the SetCurrentConsoleFontEx function from this post. I don't understand what context the function needs to be in. I tried Console.SetCurrentConsoleFontEx but vs gave me no options.

EDIT 2: this forum post seems to detail a simple method of changing font size but is it specific to c++?

void setFontSize(int FontSize)
{
    CONSOLE_FONT_INFOEX info = {0};
    info.cbSize       = sizeof(info);
    info.dwFontSize.Y = FontSize; // leave X as zero
    info.FontWeight   = FW_NORMAL;
    wcscpy(info.FaceName, L"Lucida Console");
    SetCurrentConsoleFontEx(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE), NULL, &info);
}

Answer 1

Another alternative that you might look into is to create a winforms app and use a RichTextBox instead. I guess it depends on how much you need to rely on any built-in console features.

Notice the use of some custom functions to make writing colored text easier.

You can try out something like this:

public partial class Form1 : Form
{
    public Form1()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }

    RichTextBox console = new RichTextBox();

    private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        console.Size = this.ClientSize;
        console.Top = 0;
        console.Left = 0;
        console.BackColor = Color.Black;
        console.ForeColor = Color.White;
        console.WordWrap = false;
        console.Font = new Font("Consolas", 12);            

        this.Controls.Add(console);
        this.Resize += Form1_Resize;

        DrawDiagram();
    }

    private void DrawDiagram()
    {
        WriteLine("The djinni speaks. \"I am in your debt. I will grant one wish!\"--More--\n");
        Dot(7);
        Diamond(2);
        WriteLine("....╔═══════╗..╔═╗");
        Dot(8);
        Diamond(2);
        WriteLine("...║..|....║..║.╠══════╦══════╗");
        Dot(9);
        Diamond(2);
        Write("..║.|.....║..║.║      ║.");
        Write('&', Color.DarkRed);
        Dot(4);
        WriteLine("║");
    }

    private void Dot(int qty)
    {
        Write('.', qty);
    }

    private void WriteLine(string text)
    {
        Write($"{text}\n");
    }

    private void Diamond(int qty)
    {
        Write('♦', qty, Color.Blue);
    }

    private void Write(char character, Color color)
    {
        Write(character, 1, color);
    }

    private void Write(char character, int qty)
    {
        Write(character, qty, Color.White);
    }

    private void Write(char character, int qty, Color color)
    {
        Write(new string(character, qty), color);
    }

    private void Write(string text)
    {
        Write(text, Color.White);
    }

    private void Write(string text, Color color)
    {
        var originalColor = console.SelectionColor;
        console.SelectionColor = color;
        console.AppendText(text);
        console.SelectionColor = originalColor;
    }

    private void Form1_Resize(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        console.Size = this.ClientSize;
    }
}

Output

Answer 2

Have you tried this

using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

public class Example
{
   [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
   static extern IntPtr GetStdHandle(int nStdHandle);

   [DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
   static extern bool GetCurrentConsoleFontEx(
          IntPtr consoleOutput, 
          bool maximumWindow,
          ref CONSOLE_FONT_INFO_EX lpConsoleCurrentFontEx);

   [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
   static extern bool SetCurrentConsoleFontEx(
          IntPtr consoleOutput, 
          bool maximumWindow,
          CONSOLE_FONT_INFO_EX consoleCurrentFontEx);

   private const int STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE = -11;
   private const int TMPF_TRUETYPE = 4;
   private const int LF_FACESIZE = 32;
   private static IntPtr INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE = new IntPtr(-1);

   public static unsafe void Main()
   {
      string fontName = "Lucida Console";
      IntPtr hnd = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
      if (hnd != INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE) {
         CONSOLE_FONT_INFO_EX info = new CONSOLE_FONT_INFO_EX();
         info.cbSize = (uint) Marshal.SizeOf(info);
         bool tt = false;
         // First determine whether there's already a TrueType font.
         if (GetCurrentConsoleFontEx(hnd, false, ref info)) {
            tt = (info.FontFamily & TMPF_TRUETYPE) == TMPF_TRUETYPE;
            if (tt) {
               Console.WriteLine("The console already is using a TrueType font.");
               return;
            }
            // Set console font to Lucida Console.
            CONSOLE_FONT_INFO_EX newInfo = new CONSOLE_FONT_INFO_EX();
            newInfo.cbSize = (uint) Marshal.SizeOf(newInfo);          
            newInfo.FontFamily = TMPF_TRUETYPE;
            IntPtr ptr = new IntPtr(newInfo.FaceName);
            Marshal.Copy(fontName.ToCharArray(), 0, ptr, fontName.Length);
            // Get some settings from current font.
            newInfo.dwFontSize = new COORD(info.dwFontSize.X, info.dwFontSize.Y);
            newInfo.FontWeight = info.FontWeight;
            SetCurrentConsoleFontEx(hnd, false, newInfo);
         }
      }    
    }

   [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
   internal struct COORD
   {
      internal short X;
      internal short Y;

      internal COORD(short x, short y)
      {
         X = x;
         Y = y;
      }
   }

   [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
   internal unsafe struct CONSOLE_FONT_INFO_EX 
   {
      internal uint cbSize;
      internal uint nFont;
      internal COORD dwFontSize;
      internal int FontFamily;
      internal int FontWeight;
      internal fixed char FaceName[LF_FACESIZE];
   } 
}

Refer https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.console(v=vs.110).aspx for more details