ConsoleKeyInfo.KeyChar Property

Definition

Gets the Unicode character represented by the current ConsoleKeyInfo object.

public char KeyChar { get; }

Property Value

An object that corresponds to the console key represented by the current ConsoleKeyInfo object.

Examples

The following example uses the KeyChar property to add the characters input by the user into a string. The example ignores special keys other than ENTER, ESC, and BACKSPACE.

using System;

public class Example
{
   public static void Main()
   {
      // Configure console.
      Console.BufferWidth = 80;
      Console.WindowWidth = Console.BufferWidth;
      Console.TreatControlCAsInput = true;

      string inputString = String.Empty;
      ConsoleKeyInfo keyInfo;

      Console.WriteLine("Enter a string. Press <Enter> or Esc to exit.");
      do {
         keyInfo = Console.ReadKey(true);
         // Ignore if Alt or Ctrl is pressed.
         if ((keyInfo.Modifiers & ConsoleModifiers.Alt) == ConsoleModifiers.Alt)
            continue;
         if ((keyInfo.Modifiers & ConsoleModifiers.Control) == ConsoleModifiers.Control)
            continue;
         // Ignore if KeyChar value is \u0000.
         if (keyInfo.KeyChar == '\u0000') continue;
         // Ignore tab key.
         if (keyInfo.Key == ConsoleKey.Tab) continue;
         // Handle backspace.
         if (keyInfo.Key == ConsoleKey.Backspace) {
            // Are there any characters to erase?
            if (inputString.Length >= 1) {
               // Determine where we are in the console buffer.
               int cursorCol = Console.CursorLeft - 1;
               int oldLength = inputString.Length;
               int extraRows = oldLength / 80;

               inputString = inputString.Substring(0, oldLength - 1);
               Console.CursorLeft = 0;
               Console.CursorTop = Console.CursorTop - extraRows;
               Console.Write(inputString + new String(' ', oldLength - inputString.Length));
               Console.CursorLeft = cursorCol;
            }
            continue;
         }
         // Handle Escape key.
         if (keyInfo.Key == ConsoleKey.Escape) break;
         // Handle key by adding it to input string.
         Console.Write(keyInfo.KeyChar);
         inputString += keyInfo.KeyChar;
      } while (keyInfo.Key != ConsoleKey.Enter);
      Console.WriteLine("\n\nYou entered:\n    {0}",
                        String.IsNullOrEmpty(inputString) ? "<nothing>" : inputString);
   }
}

Remarks

If the key pressed does not map to a Unicode character (for example, if the user presses the F1 key or the Home key), the value of the KeyChar property is \U0000.

Applies to

Product Versions
.NET Core 1.0, Core 1.1, Core 2.0, Core 2.1, Core 2.2, Core 3.0, Core 3.1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
.NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 4.5.1, 4.5.2, 4.6, 4.6.1, 4.6.2, 4.7, 4.7.1, 4.7.2, 4.8, 4.8.1
.NET Standard 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 2.0, 2.1