GetConsoleAlias function

Article
02/12/2021

Important

This document describes console platform functionality that is no longer a part of our ecosystem roadmap. We do not recommend using this content in new products, but we will continue to support existing usages for the indefinite future. Our preferred modern solution focuses on virtual terminal sequences for maximum compatibility in cross-platform scenarios. You can find more information about this design decision in our classic console vs. virtual terminal document.

Retrieves the text for the specified console alias and executable.

Syntax

DWORD WINAPI GetConsoleAlias(
  _In_  LPTSTR lpSource,
  _Out_ LPTSTR lpTargetBuffer,
  _In_  DWORD  TargetBufferLength,
  _In_  LPTSTR lpExeName
);

Parameters

lpSource [in]
The console alias whose text is to be retrieved.

lpTargetBuffer [out]
A pointer to a buffer that receives the text associated with the console alias.

TargetBufferLength [in]
The size of the buffer pointed to by lpTargetBuffer, in bytes.

lpExeName [in]
The name of the executable file.

Return value

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 compile an application that uses this function, define _WIN32_WINNT as 0x0501 or later. For more information, see Using the Windows Headers.

Tip

This API is not recommended and does not have a virtual terminal equivalent. This decision intentionally aligns the Windows platform with other operating systems where the individual client application acting as a shell or interpreter is expected to maintain its own user-convenience functionality like line reading and manipulation behavior including aliases and command history. Applications remoting via cross-platform utilities and transports like SSH may not work as expected if using this API.

Requirements


Minimum supported client	Windows 2000 Professional [desktop apps only]
Minimum supported server	Windows 2000 Server [desktop apps only]
Header	ConsoleApi3.h (via WinCon.h, include Windows.h)
Library	Kernel32.lib
DLL	Kernel32.dll
Unicode and ANSI names	GetConsoleAliasW (Unicode) and GetConsoleAliasA (ANSI)