Use directional keys in a console application

This item was added on: 2003/03/22

This is system dependent as the most portable solution relies on the keyboard codes that map to the directional keys. Next you need a raw input function that takes a single character such as getch (a UNIX implementation is given later in this FAQ "How can I get input without having the user hit [Enter]?"). To get the correct codes for your system, you must search by way of a simple input function:

int get_code ( void )
{
  int ch = getch();

  if ( ch == 0 || ch == 224 )
    ch = 256 + getch();

  return ch;
}

enum
{
  KEY_UP    = 256 + 72,
  KEY_DOWN  = 256 + 80,
  KEY_LEFT  = 256 + 75,
  KEY_RIGHT = 256 + 77
};

#include <stdio.h> 
#include <conio.h> 

/* System dependent key codes */
enum
{
  KEY_ESC     = 27,
  ARROW_UP    = 256 + 72,
  ARROW_DOWN  = 256 + 80,
  ARROW_LEFT  = 256 + 75,
  ARROW_RIGHT = 256 + 77
};

static int get_code ( void )
{
  int ch = getch();

  if ( ch == 0 || ch == 224 )
    ch = 256 + getch();

  return ch;
}

int main ( void )
{
  int ch;

  while ( ( ch = get_code() ) != KEY_ESC ) {
    switch ( ch ) {
    case ARROW_UP:
      printf ( "UP\n" );
      break;
    case ARROW_DOWN:
      printf ( "DOWN\n" );
      break;
    case ARROW_LEFT:
      printf ( "LEFT\n" );
      break;
    case ARROW_RIGHT:
      printf ( "RIGHT\n" );
      break;
    }
  }

  return 0;
}

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

int main ( void )
{
  short esc = 0;

  while ( !esc ) {
    esc = GetAsyncKeyState ( VK_ESCAPE );

    if ( GetAsyncKeyState ( VK_UP ) & SHRT_MAX )
      puts ( "Up arrow is pressed" );
    else if ( GetAsyncKeyState ( VK_DOWN ) & SHRT_MAX )
      puts ( "Down arrow is pressed" );
    else if ( GetAsyncKeyState ( VK_LEFT ) & SHRT_MAX )
      puts ( "Left arrow is pressed" );
    else if ( GetAsyncKeyState ( VK_RIGHT ) & SHRT_MAX )
      puts ( "Right arrow is pressed" );
  }

  return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

#include <curses.h> 

int main ( void )
{
  initscr();
  noecho();

  keypad ( stdscr, TRUE );

  while ( 1 )
  {
    switch ( getch() )
    {
    case KEY_UP:
      printw ( "UP\n" );
      break;
    case KEY_DOWN:
      printw ( "DOWN\n" );
      break;
    case KEY_LEFT:
      printw ( "LEFT\n" );
      break;
    case KEY_RIGHT:
      printw ( "RIGHT\n" );
      break;
    }

    refresh();
  }

  endwin();

  return 0;
}

Credit: Prelude