Countdown timer in console Application [duplicate]

Question

This question already has an answer here:

• How can I update the current line in a C# Windows Console App? 15 answers

I have a console application and I want to create a countdown timer. This is what I have tried:

    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        for (int a = 10; a >= 0; a--)
        {
            Console.Write("Generating Preview in {0}", a);
            System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);
            Console.Clear();
        }
    }

This code works in some situations. However, the problem is that it clears the entire console window and cannot be used when there are some characters above the timer.

Answer 1

There are two ways i know of doing what you want

1) Use Console.SetCursorPosition();. This is applicable when you are sure of the amount of characters that will be above the timer.

2) Use Console.CursorLeft. This is applicable in all cases.

Code Examples

static void Main(string[] args)
{
   for (int a = 10; a >= 0; a--)
   {
      Console.SetCursorPosition(0,2);
      Console.Write("Generating Preview in {0} ", a);  // Override complete previous contents
      System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);
   }
}

static void Main(string[] args)
{
   Console.Write("Generating Preview in ");
   for (int a = 10; a >= 0; a--)
   {
      Console.CursorLeft = 22;
      Console.Write("{0} ", a );    // Add space to make sure to override previous contents
      System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);
   }
}

Answer 2

If you print "\r" to the console the cursor goes back to the beginning of the current line, so this works:

for (int a = 10; a >= 0; a--)
{
    Console.Write("\rGenerating Preview in {0:00}", a);
    System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);
} 

Answer 3

One easy trick you can use is to place a \r in your string to return it the cursor to the beginning of the current line:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    Console.WriteLine("This text stays here");
    for (int a = 10; a >= 0; a--)
    {
        Console.Write("\rGenerating Preview in {0}", a);
        System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);
    }
}

Answer 4

Console.SetCursorPosition and related is what you probably looking for. Get current position and set it again back aster every Write/WriteLine call.

Something like:

var origRow = Console.CursorTop;
for (int a = 10; a >= 0; a--)
{
    Console.SetCursorPosition(0, origRow);
    Console.Write("Generating Preview in {0}", a);
    System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);
}
Console.SetCursorPosition(0, origRow);
Console.Write("Generating Preview done.....");