How can I implement non-blocking console input in C for interactive applications?

Non-Blocking Console Input in C

In modern C , non-blocking console input allows for seamless handling of user commands while the program continues to run and output information. This capability is often critical in interactive applications and gaming.

C 11 Solution:

One effective way to implement non-blocking console input is through the use of a separate thread. This approach allows the main program to continue executing while a background thread monitors the console for input. The following code sample demonstrates this approach using C 11:

<code class="cpp">#include <iostream>
#include <future>
#include <thread>
#include <chrono>

static std::string getAnswer()
{
    std::string answer;
    std::cin >> answer;
    return answer;
}

int main()
{
    std::chrono::seconds timeout(5);
    std::cout << "Do you even lift?" << std::endl << std::flush;
    std::string answer = "maybe"; // default to maybe
    std::future<std::string> future = std::async(getAnswer);

    if (future.wait_for(timeout) == std::future_status::ready)
        answer = future.get();

    std::cout << "the answer was: " << answer << std::endl;
    exit(0);
}</code>

Explanation:

In this example, the getAnswer function is responsible for retrieving the user's input. The std::async function launches a separate thread that executes getAnswer and returns a std::future object that can be used to retrieve the result.

The main program sets a timeout of 5 seconds to wait for user input. If the user enters input within this time, the program sets the answer variable to the input. Otherwise, it defaults to "maybe."

This non-blocking input approach allows the program to continue its ongoing computations and output while still responding to user input efficiently. It is a powerful technique for building interactive C applications.

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