How Can C Programs Implement Asynchronous Console Input?

Asynchronous Console Input for C Programs

Non-blocking console input is essential for handling user commands while a program continuously runs. In C , there are various approaches to achieve this.

C 11 Solution

One effective method using C 11 is to utilize the std::thread and <code class="hljs">std::future libraries. Here's an example:

<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>

In this example, the std::thread library is used to create a separate thread that handles input while the main thread continues execution. The <code class="hljs">std::future library is used to retrieve the input from the separate thread asynchronously.

This approach allows the program to output information while simultaneously handling user commands, providing a responsive and non-blocking user interface.

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