Detecting Console

[Veltas]

How can I detect if my program has been started from the console and then use that console?

[DSLq5Di1]

A Windows application launched from the console? AttachConsole(ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS).
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms681952

Redirecting std::cout,
http://blog.signalsondisplay.com/?p=85

[Veltas]

I've tried that but it obviously doesn't treat cmd.exe as the parent process, the command returns 0.

[Veltas]

That article is wrong (no need to AttachConsole after AllocConsole, as AllocConsole attaches it). Unfortunately, it is dealing with a different problem to mine; how to simply create a new console window to run alongside the current.

[DSLq5Di1]

I'm a little lost here, from what I understood in your original post.. you wished to use the console your program was launched from? if that is the case,

#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <fstream>

int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInst, HINSTANCE hPrevInst, LPSTR lpCmdLine, int nShowCmd)
{
	if (AttachConsole(ATTACH_PARENT_PROCESS))
	{
		std::ofstream console_out("CONOUT$");
		std::cout.rdbuf(console_out.rdbuf());

		std::cout << "Testing 1..2..3.." << std::endl;

		FreeConsole();
	}
	return 0;
}

That article is wrong (no need to AttachConsole after AllocConsole, as AllocConsole attaches it). Unfortunately, it is dealing with a different problem to mine; how to simply create a new console window to run alongside the current.

Yes, you either allocate a new console, or attach to an existing one. If you simply want a new console, use AllocConsole(). http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms681944