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feat: first stab at adding cross-platform support for the console/input handler #12

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feat: first stab at adding cross-platform support for the console/input handler #12

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ea199d1
feat: first stab at adding cross-platform support for the console/inp…
robinbaxon Aug 30, 2025
4c6a83d
fix(refactor): move crossplatform input/rendering into separate cross…
robinbaxon Sep 1, 2025
06b2b49
feat: runtime platform detection, ANSI renderer and macOS keyboard in…
robinbaxon Oct 22, 2026
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7 changes: 6 additions & 1 deletion .github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -9,7 +9,12 @@ on:
jobs:
build:

runs-on: windows-latest
strategy:
fail-fast: false
matrix:
os: [ windows-latest, macos-latest, ubuntu-latest ]

runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}

steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v4
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7 changes: 7 additions & 0 deletions ConsoleEngine.sln
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "TerraForM.Tests", "Examples
EndProject
Project("{2150E333-8FDC-42A3-9474-1A3956D46DE8}") = "Examples.Tests", "Examples.Tests", "{106CCD57-88BD-4B0A-A67F-A5DA7D8FCA3C}"
EndProject
Project("{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}") = "ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform", "Libs\ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform\ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform.csproj", "{F5F065A9-F0B1-45B6-B4BC-5912BAB09803}"
EndProject
Global
GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -82,6 +84,10 @@ Global
{58BE9E1E-1B58-423F-B2BF-9DB66E0CFACA}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
{58BE9E1E-1B58-423F-B2BF-9DB66E0CFACA}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
{58BE9E1E-1B58-423F-B2BF-9DB66E0CFACA}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
{F5F065A9-F0B1-45B6-B4BC-5912BAB09803}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
{F5F065A9-F0B1-45B6-B4BC-5912BAB09803}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
{F5F065A9-F0B1-45B6-B4BC-5912BAB09803}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
{F5F065A9-F0B1-45B6-B4BC-5912BAB09803}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
EndGlobalSection
GlobalSection(NestedProjects) = preSolution
{99309207-1847-4EB9-A009-C7B92BC2CE64} = {CA22425D-FB6C-45C6-A14C-561DF6D969B6}
Expand All @@ -96,5 +102,6 @@ Global
{A4209E56-1ECD-4616-BB13-DF77864F462C} = {12D2B48F-E7F6-4BEC-8315-9EC8F41A059A}
{0CDE38D4-12F4-426B-9252-E57820FF8D9B} = {028D7499-6A31-4A9F-868A-908AD53A8BD0}
{58BE9E1E-1B58-423F-B2BF-9DB66E0CFACA} = {106CCD57-88BD-4B0A-A67F-A5DA7D8FCA3C}
{F5F065A9-F0B1-45B6-B4BC-5912BAB09803} = {CA22425D-FB6C-45C6-A14C-561DF6D969B6}
EndGlobalSection
EndGlobal
1 change: 1 addition & 0 deletions ConsoleEngine/ConsoleEngine.csproj
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Expand Up @@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
</ItemGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<ProjectReference Include="..\ConsoleEngine.Abstractions\ConsoleEngine.Abstractions.csproj" />
<ProjectReference Include="..\Libs\ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform\ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform.csproj" />
<ProjectReference Include="..\Libs\ConsoleEngine.Logger\ConsoleEngine.Logger.csproj" />
<ProjectReference Include="..\Libs\Microsoft.Xna.Framework\Microsoft.Xna.Framework.csproj" />
<ProjectReference Include="..\Libs\ConsoleEngine.Windows\ConsoleEngine.Windows.csproj" />
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8 changes: 6 additions & 2 deletions ConsoleEngine/GameBase.cs
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
using System.Threading;
using System;
using System.Threading;
using ConsoleEngine.Abstractions.Rendering;
using ConsoleEngine.Infrastructure;
using ConsoleEngine.Infrastructure.Inputs;
using ConsoleEngine.Infrastructure.Logging;
using ConsoleEngine.Infrastructure.Rendering;
using ConsoleEngine.Infrastructure.Scenery;
using ConsoleEngine.Native;
using ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform;

namespace ConsoleEngine;

Expand All @@ -32,7 +34,9 @@ protected GameBase(int width, int height, int fontWidth, int fontHeight)

protected GameBase(int width, int height, FontInfo fontInfo)
{
_console = new RenderConsole(new ConsoleHandler(width, height, fontInfo));
_console = new RenderConsole(OperatingSystem.IsWindows()

@stho01 stho01 Oct 23, 2026

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Nit: the platform choice is made in two places.

OperatingSystem.IsWindows() picks the Win32 or cross-platform implementation both here and in Input.cs, where it creates the static Handler. A small factory (for example Platform.CreateConsoleHandler(...) and Platform.CreateInputHandler()) would keep the decision in one place. That would make it easier to add a backend, or to force the ANSI renderer on Windows Terminal, without the two places getting out of sync.

? new ConsoleHandler(width, height, fontInfo)
: new CrossPlatformConsoleHandler(width, height, fontInfo));
Name = "Game";
Scenes = new SceneManager(this);
}
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7 changes: 5 additions & 2 deletions ConsoleEngine/Infrastructure/Inputs/Input.cs
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
using System.Linq;
using ConsoleEngine.Abstractions.Inputs;
using ConsoleEngine.Native;
using ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform;

namespace ConsoleEngine.Infrastructure.Inputs;

Expand All @@ -13,8 +14,10 @@ public class Input
//**********************************************************

public static readonly Input Instance = new();
private static readonly IInputHandler Handler = new InputHandler();

private static readonly IInputHandler Handler = OperatingSystem.IsWindows()
? new InputHandler()
: new CrossPlatformInputHandler();

//**********************************************************
//** ctor:
//**********************************************************
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38 changes: 33 additions & 5 deletions ConsoleEngine/Infrastructure/Logging/Log.cs
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
using System.Collections.Concurrent;
using System;
using System.Collections.Concurrent;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;
using System.Text;
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -77,16 +79,42 @@ internal static void Start(GameBase game)
Socket.Listen(10);
LoggerThread.Start();

StartLoggerProcess();
}

private static void StartLoggerProcess()
{
var logger = Path.Combine(AppContext.BaseDirectory, OperatingSystem.IsWindows() ? "ConsoleEngine.Logger.exe" : "ConsoleEngine.Logger");

_loggerProcess = new Process();
_loggerProcess.StartInfo.FileName = "ConsoleEngine.Logger.exe";
_loggerProcess.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;
_loggerProcess.Start();
if (OperatingSystem.IsMacOS())
{
// The game owns the current terminal, open the logger in a new Terminal window.
_loggerProcess.StartInfo.FileName = "open";
_loggerProcess.StartInfo.ArgumentList.Add("-a");
_loggerProcess.StartInfo.ArgumentList.Add("Terminal");
_loggerProcess.StartInfo.ArgumentList.Add(logger);
}
else
{
_loggerProcess.StartInfo.FileName = logger;
_loggerProcess.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;

@stho01 stho01 Oct 23, 2026

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Bug: on Linux the logger runs inside the game's own terminal.

When UseShellExecute = true and FileName is an executable file, .NET on Unix runs it directly instead of opening a new window. So on Linux Process.Start succeeds and the catch below is never reached. ConsoleEngine.Logger then:

  • writes Logger up and running... and every log line into the game's alternate screen, corrupting the rendered frame,
  • writes title escape sequences (Console.Title) to the same terminal,
  • ends with Console.ReadKey(), competing with the game for keyboard input.

On Linux it would be safer to start it in a terminal emulator (x-terminal-emulator -e …, or $TERMINAL), or not to start it at all and print a hint to run the logger manually.

}

try
{
_loggerProcess.Start();
}
catch (Exception)

@stho01 stho01 Oct 23, 2026

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Issue: if the logger fails to start, the failure is ignored and messages pile up.

When Process.Start throws (on headless Linux, for example), the exception is swallowed but Log keeps running as if the logger were attached:

  • the dispatch thread blocks in Socket.Accept() forever,
  • EnqueueMessage keeps adding to the unbounded Messages queue (10 FPS reports per second when ShowFps is on, plus every Log.WriteLine), and nothing ever reads them.

Before this change the failure at least surfaced. Consider setting a flag in the catch that stops queuing messages, or bounding the queue.

{
// No way to open a new console window here (e.g. linux without a desktop). Run ConsoleEngine.Logger manually to see the log.
}
}

internal static void Stop()
{
_running = false;
_loggerConnection.Dispose();
_loggerConnection?.Dispose();
Socket.Dispose();
Messages.Clear();
}
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15 changes: 15 additions & 0 deletions Libs/ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform/ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform.csproj
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@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">

<PropertyGroup>
<TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
<LangVersion>12</LangVersion>
<RootNamespace>ConsoleEngine.CrossPlatform</RootNamespace>
<Configurations>Release;Debug</Configurations>
<Platforms>AnyCPU</Platforms>
<TreatWarningsAsErrors>True</TreatWarningsAsErrors>
</PropertyGroup>
<ItemGroup>
<ProjectReference Include="..\..\ConsoleEngine.Abstractions\ConsoleEngine.Abstractions.csproj" />
</ItemGroup>
</Project>

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