How to read char from the console

Question

I have a char array and I want to assign values from the console. Here's my code:

char[] input = new char[n];
for (int i = 0; i < input.Length; i++)
{
    input[i] = Console.ReadLine();
}

But I'm getting the following error:

Cannot implicitly convert type 'System.ConsoleKeyInfo' to 'char'

Is there an easy way to fix this?

Polynesian

Did you have a look at what System.ConsoleKeyInfo is? Hint: msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/… – Cespitose

possible duplicate of Difference between Console.Read() and Console.ReadLine()? – Poindexter

Answer 1

Use Console.ReadKey and then KeyChar to get char, because ConsoleKeyInfo is not assignable to char as your error says.

input[i] = Console.ReadKey().KeyChar;

Funicular

Fails if stdin comes from a file though. – Foresight

Answer 2

Quick example to play around with:

    public static void DoThis(int n)
    {
        var input = new char[n];
        for (var i = 0; i < input.Length; i++)
        {
            input[i] = Console.ReadKey().KeyChar;
        }

        Console.WriteLine(); // Linebreak
        Console.WriteLine(input);

        Console.ReadKey();
    }

Incase

Answer 3

Grab the first character of the String being returned by Console.ReadLine()

char[] input = new char[n];
for (int i = 0; i < input.Length; i++)
{
    input[i] = Console.ReadLine()[0];
}

This will throw away all user input other than the first character.

Bummer

Answer 4

public static int MyAnswer(int n)
{
  int[] ac = new int[n];

  for (int i = 0; i < ac.Length; i++) {
  
  ac[i] = char.Parse(Console.ReadLine());

  Console.WriteLine(ac[i]);
 }
 return 0;
}


  

Lunate