Get cursor position via Windows 10 console VT-100 escape sequence

Question

I'm playing around with the new (limited) support for VT-100 escape sequences within the Windows 10 console. The supported sequences are documented at https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/mt638032(v=vs.85).aspx. In particular, the following sequence that reports the current cursor position interests me. ``` ESC[6n - responds with ESC[;R, where is the row number, and the column number ``` The response is passed off as keyboard input, and appears on the screen, but I have no idea how to programmatically make use of the information. Ideally I would like to get the `` and `` values into environment variables from within a batch file. But if anyone can demonstrate how to capture the variables using any language, then I may be able to use that knowledge to develop an effective batch file strategy. I can get close with the following simple script called ANSI.BAT ``` @echo off setlocal enableDelayedExpansion for /f "delims=" %%C in ( 'forfiles /p "%~dp0…

Accepted Answer

Major change after three years

It works with reading the response by using `XCOPY` or `REPLACE`.

I'm using `replace` here, to avoid language dependent problems.

```
@echo off
for /F "delims=#" %%a in ('"prompt #$E# & for %%a in (1) do rem"') do set "ESC=%%a"

call :get_cursor_pos
exit /b

:get_cursor_pos
set "response="
set pos=2

:_get_loop
REM *** Request Cursor position
<nul set /p "=%ESC%[6n" 
FOR /L %%# in (1 1 %pos%) DO pause < CON > NUL

for /F "tokens=1 skip=1 eol=" %%C in ('"REPLACE /W ? . < con"') DO (
    set "char=%%C"
)
set "response=%response%%char%"
set /a pos+=1
if "%char%" NEQ "R" goto :_get_loop

set response
exit /b
```

The main problem is, `XCOPY` or `REPLACE` allows me to read one character from the input stream, but then clears the remaining buffer.

Conversely, `PAUSE` reads one character, preserving the remaining buffer, but does not reveal what character was read.

To solve this, I issue the query multiple times, reading a different character of the response each time. For each iteration I use a combination of 2 or more `PAUSE` statements followed by `REPLACE` to read a specific character of the response. Each iteration uses one more `PAUSE` than the prior iteration, until I am able to read the terminating R.

I developed this technique and initially posted it at DosTips - Query States using Console Virtual Terminal Sequences.

Get cursor position via Windows 10 console VT-100 escape sequence

Solution

Problem