Colorful Console Mode Applications in C#
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
namespace ColorfulConsole
{
public class Program
{
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
// create some dummy data so we have
// something to display
List<Accounts> accts = CreateAccounts();
// set the foreground and background colors
// using the console's Foreground and BackgroundColor
// properties - here we are setting it up to show
// white characters on a dark blue background
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White;
Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.DarkBlue;
// write the banner to screen using writeline
Console.WriteLine("*****************************************************");
Console.WriteLine("* *");
Console.WriteLine("* Summary of Accounts (By Last Name) *");
Console.WriteLine("* *");
Console.WriteLine("*****************************************************");
// add a couple of new lines to break up the banner
// from the rest of the text
Console.Write("\n\n");
// use Linq to Objects to order the list by last name
var q =
(from a in accts
orderby a.LastName ascending
select a).ToList<Accounts>();
// display the list in the console
foreach (Accounts a in q)
{
// set the foreground and background colors
// using the console's Foreground and BackgroundColor
// properties - here we are setting it up to show
// white characters on a black background
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White;
Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
// write out the Name title using Console.Write
Console.Write("Name: ");
// change the foreground color and finish the
// line with the name of the account holder
// (two colors in one line)
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Cyan;
Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
Console.Write("\t\t\t" + a.LastName + ", " + a.FirstName + " " + a.MiddleName + "\n");
// reset to white characters on black
// and write out the next line title
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White;
Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
Console.Write("Account Type: ");
// change colors and finish the Account Type Line
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Blue;
Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
Console.Write("\t\t" + a.TypeOfAccount + "\n");
// check the balance to see if the account
// holder is in the red
if (a.Balance < 0)
{
// set the colors to write the title portion
// of the line
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White;
Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
Console.Write("Balance: ");
// the account holder is in debt so show
// their negative balance in red
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Red;
Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
Console.Write("\t\t" + a.Balance + "\n\n");
}
else
{
// set the colors to write the title portion
// of the line
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White;
Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
Console.Write("Balance: ");
// the account holder has a positive balance
// so show their balance in green
Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.Green;
Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
Console.Write("\t\t" + a.Balance + "\n\n");
}
}
// beep on completion
Console.Write("\a");
// wait for the user to read the information
Console.Read();
}
/// <summary>
/// This function creates a group of phony account
/// information so we have something to display
/// </summary>
/// <returns></returns>
public static List<Accounts> CreateAccounts()
{
// create a typed list to contain
// account information
List<Accounts> list = new List<Accounts>();
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct1 = new Accounts();
acct1.FirstName = "William";
acct1.MiddleName = "Alexander";
acct1.LastName = "Carson";
acct1.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Checking;
acct1.Balance = 121.50M;
list.Add(acct1);
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct2 = new Accounts();
acct2.FirstName = "Barney";
acct2.MiddleName = "Hubert";
acct2.LastName = "Fortner";
acct2.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Checking;
acct2.Balance = 1066.33M;
list.Add(acct2);
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct3 = new Accounts();
acct3.FirstName = "Julia";
acct3.MiddleName = "Mildred";
acct3.LastName = "Daniels";
acct3.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Savings;
acct3.Balance = 3397.58M;
list.Add(acct3);
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct4 = new Accounts();
acct4.FirstName = "Alvin";
acct4.MiddleName = "Micheal";
acct4.LastName = "Bixby";
acct4.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Checking;
acct4.Balance = -33.77M;
list.Add(acct4);
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct5 = new Accounts();
acct5.FirstName = "Boris";
acct5.MiddleName = "Winston";
acct5.LastName = "Carloff";
acct5.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Christmas;
acct5.Balance = 14551.52M;
list.Add(acct5);
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct6 = new Accounts();
acct6.FirstName = "Debra";
acct6.MiddleName = "Michelle";
acct6.LastName = "Silvera";
acct6.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Savings;
acct6.Balance = 936.93M;
list.Add(acct6);
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct7 = new Accounts();
acct7.FirstName = "Camden";
acct7.MiddleName = "Alphonse";
acct7.LastName = "Villalobos";
acct7.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Checking;
acct7.Balance = -71.29M;
list.Add(acct7);
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct8 = new Accounts();
acct8.FirstName = "Drake";
acct8.MiddleName = "Duk";
acct8.LastName = "Mallard";
acct8.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Christmas;
acct8.Balance = 815.18M;
list.Add(acct8);
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct9 = new Accounts();
acct9.FirstName = "Talbert";
acct9.MiddleName = "Daz";
acct9.LastName = "Yatz";
acct9.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Savings;
acct9.Balance = 14.21M;
list.Add(acct9);
// create and populate an account
// and then add it to the list
Accounts acct10 = new Accounts();
acct10.FirstName = "Miaxwif";
acct10.MiddleName = "Isa";
acct10.LastName = "Nidmare";
acct10.TypeOfAccount = Accounts.AccountType.Checking;
acct10.Balance = -19697.33M;
list.Add(acct10);
// return the list of dummy data to the caller
return list;
}
}
/// <summary>
/// A class used to contain phony account information
/// </summary>
public class Accounts
{
// set up an enumeration to
// define the possible account
// types
public enum AccountType
{
Checking,
Savings,
Christmas
}
// private member variables
private string mFirstName;
private string mMiddleName;
private string mLastName;
private AccountType mAcctType;
private decimal mBalance;
// default constructor
public Accounts()
{
}
// properties
public string FirstName
{
get
{
return mFirstName;
}
set
{
mFirstName = value;
}
}
public string MiddleName
{
get
{
return mMiddleName;
}
set
{
mMiddleName = value;
}
}
public string LastName
{
get
{
return mLastName;
}
set
{
mLastName = value;
}
}
public AccountType TypeOfAccount
{
get
{
return mAcctType;
}
set
{
mAcctType = value;
}
}
public decimal Balance
{
get
{
return mBalance;
}
set
{
mBalance = value;
}
}
}
}
