Console.BackgroundColor Property (System)

BackgroundColor Property

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Microsoft Visual Studio 2008/.NET Framework 3.5

Other versions are also available for the following:

.NET Framework Class Library

Console..::.BackgroundColor Property

Updated: November 2007

Gets or sets the background color of the console.

Namespace: System
Assembly: mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)

Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)

Public Shared Property BackgroundColor As ConsoleColor

Visual Basic (Usage)

Dim value As ConsoleColor

value = Console.BackgroundColor

Console.BackgroundColor = value

public static ConsoleColor BackgroundColor { get; set; }

Visual C++

public:
static property ConsoleColor BackgroundColor {
    ConsoleColor get ();
    void set (ConsoleColor value);
}

/** @property */
public static ConsoleColor get_BackgroundColor()
/** @property */
public static  void set_BackgroundColor(ConsoleColor value)

JScript

public static function get BackgroundColor () : ConsoleColor
public static function set BackgroundColor (value : ConsoleColor)

Property Value

Type: System..::.ConsoleColor

A ConsoleColor that specifies the background color of the console; that is, the color that appears behind each character. The default is black.

Exceptions

Exception	Condition
ArgumentException	The color specified in a set operation is not a valid member of System..::.ConsoleColor.
SecurityException	The user does not have permission to perform this action.
IOException	An I/O error occurred.

Remarks

A get operation for a Windows-based application, in which a console does not exist, returns Black.

Examples

The following example demonstrates the System..::.ConsoleColor enumeration in conjunction with the Console..::.ForegroundColor and Console..::.BackgroundColor properties, and the Console..::.ResetColor method. You must run the example on a console to see the described color effects.

Two constants in the example, Black and White, are specified explicitly and all the other constants (Blue, DarkRed, and so on) are specified indirectly. First the names of the constants are obtained by using the GetNames method, which is inherited from the Enum class. Then the Enum..::.Parse method uses each name to create the corresponding enumerated constant.

Visual Basic

' This example demonstrates the ConsoleColor enumeration.
Imports System

Class Sample
   Public Shared Sub Main()
      Dim nl As [String] = Environment.NewLine
      Dim colorNames As [String]() = ConsoleColor.GetNames(GetType(ConsoleColor))
      Dim x As Integer

      ' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Console.WriteLine("{0}All the foreground colors on a constant black background.", nl)
      Console.WriteLine("  (Black on black is not readable.){0}", nl)

      For x = 0 To colorNames.Length - 1
         Console.Write("{0,2}: ", x)
         Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black
         Console.ForegroundColor = CType([Enum].Parse(GetType(ConsoleColor), _
                                                colorNames(x)), ConsoleColor)
         Console.Write("This is foreground color {0}.", colorNames(x))
         Console.ResetColor()
         Console.WriteLine()
      Next x
      ' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Console.WriteLine("{0}A constant white foreground on all the background colors.", nl)
      Console.WriteLine("  (White on white is not readable.){0}", nl)

      For x = 0 To colorNames.Length - 1
         Console.Write("{0,2}: ", x)
         Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White
         Console.BackgroundColor = CType([Enum].Parse(GetType(ConsoleColor), _
                                                colorNames(x)), ConsoleColor)
         Console.Write("This is background color {0}.", colorNames(x))
         Console.ResetColor()
         Console.WriteLine()
      Next x
      ' ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   End Sub 'Main
End Class 'Sample
'
'This example produces the following results:
'
'All the foreground colors on a constant black background.
'  (Black on black is not readable.)
'
' 0: This is foreground color Black.
' 1: This is foreground color DarkBlue.
' 2: This is foreground color DarkGreen.
' 3: This is foreground color DarkCyan.
' 4: This is foreground color DarkRed.
' 5: This is foreground color DarkMagenta.
' 6: This is foreground color DarkYellow.
' 7: This is foreground color Gray.
' 8: This is foreground color DarkGray.
' 9: This is foreground color Blue.
'10: This is foreground color Green.
'11: This is foreground color Cyan.
'12: This is foreground color Red.
'13: This is foreground color Magenta.
'14: This is foreground color Yellow.
'15: This is foreground color White.
'
'A constant white foreground on all the background colors.
'  (White on white is not readable.)
'
' 0: This is background color Black.
' 1: This is background color DarkBlue.
' 2: This is background color DarkGreen.
' 3: This is background color DarkCyan.
' 4: This is background color DarkRed.
' 5: This is background color DarkMagenta.
' 6: This is background color DarkYellow.
' 7: This is background color Gray.
' 8: This is background color DarkGray.
' 9: This is background color Blue.
'10: This is background color Green.
'11: This is background color Cyan.
'12: This is background color Red.
'13: This is background color Magenta.
'14: This is background color Yellow.
'15: This is background color White.
'

// This example demonstrates the ConsoleColor enumeration.
using System;

class Sample 
{
    public static void Main() 
    {
    String nl = Environment.NewLine;
    String[] colorNames = ConsoleColor.GetNames(typeof(ConsoleColor));

// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Console.WriteLine("{0}All the foreground colors on a constant black background.", nl);
    Console.WriteLine("  (Black on black is not readable.){0}", nl);

    for (int x = 0; x < colorNames.Length; x++)
    {
    Console.Write("{0,2}: ", x);
    Console.BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor.Black;
    Console.ForegroundColor = (ConsoleColor)Enum.Parse(typeof(ConsoleColor), colorNames[x]);
    Console.Write("This is foreground color {0}.", colorNames[x]);
    Console.ResetColor();
    Console.WriteLine();
    }
// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Console.WriteLine("{0}A constant white foreground on all the background colors.", nl);
    Console.WriteLine("  (White on white is not readable.){0}", nl);

    for (int x = 0; x < colorNames.Length; x++)
    {
    Console.Write("{0,2}: ", x);
    Console.ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor.White;
    Console.BackgroundColor = (ConsoleColor)Enum.Parse(typeof(ConsoleColor), colorNames[x]);
    Console.Write("This is background color {0}.", colorNames[x]);
    Console.ResetColor();
    Console.WriteLine();
    }
// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    }
}
/*
This example produces the following results:

All the foreground colors on a constant black background.
  (Black on black is not readable.)

 0: This is foreground color Black.
 1: This is foreground color DarkBlue.
 2: This is foreground color DarkGreen.
 3: This is foreground color DarkCyan.
 4: This is foreground color DarkRed.
 5: This is foreground color DarkMagenta.
 6: This is foreground color DarkYellow.
 7: This is foreground color Gray.
 8: This is foreground color DarkGray.
 9: This is foreground color Blue.
10: This is foreground color Green.
11: This is foreground color Cyan.
12: This is foreground color Red.
13: This is foreground color Magenta.
14: This is foreground color Yellow.
15: This is foreground color White.

A constant white foreground on all the background colors.
  (White on white is not readable.)

 0: This is background color Black.
 1: This is background color DarkBlue.
 2: This is background color DarkGreen.
 3: This is background color DarkCyan.
 4: This is background color DarkRed.
 5: This is background color DarkMagenta.
 6: This is background color DarkYellow.
 7: This is background color Gray.
 8: This is background color DarkGray.
 9: This is background color Blue.
10: This is background color Green.
11: This is background color Cyan.
12: This is background color Red.
13: This is background color Magenta.
14: This is background color Yellow.
15: This is background color White.
*/

Visual C++

// This example demonstrates the ConsoleColor enumeration.
using namespace System;
int main()
{
   String^ nl = Environment::NewLine;
   array<String^>^colorNames = Enum::GetNames( ConsoleColor::typeid );

   // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Console::WriteLine( "{0}All the foreground colors on a constant black background.", nl );
   Console::WriteLine( "  (Black on black is not readable.){0}", nl );
   for ( int x = 0; x < colorNames->Length; x++ )
   {
      Console::Write( "{0,2}: ", x );
      Console::BackgroundColor = ConsoleColor::Black;
      Console::ForegroundColor =  *dynamic_cast<ConsoleColor^>(Enum::Parse( ConsoleColor::typeid, colorNames[ x ] ));
      Console::Write( "This is foreground color {0}.", colorNames[ x ] );
      Console::ResetColor();
      Console::WriteLine();
   }
   Console::WriteLine( "{0}A constant white foreground on all the background colors.", nl );
   Console::WriteLine( "  (White on white is not readable.){0}", nl );
   for ( int x = 0; x < colorNames->Length; x++ )
   {
      Console::Write( "{0,2}: ", x );
      Console::ForegroundColor = ConsoleColor::White;
      Console::BackgroundColor =  *dynamic_cast<ConsoleColor^>(Enum::Parse( ConsoleColor::typeid, colorNames[ x ] ));
      Console::Write( "This is background color {0}.", colorNames[ x ] );
      Console::ResetColor();
      Console::WriteLine();

   }
}

/*
This example produces the following results:

All the foreground colors on a constant black background.
(Black on black is not readable.)

0: This is foreground color Black.
1: This is foreground color DarkBlue.
2: This is foreground color DarkGreen.
3: This is foreground color DarkCyan.
4: This is foreground color DarkRed.
5: This is foreground color DarkMagenta.
6: This is foreground color DarkYellow.
7: This is foreground color Gray.
8: This is foreground color DarkGray.
9: This is foreground color Blue.
10: This is foreground color Green.
11: This is foreground color Cyan.
12: This is foreground color Red.
13: This is foreground color Magenta.
14: This is foreground color Yellow.
15: This is foreground color White.

A constant white foreground on all the background colors.
(White on white is not readable.)

0: This is background color Black.
1: This is background color DarkBlue.
2: This is background color DarkGreen.
3: This is background color DarkCyan.
4: This is background color DarkRed.
5: This is background color DarkMagenta.
6: This is background color DarkYellow.
7: This is background color Gray.
8: This is background color DarkGray.
9: This is background color Blue.
10: This is background color Green.
11: This is background color Cyan.
12: This is background color Red.
13: This is background color Magenta.
14: This is background color Yellow.
15: This is background color White.
*/

// This example demonstrates the ConsoleColor enumeration.
import System.*;

class Sample
{
    public static void main(String[] args)
    {
        String nl = Environment.get_NewLine();
        String colorNames[] = ConsoleColor.GetNames(ConsoleColor.class.ToType());
        // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        Console.WriteLine("{0}All the foreground colors on a constant black "
            + " background.", nl);
        Console.WriteLine("  (Black on black is not readable.){0}", nl);

        for (int x = 0; x < colorNames.get_Length(); x++) {
            Console.Write("{0,2}: ", System.Convert.ToString(x));
            Console.set_BackgroundColor(ConsoleColor.Black);
            Console.set_ForegroundColor(((ConsoleColor)(Enum.Parse(
                ConsoleColor.class.ToType(), System.Convert.ToString(
                colorNames.get_Item(x))))));
            Console.Write("This is foreground color {0}.",
                colorNames.get_Item(x));
            Console.ResetColor();
            Console.WriteLine();
        }
        // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        Console.WriteLine("{0}A constant white foreground on all the "
            + "background colors.", nl);
        Console.WriteLine("  (White on white is not readable.){0}", nl);

        for (int x = 0; x < colorNames.get_Length(); x++) {
            Console.Write("{0,2}: ", System.Convert.ToString(x));
            Console.set_ForegroundColor(ConsoleColor.White);
            Console.set_BackgroundColor(((ConsoleColor)(Enum.Parse(
                ConsoleColor.class.ToType(), 
                System.Convert.ToString(colorNames.get_Item(x))))));
            Console.Write("This is background color {0}.", 
                colorNames.get_Item(x));
            Console.ResetColor();
            Console.WriteLine();
        }
        // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    } //main
} //Sample
/*
This example produces the following results:

All the foreground colors on a constant black background.
  (Black on black is not readable.)

 0: This is foreground color Black.
 1: This is foreground color DarkBlue.
 2: This is foreground color DarkGreen.
 3: This is foreground color DarkCyan.
 4: This is foreground color DarkRed.
 5: This is foreground color DarkMagenta.
 6: This is foreground color DarkYellow.
 7: This is foreground color Gray.
 8: This is foreground color DarkGray.
 9: This is foreground color Blue.
10: This is foreground color Green.
11: This is foreground color Cyan.
12: This is foreground color Red.
13: This is foreground color Magenta.
14: This is foreground color Yellow.
15: This is foreground color White.

A constant white foreground on all the background colors.
  (White on white is not readable.)

 0: This is background color Black.
 1: This is background color DarkBlue.
 2: This is background color DarkGreen.
 3: This is background color DarkCyan.
 4: This is background color DarkRed.
 5: This is background color DarkMagenta.
 6: This is background color DarkYellow.
 7: This is background color Gray.
 8: This is background color DarkGray.
 9: This is background color Blue.
10: This is background color Green.
11: This is background color Cyan.
12: This is background color Red.
13: This is background color Magenta.
14: This is background color Yellow.
15: This is background color White.
*/

Permissions

UIPermission
for modifying safe top-level windows and subwindows. Associated enumeration: UIPermissionWindow..::.SafeTopLevelWindows

Platforms

Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0

Reference

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