how to run 'color' command in NAnt script - command-line

Question

I've just started using Nant for my builds and tests. I want to make it change the color (or background) of my command prompt text when it fails so its easily noticed.
The command in command prompt on Windows is 'color 4' to change it to red and color 7 for back to white.
How do I make this run in a build script, echo doesn't work, exec doesn't work (may be using exec wrong though). I'd prefer to not have to run perl etc just to do something which is easily done in a standard command prompt window.
Does anyone know how to do this?

Answer 1

Try using a custom task. If the task is included in the nant-file you'll not have any external dependency.
<project >
<target name="color">
<consolecolor color="Red" backgroundcolor="White"/>
<echo message="red text"/>
<consolecolor color="White" backgroundcolor="Black"/>
<echo message="white text"/>
</target>
<script language="C#">
<code>
[TaskName("consolecolor")]
public class TestTask : Task
{
private string _color;
private string _backgroundColor;
[TaskAttribute("color",Required=true)]
public string Color
{
get { return _color; }
set { _color = value; }
}
[TaskAttribute("backgroundcolor",Required=false)]
public string BackgroundColor
{
get { return _backgroundColor; }
set { _backgroundColor = value; }
}
protected override void ExecuteTask()
{
System.Console.ForegroundColor = (System.ConsoleColor) Enum.Parse(typeof(System.ConsoleColor),Color);
System.Console.BackgroundColor = (System.ConsoleColor) Enum.Parse(typeof(System.ConsoleColor),BackgroundColor);
}
}
</code>
</script>
</project>

Answer 2

As a follow up to my comment on the post by #Martin-Vobr:
I have added additional logic to properly change the background. This will allow a build to be initiated in a command window, then progress can be checked at a glance. I use a blue background for "building", green for "Success" and red for "Failure".
<!-- http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3446135/how-to-run-color-command-in-nant-script -->
<!-- Sample: <consolecolor color="Red" backgroundcolor="White"/> -->
<!-- Alternative: http://riccardotramma.com/2011/05/nantcolours-v1-0-a-task-library-for-output-colouring-in-nant/ -->
<script language="C#">
<code>
<![CDATA[
[TaskName("consolecolor")]
public class TestTask : Task
{
private string _color;
private string _backgroundColor;
[TaskAttribute("color",Required=true)]
public string Color
{
get { return _color; }
set { _color = value; }
}
[TaskAttribute("backgroundcolor",Required=false)]
public string BackgroundColor
{
get { return _backgroundColor; }
set { _backgroundColor = value; }
}
protected override void ExecuteTask()
{
System.Console.ForegroundColor = (System.ConsoleColor) Enum.Parse(typeof(System.ConsoleColor),Color);
System.Console.BackgroundColor = (System.ConsoleColor) Enum.Parse(typeof(System.ConsoleColor),BackgroundColor);
// clearing the screen sets the entire screen to be the new color
ChangeColor((System.ConsoleColor) Enum.Parse(typeof(System.ConsoleColor),Color), (System.ConsoleColor) Enum.Parse(typeof(System.ConsoleColor),BackgroundColor));
}
// added by Brad Bruce
// http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6460932/change-entire-console-background-color-win32-c
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
static extern bool ReadConsoleOutputAttribute(IntPtr hConsoleOutput,
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.Out] ushort[] lpAttribute, uint nLength, COORD dwReadCoord,
out uint lpNumberOfAttrsRead);
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
static extern bool FillConsoleOutputAttribute(IntPtr hConsoleOutput,
ushort wAttribute, uint nLength, COORD dwWriteCoord, out uint
lpNumberOfAttrsWritten);
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.StructLayout(System.Runtime.InteropServices.LayoutKind.Sequential)]
public struct COORD {
public short X;
public short Y;
public COORD(short X, short Y) {
this.X = X;
this.Y = Y;
}
};
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
static extern IntPtr GetStdHandle(int nStdHandle);
//C#: Get stdout handle
const int STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE = -11;
const int STD_INPUT_HANDLE = -10;
const int STD_ERROR_HANDLE = -12;
//INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE //(return value if invalid handle is specified)
// http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms682088(v=vs.85).aspx#_win32_character_attributes
public enum CharacterAttributes{
FOREGROUND_BLUE = 0x0001,
FOREGROUND_GREEN = 0x0002,
FOREGROUND_RED = 0x0004,
FOREGROUND_INTENSITY = 0x0008,
BACKGROUND_BLUE = 0x0010,
BACKGROUND_GREEN = 0x0020,
BACKGROUND_RED = 0x0040,
BACKGROUND_INTENSITY = 0x0080,
COMMON_LVB_LEADING_BYTE = 0x0100,
COMMON_LVB_TRAILING_BYTE = 0x0200,
COMMON_LVB_GRID_HORIZONTAL = 0x0400,
COMMON_LVB_GRID_LVERTICAL = 0x0800,
COMMON_LVB_GRID_RVERTICAL = 0x1000,
COMMON_LVB_REVERSE_VIDEO = 0x4000,
COMMON_LVB_UNDERSCORE = 0x8000
}
static void ChangeColor(System.ConsoleColor color, System.ConsoleColor backgroundColor) {
uint written = 0;
COORD writeCoord = new COORD(0, 0);
ushort[] attribute = new ushort[400];
IntPtr consoleOutputHandle = GetStdHandle( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE );
int consoleBufferWidth = Console.BufferWidth;
int consoleBufferLength = Console.BufferHeight;
//if (consoleBufferLength > Console.CursorTop) {
// consoleBufferLength = Console.CursorTop;
//}
for (int y = 0; y < consoleBufferLength; y++) // rows
{
writeCoord.X = (short)0;
writeCoord.Y = (short)y;
ReadConsoleOutputAttribute(consoleOutputHandle, attribute, (uint)consoleBufferWidth, writeCoord, out written);
for (int x2 = 0; x2 < consoleBufferWidth; x2++){ // columns
attribute[x2] &= 0xFF00; // zero the background and foreground color
attribute[x2] |= (ushort)((((int)backgroundColor) << 4) | (int)color);
}
FillConsoleOutputAttribute(consoleOutputHandle, attribute[0], (uint)consoleBufferWidth, writeCoord, out written);
}
}
}
]]>
</code>
</script>