Locate
Sets the current cursor position
Syntax
`
Declare Function Locate( row As Long = 0, column As Long = 0, state As Long = -1, start As Long = 0, stop As Long = 0 ) As Long
`
Usage
`
Locate [row], [column], [state]
result = Locate( [row], [column], [state] )
new_column = LoByte( result )
new_row = HiByte( result )
new_state = HiWord( result )
`
Parameters
`row`
the 1-based vertical character position in the console.
`column`
the 1-based horizontal character position in the console.
`state`
the state of the cursor in console-mode only: `0` is off, `1` is on; text cursor is never visible in graphics mode.
`start`
Ignored. Allowed for -lang qb dialect compatibility only.
`stop`
Ignored. Allowed for -lang qb dialect compatibility only.
Return Value
Returns a 32 bit `Long` containing the current cursor position and state. The Low Byte Of The Low Word contains the column, the High Byte Of The Low Word contains the row, and the High Word contains the cursor state.
If any of the row, column or state parameters were just set by the call to `Locate`, then the return value will reflect these new values, not the previous ones. If any of the parameters were omitted in the call to `Locate`, then the return value will reflect the current values, which are the same as before the call to `Locate`.
`Locate` will attempt to position the cursor at the specified row and column. If the position is beyond the screen extents, cursor will not reposition. And next `Print` to the screen will continue at last valid cursor position. When printing to the last line of the screen, and the `Print` statement has a new line character, the screen will scroll and reposition the cursor automatically to the last line, column 1.
Description
Sets the text cursor in both graphics and console modes.
Example
`
Locate 10
Print "Current line:"; CsrLin
`
`
'' Text cursor + mouse tracking
Dim As Long x = 0, y = 0, dx, dy
Cls
Locate , , 1
While Inkey <> Chr(27)
GetMouse dx, dy
If( dx <> x Or dy <> y ) Then
Locate y+1, x+1: Print " ";
x = dx
y = dy
Locate 1, 1: Print x, y, ""
Locate y+1, x+1: Print "X";
End If
Wend
`
Differences from QB

- The `start` and `stop` arguments have no effect in FreeBASIC.
- QB will raise an error if `row` or `column` are beyond the screen extents.

See also

- `CsrLin`
- `Pos`
- `Print`
- `?`