Using Win32 Console

I want to use the Win32 Console but when I call GetStdHandle, I get a handle that seems to be not valid.

The code should compile and show the following error after run:

Error: Could not receive buffer information.  --> The handle is invalid.


Did I forget any init step ... ?




#include <windows.h>
#include <iostream.h>

void error(string s) {
    LPVOID lpMsgBuf;
    FormatMessage(FORMAT_MESSAGE_ALLOCATE_BUFFER | FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM |
        FORMAT_MESSAGE_IGNORE_INSERTS, 0, GetLastError(), MAKELANGID(LANG_NEUTRAL,
        SUBLANG_DEFAULT), (LPTSTR) &lpMsgBuf, 0,0);
    std::cout << "Error: " << s << "  --> " << (std::string)(LPCTSTR)lpMsgBuf;
};

HANDLE _V_consoleOutputHandle, _V_consoleInputHandle;

void main()
{
     CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO __csbi;

     _V_consoleOutputHandle = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
     if (_V_consoleOutputHandle == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
         error("Could not create output buffer handle.");
     _V_consoleInputHandle = GetStdHandle(STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
       if (_V_consoleInputHandle == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE)
         error("Could not create input buffer handle.");

     if ( ! GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(_V_consoleOutputHandle, &__csbi) )
         error("Could not receive buffer information.");

    // .......
}