C++ Prevent the console window from closing when red X is clicked

This worked for me:

#include "conio.h" void main() { HWND hwnd = GetConsoleWindow(); HMENU hmenu = GetSystemMenu(hwnd, FALSE); EnableMenuItem(hmenu, SC_CLOSE, MF_GRAYED); } 

While we're at it, to re-enable the button:

EnableMenuItem(hmenu, SC_CLOSE, MF_ENABLED); 

... and to set the window's title:

char consoleTitle[256]; wsprintf(consoleTitle, _T("My little window")); SetConsoleTitle((LPCTSTR)consoleTitle); 

I saw that most references used DeleteMenu and not EnableMenuItem. I preffer the later, as you get more control (enable/disable/greyed-out etc.). For full options, take a look at MSDN Console Functions and Menu Functions

You can use SetConsoleCtrlHandler to control the console-window. You need to write up a callback to handle events (such as CTRL_CLOSE_EVENT). You may also use GetConsoleWindow function to get the window-handle, and handle window messages. I have done controlling the window with former method, and not sure about handling specific window message (via window-handle).

Refer Console Functions.

It is possible to trap the close message for a window and prevent it from closing, if you are receiving messages for the window. Unfortunately a console is independent of the program running within it and you don't have that kind of control.

You could always use signals:

#include <cstdio> void my_handler(int param) { main(); } int main() { signal(SIGABRT, my_handler); signal(SIGTERM, my_handler); return 0; } 

You should obviously allow an option for the user to close the app, by changing my_handler. my_handler calls main, so whenever the program is closed, my_handler is called, so therefore main is called.