Sets the handle for the specified standard device (standard input, standard output, or standard error).
Syntax
BOOL WINAPI SetStdHandle(
_In_ DWORD nStdHandle,
_In_ HANDLE hHandle
);
Parameters
nStdHandle [in]
The standard device for which the handle is to be set. This parameter can be one of the following values.
| Value | Meaning |
|---|---|
| STD_INPUT_HANDLE (DWORD)-10 | The standard input device. |
| STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE (DWORD)-11 | The standard output device. |
| STD_ERROR_HANDLE (DWORD)-12 | The standard error device. |
hHandle [in]
The handle for the standard device.
Return value
If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.
If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.
Remarks
The standard handles of a process may have been redirected by a call to SetStdHandle, in which case GetStdHandle will return the redirected handle. If the standard handles have been redirected, you can specify the CONIN$ value in a call to the CreateFile function to get a handle to a console's input buffer. Similarly, you can specify the CONOUT$ value to get a handle to the console's active screen buffer.
Examples
For an example, see Creating a Child Process with Redirected Input and Output.
Requirements
Minimum supported client |
Windows 2000 Professional [desktop apps only] |
Minimum supported server |
Windows 2000 Server [desktop apps only] |
Header |
Winbase.h (include Windows.h) |
Library |
Kernel32.lib |
DLL |
Kernel32.dll |



