//
// cls()
//
// Clear the console screen
//
void cls( void )
{
//get console output handle
HANDLE hCon = GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);

//get console info
CONSOLE_SCREEN_BUFFER_INFO csbi;
GetConsoleScreenBufferInfo(hCon, &csbi);

//calculate number of charaters in console
DWORD br;
DWORD N = csbi.dwSize.X * csbi.dwCursorPosition.Y + csbi.dwCursorPosition.X + 1;

//write spaces to the console thus clearing it
COORD curhome = {0,0};
    FillConsoleOutputCharacter(hCon, ' ', N, curhome, &br);

//set info
csbi.srWindow.Bottom -= csbi.srWindow.Top;
csbi.srWindow.Top = 0;
SetConsoleWindowInfo(hCon, TRUE, &csbi.srWindow);

//return the cursor to home
SetConsoleCursorPosition(hCon, curhome);
}