_cgets

Gets a character string from the console.

char*_cgets(char*buffer);

For additional compatibility information, see Compatibility in the Introduction.

Libraries

Return Value

_cgets returns a pointer to the start of the string, at buffer[2]. There is no error return.

Parameter

buffer

Storage location for data

Remarks

The _cgets function reads a string of characters from the console and stores the string and its length in the location pointed to by buffer. The buffer parameter must be a pointer to a character array. The first element of the array, buffer[0], must contain the maximum length (in characters) of the string to be read. The array must contain enough elements to hold the string, a terminating null character ('\0'), and two additional bytes. The function reads characters until a carriage-return – linefeed (CR-LF) combination or the specified number of characters is read. The string is stored starting at buffer[2]. If the function reads a CR-LF, it stores the null character ('\0'). _cgets then stores the actual length of the string in the second array element, buffer [1]. Because all editing keys are active when _cgets is called, pressing F3 repeats the last entry.

Example

/* CGETS.C: This program creates a buffer and initializes
 * the first byte to the size of the buffer: 2. Next, the
 * program accepts an input string using _cgets and displays
 * the size and text of that string.
 */

#include <conio.h>
#include <stdio.h>

void main( void )
{
   char buffer[82] = { 80 };  /* Maximum characters in 1st byte */
   char *result;

   printf( "Input line of text, followed by carriage return:\n");
   result = _cgets( buffer );  /* Input a line of text */
   printf( "\nLine length = %d\nText = %s\n", buffer[1], result );
}

Output

Input line of text, followed by carriage return:
This is a line of text

Line length = 22
Text = This is a line of text.

Console and Port I/O Routines

See Also   _getch