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C - Input and Output

The document discusses input and output in C programming. It describes several functions for reading input from and writing output to standard input, output, and error files/streams. These include getchar() and putchar() for single character I/O, gets() and puts() for line I/O, and scanf() and printf() for formatted I/O. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of each function.

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Marcelo Luna
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
46 views

C - Input and Output

The document discusses input and output in C programming. It describes several functions for reading input from and writing output to standard input, output, and error files/streams. These include getchar() and putchar() for single character I/O, gets() and puts() for line I/O, and scanf() and printf() for formatted I/O. Examples are provided to illustrate the use of each function.

Uploaded by

Marcelo Luna
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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C - Input and Output https://www.tutorialspoint.com/cprogramming/c_input_out...

C - Input and Output

When we say Input, it means to feed some data into a program. An input can be given in the
form of a file or from the command line. C programming provides a set of built-in functions to
read the given input and feed it to the program as per requirement.

When we say Output, it means to display some data on screen, printer, or in any file. C
programming provides a set of built-in functions to output the data on the computer screen as
well as to save it in text or binary files.

The Standard Files


C programming treats all the devices as files. So devices such as the display are addressed
in the same way as files and the following three files are automatically opened when a
program executes to provide access to the keyboard and screen.

Standard File File Pointer Device

Standard input stdin Keyboard

Standard output stdout Screen

Standard error stderr Your screen

The file pointers are the means to access the file for reading and writing purpose. This
section explains how to read values from the screen and how to print the result on the
screen.

The getchar() and putchar() Functions


The int getchar(void) function reads the next available character from the screen and
returns it as an integer. This function reads only single character at a time. You can use this
method in the loop in case you want to read more than one character from the screen.

The int putchar(int c) function puts the passed character on the screen and returns the
same character. This function puts only single character at a time. You can use this method in
the loop in case you want to display more than one character on the screen. Check the
following example −

#include <stdio.h>
int main( ) {

int c;

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C - Input and Output https://www.tutorialspoint.com/cprogramming/c_input_out...

printf( "Enter a value :");


c = getchar( );

printf( "\nYou entered: ");


putchar( c );

return 0;
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it waits for you to input some text. When
you enter a text and press enter, then the program proceeds and reads only a single
character and displays it as follows −

$./a.out
Enter a value : this is test
You entered: t

The gets() and puts() Functions


The char *gets(char *s) function reads a line from stdin into the buffer pointed to by s until
either a terminating newline or EOF (End of File).

The int puts(const char *s) function writes the string 's' and 'a' trailing newline to stdout.

NOTE: Though it has been deprecated to use gets() function, Instead of using gets, you want
to use fgets() .

#include <stdio.h>
int main( ) {

char str[100];

printf( "Enter a value :");


gets( str );

printf( "\nYou entered: ");


puts( str );

return 0;
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it waits for you to input some text. When
you enter a text and press enter, then the program proceeds and reads the complete line till
end, and displays it as follows −

$./a.out

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C - Input and Output https://www.tutorialspoint.com/cprogramming/c_input_out...

Enter a value : this is test


You entered: this is test

The scanf() and printf() Functions


The int scanf(const char *format, ...) function reads the input from the standard input
stream stdin and scans that input according to the format provided.

The int printf(const char *format, ...) function writes the output to the standard output
stream stdout and produces the output according to the format provided.

The format can be a simple constant string, but you can specify %s, %d, %c, %f, etc., to
print or read strings, integer, character or float respectively. There are many other formatting
options available which can be used based on requirements. Let us now proceed with a
simple example to understand the concepts better −

#include <stdio.h>
int main( ) {

char str[100];
int i;

printf( "Enter a value :");


scanf("%s %d", str, &i);

printf( "\nYou entered: %s %d ", str, i);

return 0;
}

When the above code is compiled and executed, it waits for you to input some text. When
you enter a text and press enter, then program proceeds and reads the input and displays it
as follows −

$./a.out
Enter a value : seven 7
You entered: seven 7

Here, it should be noted that scanf() expects input in the same format as you provided %s
and %d, which means you have to provide valid inputs like "string integer". If you provide
"string string" or "integer integer", then it will be assumed as wrong input. Secondly, while
reading a string, scanf() stops reading as soon as it encounters a space, so "this is test" are
three strings for scanf().

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