C gets() help

[BobDole11]

Okay, so in this program I have to read a string of characters then write that into a file. The max characters it can be is 20. Anyway, the problem I have is that when I use scanf() you can't enter spaces in the name. So when I put in gets() it just skips the user input and goes to the next step, what have i done wrong? Here is the slice of code from my function:

product_id is a global variable that's why it isnt listed, so is offset. Yes I know its bad to do but our teacher made us do it. I don't think this is the problem though....

void update(FILE *fp) {
	int qty;
	float cost;
	char name[21];
	printf("Enter old product id:");
	scanf("%d", &product_id);
	if (search(fp, &offset)) {
		printf("ERROR\n");
		}
	else {
		fseek(fp, offset, SEEK_SET);
		printf("Product id Found Successfully\n");
		printf("\nEnter New Product Id That is Unique:");
		scanf("%d", &product_id);
		printf("Enter New Product Name(20 character max):");
		gets ( name );
		printf("Enter New Product Quantity:");
		scanf("%d", &qty);
		printf("Enter New Product Price:");
		scanf("%f", &cost);
		fprintf(fp, "%4d %20.20s %4d %10.2f", product_id, name, qty, cost);

		} /* end else */

[Elysia]

Do not use gets: http://cpwiki.sourceforge.net/Gets
And add getchar(); below your scanf.

[BobDole11]

so i would replace

gets(name);

with

scanf("%s", &name);
       getchar();

What does that do?

[Elysia]

No, you should not. You should use fgets instead of gets.
Add getchar under your
scanf("%d", &product_id);

[BobDole11]

Well, can anyone help me use gets(), this isn't an actual program for a business, just a hw assignment which calls for gets()

[Elysia]

No, you don't need gets. You should never, ever use gets.
Read the link properly.

[BobDole11]

I don't understand the link

[Elysia]

What is difficult to understand in the link?

[BobDole11]

The last bit of code it says to replace gets, I dont understand how to implement my code like that

[BobDole11]

I'm just going to tell the user to use _ for spaces and use scanf, thanks for your help elysia

[Elysia]

Big fat easy example:

#include <string.h>

char * safegets(char * buffer, size_t count)
{
    char * result = buffer;
    char * tail;
    if(buffer == NULL || count <= 0) 
        result = NULL;
    else if(count == 1)
        *result = '\0';
    else if(fgets(buffer, count, stdin) != NULL) {
        if( (tail = strchr(buffer, '\n')) != NULL)
            *tail = '\0';
    }
    return result;
}

int main()
{
    char buf[100];
    printf("Enter something: ");
    safegets(buf, sizeof(buf));
}