Thread: How to use -- scanf to accept space?

  1. #1
    Registered User
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    Feb 2002
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    Unhappy How to use -- scanf to accept space?

    hello everyone, i'm having some problem here.
    i'm using scanf to accept input from user, but it does not accept empty space, for example :

    First Name:
    Last Name:
    Address:
    Street:
    State:
    Postal Code:
    Phone no.:
    Fax No.:

    and if i key in:

    First Name: janet
    Last Name: jackson
    Address: 123, south 8th st.
    Street: State: --->this 2 thing will print out before i get a chance to input Street: .

    any help would be appreaciated, thank you so much.

  2. #2
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    22
    Hi,
    If you use scanf for reading input then the default delimiter is space. So if you want give a string which includes space then it is better to use the function char *gets(char *s)

    This will read the input from standard input upto next line or end of file is reached.


    Sebasti...

  3. #3
    Registered User foniks munkee's Avatar
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    343
    Your probably better off using fgets.. gets is susceptable to buffer overflows..

    char *fgets( char *string, int n, FILE *stream );

    string - Storage location for data

    n - Maximum number of characters to read

    stream - Pointer to FILE structure (or stdin for interactive user input)..
    Last edited by foniks munkee; 02-07-2002 at 06:12 AM.

  4. #4
    Code Goddess Prelude's Avatar
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    scanf() can accept lines as input but it's a bit hackish and fgets is safer.
    ( void )scanf( "%[^\n]", message );

    -Prelude
    My best code is written with the delete key.

  5. #5
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    And if you insists on using scanf- which seem s a bit cumbersome in this case, use scanf(%s %s %s and so on, until covering all white spaces, &string)

    Then you will also get the title of least efficient code of the year.

    BTW- You should also remeber to use fflush after each use of any of the above function, when intending to continue reading from the buffer.
    And if you get no joy from music hall
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