Thread: Breaking strcpy strncpy fgets down for dummies (me) Please break this down for me

strcpy vs strncpy? Pros / cons??

Code:

   pinput = fgets(input, 30, stdin);
    strncpy(my_struct.firstName,pinput,30);

fgets(input["I understand"],30["I understand this"], stdin["I don't understand why it needs to be here or what else may or may not take its place"])

strncpy(my_struct.firstname[I understand],pinput[understand],30[makes sense to me])
however

Code:

    pinput = fgets(input, buff, stdin);
    strncpy((*cl+pclientCounter), pinput, strlen(pinput) - 1)

In this piece of code i am getting confused because of strlen(pinput) -1 ? and why does it require a counter for the struct pointer...
I know you guys don't see the whole code My question isn't about specifically why in this particular code but more so in a general sense. Perhaps if someone could provide a few better examples of how to use these functions properly?

I would be extremely grateful if someone took the time to break these few things down for me. Thanks ahead of time.

fgets accepts arguments and you can specify length and strncpy/strcpy - since C makes you do arrays for string it makes it easier to do a string instead of filling

Code:

 char string[3] = {J,o,e};

lol you're like a Professor testing me on something I didn't study for =). I really don't know the difference but your question made me look up just that. It basically said that strn was added later and that it ought to be used. Which isn't really the best answer, so I will dig deeper and get back to you... As for the fgets I thought I answered that with my pathetic knowledge of the subject matter lol but I will i suppose look deeper and get back to you on that as well =). Thank you Laserlight, once I find out more perhaps you can fill in the blanks with your seemingly extensive knowledge/experience.