Thread: Getchar() usage...

I'm just learning C and was trying to run the following basic example below; problem is that it doesn't do what it is supposed to, instead of reading a character from the kb and display it, it reads an input string (until I pres <ENTER>) and then it displays it. What's wrong?
The following is quoted from the book I'm learning from:

----------------------------------------------------------------
getchar
The following program illustrates this,

#include <stdio.h>

main()
{
int i, ch;

for( i = 1; i <= 5; ++i ) {
ch = getchar();
putchar(ch);
}
}


Sample Program Output
AACCddEEtt
--------------------------------------------------------------

Setbuf affects the stream file buffer (stdin) but has no effect on the keyboard buffer.

The getchar function reads a character from the keyboard buffer. You can only read from this buffer when it's flushed by a carriage return or when it's completely filled. To read characters directly from the keyboard (in stead of the keyboard buffer) you can use the getch function (if it's supported).

Thanks Monster and Prelude, now I understand what went wrong. Your modified example works fine.

I think I'll swap this Brian Brown C Programming Course with K&R (other suggestions maybe...?), since it's a shame to get lost like that in simple aspects of C... at least when I make a mistake of my own I now it's my fault but this little part of code did cost me a lot of time because it's used later in the book in some much complex data validation examples.

I imagine how bad it can get with pointers & stuff if such simple code is completely misunderstood by the author...

Thanks again guys, keep up the good work!
Florin