Thread: clearing buffer after reading string w/ scanf()

  1. #1
    novice fisheromen1031's Avatar
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    clearing buffer after reading string w/ scanf()

    Why do I have to clear the input buffer after reading a string with scanf()?
    Why do I have to do this to keep may console screen from disappearing:
    Code:
    #include <stdio.h>
    
    int main()
    {
    char string_ch[50];
    printf("please enter a string: ");
    scanf("%s", string_ch);
    while (getchar() != '\n');
    printf("please press enter");
    getchar();
    return 0;
    }
    instead of this?
    Code:
    #include <stdio.h>
    
    int main()
    {
    char string_ch[50];
    printf("please enter a string: ");
    scanf("%s", string_ch);
    printf("please press enter");
    getchar();
    return 0;
    }

  2. #2
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    Because scanf() with %s doesn't read a newline, so it's just left there for the next input function to deal with.
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

  3. #3
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    Yes, getchar() is taking the left over '\n' that scanf doesn't use.
    And reading %s with scanf is vulnerable to buffer overflows. You shoul use
    Code:
    int main()
    {
      char string_ch[50];
      printf("please enter a string: ");
      fgets(string_ch,sizeof(string_ch),stdin);
      printf("please press enter");
      getchar();
      return 0;
    }

  4. #4
    Frequently Quite Prolix dwks's Avatar
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    And you may need to get rid of the '\n' on the end of the string that fgets() adds on.
    dwk

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  5. #5
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    fgets doesn't add a '\n'. it simply leaves it. That way you know if you got the entire file (one of the shortcomings of it fgets)

  6. #6
    novice fisheromen1031's Avatar
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    sounds like one has to clear the input buffer manually for both fgets and scanf

  7. #7
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    > fgets doesn't add a '\n'. it simply leaves it.
    It only leaves it if there isn't room in the buffer you provide.
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

  8. #8
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    it leaves it if there isn't room? What?

  9. #9
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    Try it - nice simple program with a buffer size of say 10 bytes, then type in a nice long line and see how many fgets calls you have to make before one of them has a newline in it.
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

  10. #10
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    Yes i'm aware of how fgets works, your statement did not make sense though. How would it have a '\n' if there is no room for it?

  11. #11
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    Code:
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <string.h>
    int main ( void ) {
      char buff[10];
      printf("Type in some long lines\n");
      while ( fgets(buff,sizeof buff,stdin) != NULL ) {
        int hasNewline = strchr(buff,'\n') != NULL;
        printf( "%d %d %s\n", strlen(buff), hasNewline, buff );
      }
      return 0;
    }
    
    
    ./a.out
    Type in some long lines
    hello world, how are you today
    9 0 hello wor
    9 0 ld, how a
    9 0 re you to
    4 1 day
    See - if the buffer fills before the \n, then there is no newline appended (but there's always a \0)
    If there is a newline, and it fits in the buffer, then fgets() returns at that point as well.
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

  12. #12
    Gawking at stupidity
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    I think there's just a miscommunication going on. One person is talking about leaving the newline in the buffer passed to fgets() (instead of "adding" it there) and another person is talking about leaving it in the internal input buffer.

    Just to make sure it's clear, scanf() leaves the newline in the internal input buffer. fgets() grabs the newline (if there's room) and places it in the buffer you pass to it. If the buffer you pass to fgets() is too small to accomodate the entire line, it will only store as much as it can and leave the rest (including the newline) in the internal input buffer. fgets() will never add a newline where it didn't already exist.
    If you understand what you're doing, you're not learning anything.

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