gets vs fgets

Hi.
I am implementing a program which has check my input for length and if it is over 80 characters it needs to output an error saying that the input is over 80 characters, and if there is no input (if only enter is pressed at the prompt) it needs to simply end the program with no output.

this is why I did not limit my array size, but I checked if the input is over 80 characters big and in that case output an error and end the program, and in a case of size 0 I only end the program.

but I have a problem with array overrun.

I got a suggestion to use fgets over gets to deal with it.

But I am not sure how to implement fgets to read input from the keyboard.

As well as that, from how I understood the function fgets , it returns NULL if there is no input (only 'enter') or on any other error (which includes the case if the input is over 80 characters).

is there any other way I can implement my error checking?

THANX!

From Dinkum C99 Library Reference

Quote:

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fgets
char *fgets(char *restrict s, int n, FILE *restrict stream);
The function reads characters from the input stream stream and stores them in successive elements of the array beginning at s and continuing until it stores n-1 characters, stores an NL character, or sets the end-of-file or error indicators. If fgets stores any characters, it concludes by storing a null character in the next element of the array. It returns s if it stores any characters and it has not set the error indicator for the stream; otherwise, it returns a null pointer. If it sets the error indicator, the array contents are indeterminate.

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Here's a link:
http://www.phim.unibe.ch/comp_doc/c_...ONS/fgets.html

thanx....

that helps heaps..!

I read the function specs before, but it just wouldnt click!


thanx again!

never use gets()
forget that its even in the language. Treat it as you would keyword auto and just forget it exists.

>Treat it as you would keyword auto and just forget it exists.
Don´t forget it and read automatically fgets() instead.
It´s better.

klausi

I realised that by now.

I just had some problems with fgets... but it is fine now!

thanx

hi.

I have another trouble now that I cant work out.
I started using muliple functions in my code and I have a problem with file types.

I just made a new function, defined like this:

char checkpal(char in[], int front, int back)

What it is doing is taking in a string and two integers and, after manipulating the string returning it back to the main function using

return pal;

where pal is a variable name for the string to be returned.

In my main function I called this function using

var=checkpal(inpt,x,y);

The problem is that when I try using this new variable 'var' as a string (eg. in printf("%s",var);)I keep getting an error
"format argument not a pointer"
and if I use '&var' instead of 'var' the output is not exactly what the function checkpal returned. It is my initial input.

I am not quite clear about the functions.
I thought that if I put "char checkpal...." that checkpal would return a string which I would easily save under some variable.

Where am I making a mistake?
What does the checkpal return to my main function and how do I make a string out of it?


thank you!


---
I attached the code just in case you need to take a look at it.
I am just trying to make it work, so thatswhy it is messy and still bad!

Here is my suggestion
use fgets instead of gets because gets overwrites your memory

to use fgets
it takes three arguments

fgets(stringname,80,stdin);

try it; it might work:)

>What it is doing is taking in a string and two integers and, after manipulating the string returning it back to the main function >using

>return pal;

Then you function declaration should be:
char *checkpal(char in[], int front, int back)

char is just one character.

Or this might be easier:

void checkpal(char in[], int front, int back, char out[])

thankx swoopy...

void checkpal(char in[], int front, int back, char out[])

is great!