scanf, wscanf

Read formatted data from the standard input stream.

intscanf(constchar*format [,argument]...);

intwscanf(constwchar_t*format [,argument]...);

For additional compatibility information, see Compatibility in the Introduction.

Libraries

Return Value

Both scanf and wscanf return the number of fields successfully converted and assigned; the return value does not include fields that were read but not assigned. A return value of 0 indicates that no fields were assigned. The return value is EOF for an error or if the end-of-file character or the end-of-string character is encountered in the first attempt to read a character.

Parameters

format

Format control string

argument

Optional arguments

Remarks

The scanf function reads data from the standard input stream stdin and writes the data into the ___location given by argument. Each argument must be a pointer to a variable of a type that corresponds to a type specifier in format. If copying takes place between strings that overlap, the behavior is undefined.

wscanf is a wide-character version of scanf; the format argument to wscanf is a wide-character string. wscanf and scanf behave identically otherwise.

Generic-Text Routine Mappings

For more information, see Format Specification Fields — scanf functions and wscanf Functions.

Example

 /* SCANF.C: This program uses the scanf and wscanf functions
  * to read formatted input.
  */

#include <stdio.h>

void main( void )
{
   int   i, result;
   float fp;
   char  c, s[81];
   wchar_t wc, ws[81];

   printf( "\n\nEnter an int, a float, two chars and two strings\n");

   result = scanf( "%d %f %c %C %s %S", &i, &fp, &c, &wc, s, ws );
   printf( "\nThe number of fields input is %d\n", result );
   printf( "The contents are: %d %f %c %C %s %S\n", i, fp, c, wc, s, ws);

   wprintf( L"\n\nEnter an int, a float, two chars and two strings\n");

   result = wscanf( L"%d %f %hc %lc %S %ls", &i, &fp, &c, &wc, s, ws );
   wprintf( L"\nThe number of fields input is %d\n", result );
   wprintf( L"The contents are: %d %f %C %c %hs %s\n", i, fp, c, wc, s, ws);
}

Output

Enter an int, a float, two chars and two strings
71
98.6
h
z
Byte characters

The number of fields input is 6
The contents are: 71 98.599998 h z Byte characters

Enter an int, a float, two chars and two strings
36
92.3
y
n
Wide characters

The number of fields input is 6
The contents are: 456 92.300003 y n Wide characters

Floating-Point Support Routines, Stream I/O Routines, Locale Routines

See Also   fscanf, printf, sprintf, sscanf