NAME

get_string - prompts user for a line of text from stdin and returns it as a string

SYNOPSIS

#include <cs50.h>
char *get_string(const char *format, ...);

DESCRIPTION

Prompts user for a line of text from standard input and returns it as a string (char *), sans trailing line ending. Supports CR (\r), LF (\n), and CRLF (\r\n) as line endings. Stores string on heap, but library’s destructor frees memory on program’s exit.

The prompt is formatted like printf(3).

RETURN VALUE

Returns the read line as a string. If user inputs only a line ending, returns "", not NULL. Returns NULL upon error or no input whatsoever (i.e., just EOF).

EXAMPLE

int main(void)
{
    string s = get_string("Enter string: ");

    // ensure string was read
    if (s == NULL)
    {
        return 1;
    }

    string next = get_string("You just entered %s. Enter a new string: ", s);

    if (next == NULL)
    {
        return 1;
    }

    printf("Your last string was %s\n", s);

}

SEE ALSO

get_char(3), get_double(3), get_float(3), get_int(3), get_long(3), printf(3)