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GETS(3P)                   POSIX Programmer's Manual                  GETS(3P)

PROLOG
       This  manual  page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The Linux
       implementation of this interface may differ (consult the  corresponding
       Linux  manual page for details of Linux behavior), or the interface may
       not be implemented on Linux.
NAME
       gets - get a string from a stdin stream
SYNOPSIS
       #include <stdio.h>
       char *gets(char *s);

DESCRIPTION
       The gets() function shall read bytes from the  standard  input  stream,
       stdin,  into the array pointed to by s, until a <newline> is read or an
       end-of-file condition is encountered.  Any <newline> shall be discarded
       and  a  null  byte shall be placed immediately after the last byte read
       into the array.
       The gets() function may mark the st_atime field of the file  associated
       with  stream  for update. The st_atime field shall be marked for update
       by the first successful execution of fgetc(), fgets(), fread(), getc(),
       getchar(),  gets(), fscanf(), or scanf() using stream that returns data
       not supplied by a prior call to ungetc().
RETURN VALUE
       Upon successful completion, gets() shall return s. If the stream is  at
       end-of-file,  the end-of-file indicator for the stream shall be set and
       gets() shall return a null pointer.  If a read error occurs, the  error
       indicator  for  the  stream  shall  be  set, gets() shall return a null
       pointer,  and set errno to indicate the error.
ERRORS
       Refer to fgetc().
       The following sections are informative.
EXAMPLES
       None.
APPLICATION USAGE
       Reading a line that overflows the array pointed  to  by  s  results  in
       undefined behavior. The use of fgets() is recommended.
       Since  the  user  cannot  specify  the  length  of the buffer passed to
       gets(), use of this function is discouraged. The length of  the  string
       read is unlimited. It is possible to overflow this buffer in such a way
       as to cause applications to fail, or possible  system  security  viola-
       tions.
       It  is  recommended  that  the  fgets() function should be used to read
       input lines.
RATIONALE
       None.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
       None.
SEE ALSO
       feof(),   ferror(),   fgets(),   the   Base   Definitions   volume   of
       IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, <stdio.h>
COPYRIGHT
       Portions  of  this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form
       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
       --  Portable  Operating  System  Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base
       Specifications Issue 6, Copyright (C) 2001-2003  by  the  Institute  of
       Electrical  and  Electronics  Engineers, Inc and The Open Group. In the
       event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and
       The  Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard
       is the referee document. The original Standard can be  obtained  online
       at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .

IEEE/The Open Group                  2003                             GETS(3P)