C input /output

C Programming Input Output (I/O): printf() and scanf()

This tutorial focuses on two in-built functions printf() and scanf() to perform I/O task in C programming. Also, you will learn to write a valid program in C.

C programming has several in-built library functions to perform input and output tasks.

Two commonly used functions for I/O (Input/Output) are printf() and scanf().

The scanf() function reads formatted input from standard input (keyboard) whereas the printf() function sends formatted output to the standard output (screen).

Example #1: C Output

#include <stdio.h>      //This is needed to run printf() function.
int main()
{
    printf("C Programming");  //displays the content inside quotation
    return 0;
}

Output

C Programming

How this program works?

• All valid C program must contain the main() function. The code execution begins from the start of main()function.
• The printf() is a library function to send formatted output to the screen. The printf() function is declared in "stdio.h" header file.
• Here, stdio.h is a header file (standard input output header file) and #include is a preprocessor directive to paste the code from the header file when necessary. When the compiler encounters printf() function and doesn't find stdio.h header file, compiler shows error.
• The return 0; statement is the "Exit status" of the program. In simple terms, program ends.

Example #2: C Integer Output

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
    int testInteger = 5;
    printf("Number = %d", testInteger);
    return 0;
}

Output

Number = 5

Inside the quotation of printf() function, there is a format string "%d" (for integer). If the format string matches the argument (testInteger in this case), it is displayed on the screen.

Example #3: C Integer Input/Output

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
    int testInteger;
    printf("Enter an integer: ");
    scanf("%d",&testInteger);  
    printf("Number = %d",testInteger);
    return 0;
}

Output

Enter an integer: 4
Number = 4

The scanf() function reads formatted input from the keyboard. When user enters an integer, it is stored in variable testInteger.

Note the '&' sign before testInteger; &testInteger gets the address of testIntegerand the value is stored in that address.

Example #3: C Floats Input/Output

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
    float f;
    printf("Enter a number: ");
// %f format string is used in case of floats
    scanf("%f",&f);
    printf("Value = %f", f);
    return 0;
}

Output

Enter a number: 23.45
Value = 23.450000

The format string "%f" is used to read and display formatted in case of floats.

Example #4: C Character I/O

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
    char chr;
    printf("Enter a character: ");
    scanf("%c",&chr);     
    printf("You entered %c.",chr);  
    return 0;
}   

Output

Enter a character: g
You entered g.

Format string %c is used in case of character types.

Little bit on ASCII code

When a character is entered in the above program, the character itself is not stored. Instead, a numeric value(ASCII value) is stored.

And when we displayed that value using "%c" text format, the entered character is displayed.

Example #5: C ASCII Code

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
    char chr;
    printf("Enter a character: ");
    scanf("%c",&chr);     

    // When %c text format is used, character is displayed in case of character types
    printf("You entered %c.\n",chr);  

    // When %d text format is used, integer is displayed in case of character types
    printf("ASCII value of %c is %d.", chr, chr);  
    return 0;
}

Output

Enter a character: g
You entered g.
ASCII value of g is 103.
The ASCII value of character 'g' is 103. When, 'g' is entered, 103 is stored in variable var1 instead of g. 

You can display a character if you know ASCII code of that character. This is shown by following example.

Example #6: C ASCII Code

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
    int chr = 69;
    printf("Character having ASCII value 69 is %c.",chr);
    return 0;
}  

Output

Character having ASCII value 69 is E.

More on Input/Output of floats and Integers

Integer and floats can be displayed in different formats in C programming.

Example #7: I/O of Floats and Integers

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{

    int integer = 9876;
    float decimal = 987.6543;

    //  Prints the number right justified within 6 columns
    printf("4 digit integer right justified to 6 column: %6d\n", integer);

    // Tries to print number right justified to 3 digits but the number is not right adjusted because there are only 4 numbers
    printf("4 digit integer right justified to 3 column: %3d\n", integer);

    // Rounds to two digit places
    printf("Floating point number rounded to 2 digits: %.2f\n",decimal);

    // Rounds to 0 digit places
    printf("Floating point number rounded to 0 digits: %.f\n",987.6543);

    // Prints the number in exponential notation(scientific notation)
    printf("Floating point number in exponential form: %e\n",987.6543);
    return 0;
}   

Output

4 digit integer right justified to 6 column:   9876
4 digit integer right justified to 3 column: 9876
Floating point number rounded to 2 digits: 987.65
Floating point number rounded to 0 digits: 988
Floating point number in exponential form: 9.876543e+02