string array with garbage character at end

Question

I have a char array buffer that I am using to store characters that the user will input one by one. My code below works but has a few glitches that I can\'t figure out:

Answer 1

In addition to the previous comments about zero termination, you also have to accept responsibility for not overflowing your own buffer. It doesn't stop at 8 characters because your code is not stopping! You need something like the following (piggy-backing onto Jeremy's suggestion):

#define DATA_LENGTH 8
#define BUFFER_LENGTH (DATA_LENGTH + 1)

char Buffer[BUFFER_LENGTH]; //holds the byte stream
int charPos=0;  //index to next character position to fill

while (charPos <= DATA_LENGTH  ) { //user input event has occured
    Buffer[i] = charInput;

    Buffer[i+1] = '\0';

    // Display a response to input
    printf("Buffer is %s!\n", Buffer);

    i++; 

}

In other words, make sure to stop accepting data when the maximum length has been reached, regardless of what the environment tries to push at you.