Difference between scanf() and fgets()

Question

I want to know what is the difference between fgets() and scanf(). I am using C as my platform.

Answer 1

It should be noted that scanf pattern specs do allow field width limits:

scanf( " %80s", mybuffer );

But, where printf() allows the width to be passed as a variable (with '*'):

printf( "My name is %*s.\n", 20, name );

scanf() does not. (It interprets the '*' as a flag to suppress/ignore the field entirely.) Which means you end up doing things like this:

#define NAMEWIDTH 40
char buffer[ NAMEWIDTH + 4 ];
...
scanf( " %40x", buffer );

and no way to connect the field width 40 in the scanf() with the buffer width 40 in the buffer declaration.