NAME

getc, getchar, fgetc, getw − get character or word from stream

SYNOPSIS

#include <stdio.h>

int getc (stream)
FILE ∗stream;

int getchar ()

int fgetc (stream)
FILE ∗stream;

int getw (stream)
FILE ∗stream;

DESCRIPTION

Getc returns the next character (i.e. byte) from the named input stream. It also moves the file pointer, if defined, ahead one character in stream. Getc is a macro and so cannot be used if a function is necessary; for example one cannot have a function pointer point to it. 

Getchar returns the next character from the standard input stream, stdin. As in the case of getc, getchar is a macro. 

Fgetc performs the same function as getc, but is a genuine function. Fgetc runs more slowly than getc, but takes less space per invocation.

Getw returns the next word (32-bit integer on a 68000) from the named input stream. It returns the constant EOF upon end-of-file or error, but as that is a valid integer value, feof and ferror(3S) should be used to check the success of getw. Getw increments the associated file pointer, if defined, to point to the next word.  Getw assumes no special alignment in the file. 

SEE ALSO

fclose(3S), ferror(3S), fopen(3S), fread(3S), gets(3S), putc(3S), scanf(3S). 

DIAGNOSTICS

These functions return the integer constant EOF at end-of-file or upon an error. 

BUGS

Because it is implemented as a macro, getc treats incorrectly a stream argument with side effects.  In particular, getc(∗f++) doesn’t work sensibly.  Fgetc should be used instead. 
Because of possible differences in word length and byte ordering, files written using putw are machine-dependent, and may not be read using getw on a different processor. 

Version 2.3  —  July 04, 1985