C fgetc() Function | Read a Character from a File

Introduction

The fgetc() function in C is a standard library function that reads the next character from the specified input stream and returns it as an unsigned char cast to an int. It is part of the C standard library (stdio.h) and is commonly used for reading characters from files or standard input.

fgetc() Function Syntax

The syntax for the fgetc() function is as follows:

int fgetc(FILE *stream);

Parameters:

• stream: A pointer to a FILE object that specifies the input stream.

Returns:

• The function returns the next character from the input stream as an unsigned char cast to an int. If the end of the file is reached or an error occurs, EOF is returned.

Examples

Reading Characters from a File

To demonstrate how to use fgetc() to read characters from a file, we will write a simple program.

Example

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    FILE *file;
    int ch;

    // Open the file for reading
    file = fopen("example.txt", "r");
    if (file == NULL) {
        printf("Error: Could not open file for reading.\n");
        return 1;
    }

    // Read and print characters until the end of the file
    while ((ch = fgetc(file)) != EOF) {
        putchar(ch);
    }

    // Close the file
    fclose(file);

    return 0;
}

Output (assuming example.txt contains the text "Hello, World!"):

Hello, World!

Reading Characters from Standard Input

This example shows how to use fgetc() to read characters from the standard input.

Example

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int ch;

    // Prompt the user for input
    printf("Enter text (press Enter to finish): ");

    // Read and print characters until a newline character is encountered
    while ((ch = fgetc(stdin)) != '\n' && ch != EOF) {
        putchar(ch);
    }

    // Print a newline for clarity
    putchar('\n');

    return 0;
}

Output (example user input "Hello, World!"):

Enter text (press Enter to finish): Hello, World!
Hello, World!

Real-World Use Case

Processing a Configuration File

In real-world applications, the fgetc() function can be used to process a configuration file character by character.

Example

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    FILE *file;
    int ch;
    int line_number = 1;

    // Open the configuration file for reading
    file = fopen("config.txt", "r");
    if (file == NULL) {
        printf("Error: Could not open configuration file for reading.\n");
        return 1;
    }

    // Print the line number and read characters until the end of the file
    printf("%d: ", line_number);
    while ((ch = fgetc(file)) != EOF) {
        putchar(ch);
        if (ch == '\n' && (ch = fgetc(file)) != EOF) {
            line_number++;
            printf("%d: ", line_number);
            ungetc(ch, file);
        }
    }

    // Close the file
    fclose(file);

    return 0;
}

Output (assuming config.txt contains multiple lines of configuration settings):

1: setting1=value1
2: setting2=value2
3: setting3=value3

Conclusion

The fgetc() function is an essential tool for reading characters from an input stream in C. It allows you to process input data character by character, making it useful for tasks such as reading files or handling user input. 

By understanding and using this function, you can efficiently manage character-based input operations in your C programs. Always ensure to handle the return value properly to check for the end of the file or any errors.