NAME

       gets - get a string from a stdin stream

SYNOPSIS

       #include <stdio.h>

       char *gets(char *s);

DESCRIPTION

       The gets() function shall read bytes from the standard input stream, stdin, into the array
       pointed to by s, until a <newline> is read or an  end-of-file  condition  is  encountered.
       Any  <newline>  shall  be  discarded and a null byte shall be placed immediately after the
       last byte read into the array.

       The gets() function may mark the st_atime field of the file  associated  with  stream  for
       update. The st_atime field shall be marked for update by the first successful execution of
       fgetc(), fgets(), fread(), getc(), getchar(), gets(), fscanf(), or  scanf()  using  stream
       that returns data not supplied by a prior call to ungetc().

RETURN VALUE

       Upon  successful  completion,  gets() shall return s. If the stream is at end-of-file, the
       end-of-file indicator for the stream shall be set and gets() shall return a null  pointer.
       If  a  read  error  occurs,  the error indicator for the stream shall be set, gets() shall
       return a null pointer,    and set errno to indicate the error.

ERRORS

       Refer to fgetc() .

       The following sections are informative.

EXAMPLES

       None.

APPLICATION USAGE

       Reading a line that overflows the array pointed to by s results in undefined behavior. The
       use of fgets() is recommended.

       Since  the  user  cannot  specify  the  length of the buffer passed to gets(), use of this
       function is discouraged. The length of the string read is unlimited.  It  is  possible  to
       overflow  this  buffer  in such a way as to cause applications to fail, or possible system
       security violations.

       It is recommended that the fgets() function should be used to read input lines.

RATIONALE

       None.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

       None.

SEE ALSO

       feof() , ferror() ,  fgets()  ,  the  Base  Definitions  volume  of  IEEE Std 1003.1-2001,
       <stdio.h>

COPYRIGHT

       Portions  of  this  text  are  reprinted  and  reproduced in electronic form from IEEE Std
       1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for Information Technology  --  Portable  Operating  System
       Interface  (POSIX), The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 6, Copyright (C) 2001-2003 by
       the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and  The  Open  Group.  In  the
       event  of  any  discrepancy  between this version and the original IEEE and The Open Group
       Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group  Standard  is  the  referee  document.  The
       original Standard can be obtained online at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .