fgets() question

[Roman Mashak]

Hello, All!

Is there a common rule to allocate memory for buffer for using in
fgets() ? For example:

fgets(buf, SIZE, stdin);

Is it mandatory to call malloc() before using fgets() ?

With best regards, Roman Mashak. E-mail: (e-mail address removed)

 

[Gordon Burditt]

Is there a common rule to allocate memory for buffer for using in

fgets() ? For example:

fgets(buf, SIZE, stdin);

Is it mandatory to call malloc() before using fgets() ?

No. You could, for example, declare:
char buf[SIZE];
which does not require malloc().

Gordon L. Burditt

 

[CBFalconer]

Is there a common rule to allocate memory for buffer for using in
fgets() ? For example:

fgets(buf, SIZE, stdin);

Is it mandatory to call malloc() before using fgets() ?

No. However it is mandatory to have buf refer to allocated memory
of at least SIZE bytes.

 

[Malcolm]

Is there a common rule to allocate memory for buffer for using in
fgets() ? For example:

fgets(buf, SIZE, stdin);

Is it mandatory to call malloc() before using fgets() ?

char *buf;

buf = malloc(SIZE);
if(buf)
fgets(buf, SIZE, stdin);

/* when finished with buf */
free(buf);

or

char buf[SIZE];

fgets(buf, SIZE, stdin);

are both OK.

The second is more common, because there's not usually much point calling
malloc() when you know the amount of memory you need at compile time.