Reading character input with scanf

[TranscendArcu]

printf("\nSpecify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> ");scanf("%c",&pref);flushInputBuffer();
	extract_array(s,n,crit,array1);extract_array(s,n,2,array2);
	if (pref == '\n')pref = 'a';
	printf("\n%c\n",pref);

So the above is a snippet of code from one of the programs I am writing. My problem is that, even if I enter 'd' for my input, the program seems to decide ALWAYS that I mean to enter 'a'. I only want the computer to interpret my input as an 'a' if I just press the return key when prompted for input. Can anyone help me see the problem here?

 

[I like Serena]

It depends on what comes before.

What is the type of pref?
What is the initial value of pref?
What is the last thing you've read from input successfully?
Is there still input lying around in the input buffer (a new line perhaps)?

 

[TranscendArcu]

It depends on what comes before.

What is the type of pref?
What is the initial value of pref?
What is the last thing you've read from input successfully?
Is there still input lying around in the input buffer (a new line perhaps)?

pref is type char, which matches with the %c. Pref is initially unassigned I just have

char pref;

The last successfully read character could have been almost anything, since the output of the program, a piece of which is above, has multiple functions depending on the last read character. However, there should not be any input lying around in the buffer -- the flushInputBuffer function should ensure that. In particular, I have

void flushInputBuffer()
{
	char c;
	do {
		scanf("%c",&c);
	} while (c != '\n');
}

Since I cleared the buffer at the last character scan, too, I'm not sure what the problem is.

 

[I like Serena]

So what happens if you copy and paste these couple of lines to the beginning of your main() function?
You should see that if you type 'd' followed by Enter, that your programs reads 'd', after which the new line is flushed.

Just for fun, copy those lines a second time after the first, and see if you can type 'd' successfully again...

 

[TranscendArcu]

EDIT: Let me try adding the conditional if statement. I'll let you know if it changes something.

#include <stdio.h>
void flushInputBuffer();

int main(void)
{
	char pref;
	int j;
	for (j=0;j<10;j++)
	{
		printf("\nSpecify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> ");
		scanf("%c",&pref);flushInputBuffer();
		printf("\nYou entered character: %c\n",pref);
	}
	return (0);
}void flushInputBuffer()
{
	char c;
	do {
		scanf("%c",&c);
	} while (c != '\n');
}

Output:

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> a

You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> d

You entered character: d

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> a

You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> d

You entered character: d

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> a

You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> d

You entered character: d

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> a

You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> d

You entered character: d

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> a

You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> d

You entered character: d

So it seems to be working, which is why I am confused.

 

[TranscendArcu]

So as it turns out, it still works with the if (pref == '\n')pref = 'a';

However, I have to press the return key twice in order to get it to tell me that I secretly entered the letter 'a'. It is not immediate.
Output:Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> a

You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> d

You entered character: d

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> a

You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> You entered character: a

Specify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >>

 

[TranscendArcu]

Here's the code again:

/*
 * test.c
 *
 *  Created on: 25. apr. 2012
 *      Author: James
 */

#include <stdio.h>
void flushInputBuffer();

int main(void)
{
	char pref;
	int j;
	for (j=0;j<10;j++)
	{
		printf("\nSpecify ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' >> ");
		scanf("%c",&pref);flushInputBuffer();
		if (pref == '\n')pref = 'a';
		printf("\nYou entered character: %c\n",pref);
	}
	return (0);
}void flushInputBuffer()
{
	char c;
	do {
		scanf("%c",&c);
	} while (c != '\n');
}

 

[I like Serena]

So either you have old input floating around, or your program does decide to pick choice 'd', but you're mistaken in your conclusion that it picked 'a'.

You did say that your program "seemed" to always pick 'a'...

So as it turns out, it still works with the if (pref == '\n')pref = 'a';

However, I have to press the return key twice in order to get it to tell me that I secretly entered the letter 'a'. It is not immediate.

I do not understand what you mean.
Where and how do you need to press Enter twice?

Btw, does your extract_array() function do anything that may interfere?

 

[I like Serena]

Oh, if you press Enter instead of a letter, your flushInputBuffer() function will force you to press Enter a second time.

 

[TranscendArcu]

So either you have old input floating around, or your program does decide to pick choice 'd', but you're mistaken in your conclusion that it picked 'a'.

You did say that your program "seemed" to always pick 'a'...



I do not understand what you mean.
Where and how do you need to press Enter twice?

Btw, does your extract_array() function do anything that may interfere?

This is what the extract_array function is:

void extract_array(student_t s[], int n, int crit, aux_t array[])
{
	int j;
	char temp[STRSZ];

	for (j=0; j<n; j++) {
		switch (crit) {
			case 1: strcpy(temp, s[j].first);
				break;
			case 2: strcpy(temp, s[j].last);
				break;
			case 3: strcpy(temp, s[j].food);
		}
		strcpy(array[j].string, temp);
	}
}

I don't think this should be interfering.

I am confident that it is picking 'a' because I asked it to print out what it thought pref was after it had entered the if statement. It always returned 'a', even when I had entered 'd' as my input.

 

[TranscendArcu]

Here's some sample output to show the point (just to specify, I changed the prompt output slightly, which is why it's not the same as before; the user input part is still all the same though): Choose to sort in ascending ['a'] or descending 'd' order >> d

a
Where do you want to print file?