_cscanf_s, _cscanf_s_l, _cwscanf_s, _cwscanf_s_l

Reads formatted data from the console. These more secure versions of _cscanf, _cscanf_l, _cwscanf, _cwscanf_l have security enhancements, as described in Security features in the CRT.

Important

This API cannot be used in applications that execute in the Windows Runtime. For more information, see CRT functions not supported in Universal Windows Platform apps.

Syntax

int _cscanf_s(
   const char *format [,
   argument] ...
);
int _cscanf_s_l(
   const char *format,
   _locale_t locale [,
   argument] ...
);
int _cwscanf_s(
   const wchar_t *format [,
   argument] ...
);
int _cwscanf_s_l(
   const wchar_t *format,
   _locale_t locale [,
   argument] ...
);

Parameters

format
Format-control string.

argument
Optional parameters.

locale
The locale to use.

Return value

The number of fields that were successfully converted and assigned. The return value doesn't include fields that were read but not assigned. The return value is EOF for an attempt to read at end of file. An EOF can also be returned when keyboard input is redirected at the operating-system command-line level. A return value of zero means that no fields were assigned.

These functions validate their parameters. If format is a null pointer, these functions invoke the invalid parameter handler, as described in Parameter validation. If execution is allowed to continue, these functions return EOF, and errno is set to EINVAL.

Remarks

The _cscanf_s function reads data directly from the console into the locations given by argument. The _getche function is used to read characters. Each optional parameter must be a pointer to a variable with a type that corresponds to a type specifier in format. The format controls the interpretation of the input fields and has the same form and function as the format parameter for the scanf_s function. While _cscanf_s normally echoes the input character, it doesn't do so if the last call was to _ungetch.

Like other secure versions of functions in the scanf family, _cscanf_s and _cwscanf_s require size arguments for the type field characters c, C, s, S, and [. For more information, see scanf Width Specification.

Note

The size parameter is of type unsigned, not size_t.

The versions of these functions with the _l suffix are identical except that they use the locale parameter passed in instead of the current thread locale.

Generic-text routine mappings

TCHAR.H routine _UNICODE and _MBCS not defined _MBCS defined _UNICODE defined
_tcscanf_s _cscanf_s _cscanf_s _cwscanf_s
_tcscanf_s_l _cscanf_s_l _cscanf_s_l _cwscanf_s_l

Requirements

Routine Required header
_cscanf_s, _cscanf_s_l <conio.h>
_cwscanf_s, _cwscanf_s_l <conio.h> or <wchar.h>

For more compatibility information, see Compatibility.

Libraries

All versions of the C run-time libraries.

Example

// crt_cscanf_s.c
// compile with: /c
/* This program prompts for a string
* and uses _cscanf_s to read in the response.
* Then _cscanf_s returns the number of items
* matched, and the program displays that number.
*/

#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>

int main( void )
{
   int result, n[3];
   int i;

   result = _cscanf_s( "%i %i %i", &n[0], &n[1], &n[2] );
   _cprintf_s( "\r\nYou entered " );
   for( i=0; i<result; i++ )
      _cprintf_s( "%i ", n[i] );
   _cprintf_s( "\r\n" );
}
1 2 3
You entered 1 2 3

See also

Console and port I/O
_cprintf, _cprintf_l, _cwprintf, _cwprintf_l
fscanf_s, _fscanf_s_l, fwscanf_s, _fwscanf_s_l
scanf_s, _scanf_s_l, wscanf_s, _wscanf_s_l
sscanf_s, _sscanf_s_l, swscanf_s, _swscanf_s_l