The escape character erases the first characters in the gets() string (57948)

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Sample Code #1

/* Compile options needed: none
*/ 

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

char buf[22];
char *result;

void main(void)
{
     int i;
     buf[0] = 20;

     printf("Enter your text: \n");
     result = gets(buf);

     printf ( "Resulting String: %s\n", result );
     for( i = 0; i < 20; i ++ )
     {
          printf("Buf[%2d] = %c (char)\n", i, buf[i]);
     }
}

Note You must add the common language runtime support compiler option (/clr:oldSyntax) in Visual C++ 2005 to successfully compile the previous code sample. To add the common language runtime support compiler option in Visual C++ 2005, follow these steps:

Click Project, and then click <ProjectName> Properties.

Note <ProjectName> is a placeholder for the name of the project.
Expand Configuration Properties, and then click General.
Click to select Common Language Runtime Support, Old Syntax (/clr:oldSyntax) in the Common Language Runtime support project setting in the right pane, click Apply, and then click OK.

For more information about the common language runtime support compiler option, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

/clr (Common Language Runtime Compilation)
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/k8d11d4s.aspx

These steps apply to the whole article.

Enter the following string as a test:

   abcdef<esc>ghijk

Note that the resulting string is output as:

   ghijk

Now, create a data file named test.dat containing the string "abcdef<esc>ghijk" either by using a text editor that permits escape characters to be embedded in a string or by using the sample code #2 below.

Sample Code #2

/* Compile options needed: none
*/ 

#include <stdio.h>

void main(void)
{
   FILE* fp;
   char* fname = "test.dat";
   int   numwrote;

   if ( (fp = fopen( fname, "wt" )) == NULL )
      printf( "Unable to open text file \"%s\" for writing.\n", fname );
   else
   {
      if ( (numwrote = fprintf( fp, "abcdef""\x1b""ghijk" )) != 12 )
         printf( "Write to file failed!  %d bytes written!\n", numwrote );
      fclose( fp );
   }
}

If the program from sample code #1 is run with input redirected from the data file, as follows:

   program <test.dat

the resulting string is output as follows:

   abcdef<esc>ghijk