C Programming Output Basics

Output Operations in C

• Output operations allow programs to display information to the user.
• The printf function is used to display output to the screen or console in C.
• The printf function takes a format string as a parameter which specifies the text to be displayed and how variables should be formatted.
• The \n character is used to insert a newline in the output and moves the cursor to the beginning of the next line.
• printf can format output by controlling the appearance of the displayed data such as specifying the number of decimal places for floating-point numbers or padding strings with spaces.
• Format specifiers are used within a format string to indicate how variables should be formatted.

Basic Escape Sequences

• Escape sequences are special character combinations that allow characters that are difficult to type or have a special meaning within a string to be represented.
• These sequences are used to insert characters that cannot be typed directly into a string.

Common Escape Sequences in C

• \n: Newline - Moves the cursor to the beginning of the next line.
• \t: Tab - Inserts a horizontal tab.
• \": Double quote - Inserts a double quote character.
• \': Single quote - Inserts a single quote character.
• \\: Backslash - Inserts a backslash character.
• \b: Backspace - Moves the cursor back one position.
• \r: Carriage return - Moves the cursor to the beginning of the current line.
• \f: Form feed - Moves the cursor to the next logical page.

Placeholders in Output Statements

• Placeholders, also known as format specifiers, are used to specify where and how the values of variables should be inserted into the output.
• They are specified by using format specifiers, which start with the % symbol, followed by a letter that represents the data type of the variable.
• The format specifiers are replaced with the corresponding values when the output is displayed.

Format Specifiers in printf for Different Data Types

• %d or %i: Signed integer
• %u: Unsigned integer
• %f: Floating-point number
• %c: Character
• %s: String
• %p: Pointer address
• %x or %X: Hexadecimal number

Modifiers with Format Specifiers

• Modifiers can be used with format specifiers to control the width, precision, and other formatting aspects of the output.
• Examples of modifiers include:
  • -: Left-justify the output.
  • +: Include a sign (+ or -) for numeric values.
  • 0: Pad output with zeros.
  • #: Use an alternative form for specific data types.
  • . followed by a number: Specifies the precision for floating-point numbers.
  • A number before the format specifier: Specifies the minimum width of the output field.