getline() Function and Character Array in C++

The C++ getline() is a standard library function that is used to read a string or a line from an input stream. It is a part of the <string> header. The getline() function extracts characters from the input stream and appends it to the string object until the delimiting character is encountered. Must read the article getline(string) in C++ for more details.

In C++, stream classes support line-oriented functions, getline() and write() to perform input and output functions respectively. 

Getline Character Array: This function reads the whole line of text that ends with a new line or until the maximum limit is reached. getline() is the member function of istream class.

Syntax:

// (buffer, stream_size, delimiter)
istream& getline(char*, int size, char='\n')

// The delimiter character is considered as '\n'
istream& getline(char*, int size)

Parameters:

• char*: Character pointer that points to the array.
• Size: Acts as a delimiter that defines the size of the array.

The Function Does the Following Operations: 

• Extracts character up to the delimiter. 
• Stores the characters in the buffer. 
• The maximum number of characters extracted is size - 1. 

Note: that the terminator(or delimiter) character can be any character (like ' ', ', ' or any special character, etc.). The terminator character is read but not saved into a buffer, instead it is replaced by the null character. 

For Example:

Input: Aditya Rakhecha 

// C++ program to show the getline() with
// character array
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

// Driver Code
int main()
{
    char str[20];
    cout << "Enter Your Name::";

    // see the use of getline() with array
    // str also replace the above statement
    // by cin >> str and see the difference
    // in output
    cin.getline(str, 20);

    cout << "\nYour Name is:: " << str;
    return 0;
}

Output

 Your Name is:: Aditya Rakhecha

Explanation: In the above program, the statement cin.getline(str, 20); reads a string until it encounters the new line character or the maximum number of characters (here 20). Try the function with different limits and see the output.