printf

new_user10 · 09-09-2003, 09:50 PM

hi everyone,

i am trying to print a certain string repeatedly x number of times using printf and its many options. i don't want to use iteration

for (....)
printf("..")

is there a way i can type:

printf("....", 2)

and have printf print out something like 22222222? what are the appropriate printf modifiers? thanks in advance.

DrOzz · 09-09-2003, 09:56 PM

i don't quite understand exactly what you want without some sample code that you have or something, but couldn't you just use a for loop and exit the loop at the time you want to, as i said i dont quite grasp what your saying so i dont' know when you would want to exit the loop, so if you have a little more info or sample code then someone could elaborate...
if its just the number 22222222, couldn't you just declare an integer to be 22222222....
so instead of me spitting out what might be stupid ideas, tell what you want the program to accomplish...

new_user10 · 09-09-2003, 10:01 PM

sorry about the lack of clarity.

basically, printf usually takes in a format string with a bunch of %_, and you would supply an equal number of arguments as there are %_s right? i am trying to discover a command/option with printf where i can do:

printf("<some special option>", first_param)

and have printf output first_param a certain number of times(specified in the <special option>) in a row.

example:

printf("%..3s", "string") ---> stringstringstring

the '%..3s' is the part i am not sure about to achieve this functionality. thanks.

jinksys · 09-09-2003, 11:12 PM

Printf doesnt have the capacity of its own to repeat certain strings. The simplest way to repeat a string , say, 2 times is to do this...

Code:

for(x=1;x<3;x++) { printf("WHATEVER"); }

another way is to define a wrapper function. This would be the easiest way if you were going need a "repeating printf" often. This code defines the wrapper function printfr, which repeats a string a certain number of times.

Code:

#include <stdio.h>  
void printfr(char* string,int xs);  

main(){ 
char *str="hey\n"; 
printfr(str,4); 
}  

void printfr(char* string,int xs){ 
int x; 
for(x=0;x<xs;x++){ 
printf("%s",string); 
} 
}

A better printfr wrapper could be made with using using argument lists, but I have no idea how C proficient you are.