Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ?

From	Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.c
Subject	Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ?
Date	2025-02-09 12:50 +0200
Organization	A noiseless patient Spider
Message-ID	<20250209125046.00001189@yahoo.com> (permalink)
References	<vo9g74$fu8u$1@dont-email.me> <vo9hlo$g0to$1@dont-email.me> <vo9ki6$gib5$1@dont-email.me>

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On Sun, 9 Feb 2025 08:13:10 +0100
Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> wrote:

> First; thanks Kaz and Andrey for the replies. - As so often answering
> more than I asked or needed. :-)
> 
> The provided C standard quote answers my question. - Thanks!
> 
> 
> On 09.02.2025 07:23, Andrey Tarasevich wrote:
> > On Sat 2/8/2025 9:59 PM, Janis Papanagnou wrote:  
> >> To get the last line of a text file I'm using
> >>
> >>      char buf[BUFSIZ];
> >>      while (fgets (buf, BUFSIZ, fd) != NULL)
> >>          ;   // read to last line
> >>
> >> If the end of the file is reached my test shows that the previous
> >> contents of 'buf' are still existing (not cleared or overwritten).
> >>
> >> But the man page does not say anything whether this is guaranteed;
> >> it says: "Reading stops after an EOF or a newline.", but it says
> >> nothing about [not] writing to or [not] resetting the buffer.
> >>
> >> Is that simple construct safe to get the last line of a text file?
> >>  
> > 
> > What situation exactly are you talking about? When end-of-file is
> > encountered _immediately_, before reading the very first character?
> > Of when end-of-file is encountered after reading something (i.e.
> > when the last line in the file does not end with new-line
> > character)?  
> 
> I have a _coherent_ file, with a few NL terminated lines of text.
> 

I wonder what you mean by "coherent".

> Usually I use fgets() in contexts where I process every line, like
> 
>     while (fgets (buf, BUFSIZ, fd) != NULL) {
>         operate_on (buf);
>     }
>     // here the status of buf[] is usually not important any more
> 
> My actual context was different, like
> 
>     while (fgets (buf, BUFSIZ, fd) != NULL) {
>         // buf[] contents are ignored here
>     }
>     operate_on (buf[]);  // which I assumed contains last line
>

It depends on definition of "last line".
What do you consider "last line" of the file in which last character is
not LF? The one before the last LF or one after? Your code would get
the latter.

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Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-09 06:59 +0100
  Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2025-02-09 06:23 +0000
  Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Andrey Tarasevich <noone@noone.net> - 2025-02-08 22:23 -0800
    Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Andrey Tarasevich <noone@noone.net> - 2025-02-08 23:12 -0800
      Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-09 23:52 +0000
        Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Andrey Tarasevich <noone@noone.net> - 2025-02-09 17:06 -0800
          Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Andrey Tarasevich <noone@noone.net> - 2025-02-09 17:22 -0800
            Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-10 12:49 +0200
              Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2025-02-13 07:14 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-14 16:51 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2025-02-14 15:10 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-14 17:23 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2025-02-14 16:46 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2025-02-14 17:28 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2025-02-14 17:22 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2025-02-14 11:03 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2025-02-14 19:34 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-15 20:06 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2025-02-14 20:01 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-14 20:51 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-15 19:02 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-15 19:29 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-16 04:29 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2025-02-16 01:04 -0500
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2025-02-16 07:37 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-16 18:59 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-16 10:48 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-16 19:14 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-17 11:54 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2025-02-16 07:32 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-16 11:05 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-16 19:25 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-16 19:21 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2025-02-16 20:26 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-15 19:41 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-15 20:29 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-16 04:33 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-14 20:23 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2025-02-14 14:38 -0500
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-14 21:02 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-15 19:53 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-16 04:48 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2025-02-15 08:37 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-15 20:08 +0200
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2025-02-18 20:17 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-21 05:58 +0000
            Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2025-02-15 08:12 -0800
          Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-10 02:44 +0100
          Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-10 03:28 +0000
            Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Andrey Tarasevich <noone@noone.net> - 2025-02-09 20:11 -0800
              Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-10 07:21 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2025-02-10 16:39 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2025-02-10 13:58 -0500
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-11 01:03 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2025-02-10 22:33 -0500
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2025-02-11 03:42 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-11 04:54 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2025-02-11 13:07 -0500
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-11 21:47 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2025-02-11 17:44 -0500
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-12 06:16 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2025-02-11 13:59 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2025-02-11 17:58 -0500
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2025-02-11 15:40 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2025-02-17 21:11 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Andrey Tarasevich <noone@noone.net> - 2025-02-10 22:32 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Andrey Tarasevich <noone@noone.net> - 2025-02-10 22:38 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2025-02-11 12:04 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Tim Rentsch <tr.17687@z991.linuxsc.com> - 2025-02-13 07:29 -0800
    Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-09 08:13 +0100
      Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2025-02-09 12:50 +0200
        Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-09 18:29 +0100
          Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Mark Bourne <nntp.mbourne@spamgourmet.com> - 2025-02-10 21:57 +0000
      Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Andrey Tarasevich <noone@noone.net> - 2025-02-09 07:27 -0800
        Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-09 18:34 +0100
          Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2025-02-09 16:57 -0800
            Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-10 02:35 +0100
              Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2025-02-09 20:37 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-10 07:08 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2025-02-09 22:41 -0800
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-10 07:54 +0100
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Mark Bourne <nntp.mbourne@spamgourmet.com> - 2025-02-10 23:22 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Kaz Kylheku <643-408-1753@kylheku.com> - 2025-02-11 00:59 +0000
                Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2025-02-17 02:50 +0000
      Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Mark Bourne <nntp.mbourne@spamgourmet.com> - 2025-02-10 22:57 +0000
        Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Mark Bourne <nntp.mbourne@spamgourmet.com> - 2025-02-10 23:24 +0000
  Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Ben Bacarisse <ben@bsb.me.uk> - 2025-02-10 01:32 +0000
    Re: Buffer contents well-defined after fgets() reaches EOF ? Janis Papanagnou <janis_papanagnou+ng@hotmail.com> - 2025-02-10 02:40 +0100

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