Microsoft KB Archive/49573

= INFO: scanf with %i and a Leading 0 Gives Octal Conversion =

Article ID: 49573

Article Last Modified on 12/12/2003

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APPLIES TO

 The C Run-Time (CRT), when used with:  Microsoft Visual C++ 1.0 Professional Edition

 Microsoft Visual C++ 1.5 Professional Edition

 Microsoft Visual C++ 1.0 Professional Edition

 Microsoft Visual C++ 2.0 Professional Edition</li></ul>

 Microsoft Visual C++ 4.0 Standard Edition</li></ul>

 Microsoft Visual C++ 5.0 Standard Edition</li></ul>

 Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 Service Pack 5</li></ul> </li></ul>

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This article was previously published under Q49573

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SUMMARY
In Microsoft C, scanf may return different results when using the %i switch than when using the %d switch. With the %i switch, reading in a number that begins with a 0 (zero) will cause the number to be treated as an octal number. The %d switch treats all numbers as decimal numbers. The %i switch has the capability of reading in decimal, octal, and hexadecimal numbers. Hexadecimal numbers are specified with the 0x in front of the number, while octal numbers are specified with the 0 in front of them. If you want only decimal numbers to be read in, use the %d switch.

This is expected behavior and occurs with the entire scanf family.

Additional query words: sscanf fscanf

Keywords: kbinfo kbcrt KB49573

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