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# _cgets, _cgetws
Gets a character string from the console. More secure versions of these functions are available; see [_cgets_s, _cgetws_s](../c-runtime-library/reference/cgets-s-cgetws-s.md).  
  
> [!IMPORTANT]
>  These functions are obsolete. Beginning in Visual Studio 2015, they are not available in the CRT. The secure versions of these functions,  _cgets_s and _cgetws_s, are still available. For information on these alternative functions, see [_cgets_s, _cgetws_s](../c-runtime-library/reference/cgets-s-cgetws-s.md).  
  
> [!IMPORTANT]
>  This API cannot be used in applications that execute in the Windows Runtime. For more information, see [CRT functions not supported with /ZW](http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/jj606124.aspx).  
  
## Syntax  
  
```  
char *_cgets(   
   char *buffer   
);  
wchar_t *_cgetws(  
   wchar_t *buffer  
);  
template <size_t size>  
char *_cgets(   
   char (&buffer)[size]  
); // C++ only  
template <size_t size>  
wchar_t *_cgetws(  
   wchar_t (&buffer)[size]  
); // C++ only  
```  
  
#### Parameters  
 `buffer`  
 Storage location for data.  
  
## Return Value  
 `_cgets` and `_cgetws` return a pointer to the start of the string, at `buffer[2]`. If `buffer` is `NULL`, these functions invoke the invalid parameter handler, as described in [Parameter Validation](../c-runtime-library/parameter-validation.md). If execution is allowed to continue, they return `NULL` and set `errno` to `EINVAL`.  
  
## Remarks  
 These functions read a string of characters from the console and store the string and its length in the location pointed to by `buffer`. The `buffer` parameter must be a pointer to a character array. The first element of the array, `buffer[0]`, must contain the maximum length (in characters) of the string to be read. The array must contain enough elements to hold the string, a terminating null character ('\0'), and 2 additional bytes. The function reads characters until a carriage return-line feed (CR-LF) combination or the specified number of characters is read. The string is stored starting at `buffer[2]`. If the function reads a CR-LF, it stores the null character ('\0'). The function then stores the actual length of the string in the second array element, `buffer[1]`.  
  
 Because all editing keys are active when `_cgets` or `_cgetws` is called while in a console window, pressing the F3 key repeats the last entered entry.  
  
 In C++, these functions have template overloads that invoke the newer, secure counterparts of these functions. For more information, see [Secure Template Overloads](../c-runtime-library/secure-template-overloads.md).  
  
### Generic-Text Routine Mappings  
  
|Tchar.h routine|_UNICODE and _MBCS not defined|_MBCS defined|_UNICODE defined|  
|---------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------|-----------------------|  
|`_cgetts`|`_cgets`|`_cgets`|`_cgetws`|  
  
## Requirements  
  
|Routine|Required header|  
|-------------|---------------------|  
|`_cgets`|\<conio.h>|  
|`_cgetws`|\<conio.h> or \<wchar.h>|  
  
 For more compatibility information, see [Compatibility](../c-runtime-library/compatibility.md).  
  
## Example  
  
```  
// crt_cgets.c  
// compile with: /c /W3  
// This program creates a buffer and initializes  
// the first byte to the size of the buffer. Next, the  
// program accepts an input string using _cgets and displays  
// the size and text of that string.  
  
#include <conio.h>  
#include <stdio.h>  
#include <errno.h>  
  
int main( void )  
{  
   char buffer[83] = { 80 };  // Maximum characters in 1st byte  
   char *result;  
  
   printf( "Input line of text, followed by carriage return:\n");  
  
   // Input a line of text:  
   result = _cgets( buffer ); // C4996  
   // Note: _cgets is deprecated; consider using _cgets_s  
   if (!result)  
   {  
      printf( "An error occurred reading from the console:"  
              " error code %d\n", errno);  
   }  
   else  
   {     
      printf( "\nLine length = %d\nText = %s\n",  
              buffer[1], result );  
   }  
}  
```  
  
```Output  
  
      A line of input.Input line of text, followed by carriage return:  
Line Length = 16  
Text = A line of input.  
```  
  
## See Also  
 [Console and Port I/O](../c-runtime-library/console-and-port-i-o.md)   
 [_getch, _getwch](../c-runtime-library/reference/getch-getwch.md)