The **`getc` function** is a C library function that reads the single character value from an input stream.

In order to use the `getc` function, the  `stdio` header file needs to be included in the program, as shown below:

``` C++
#include <stdio.h>
```



# Parameters

The function takes in one parameter: a pointer to a file object that recognizes an input stream.

# Return Value


Upon successful execution of the function, it returns the integer value, i.e., the [`ASCII`](https://www.educative.io/answers/what-is-ascii﻿) value of the read character. In case of errors, End-of-File (EOF)  is returned. If the EOF condition causes the failure, it sets the EOF indicator `feof` on stream; else, it sets the error indicator  to `ferror`.


# Example

The code below explains how the `getc` function works:
1. The "demo.txt" file is opened. 
2. The `getc` function reads the single character from the file in each iteration of the loop. 
3. The returned value from the function is stored in the variable of type `int`.
4. In line 15, the `putchar` function converts the integer to a character and prints the standard output. 
5. After the standard file reading loop, error handling takes over.



#include <iostream>
#include <stdlib.h>
using namespace std;

int main() {
  //file reading
  FILE* file = fopen("demo.txt", "r");
  int val;
  // standard C I/O file reading loop
  while (val = getc(file)) {

    // breaks from the loop if EOF 
    if (val == EOF)
      break;
    putchar(val);
    cout << endl; 
  }

  
  // In case of an error ferror indictor is set true
  if (ferror(file)) 
    cout << "Error during file reading" << endl;
  //In case when EOF is reached, then feof indicator is set true
  if (feof(file))
    cout << "Successful execution of function" << endl;
 
  
  return 0;
}

How to use getc() in C++

Use the getc function in C++ by including the stdio header to read characters from an input stream.