Why fgets/gets skipping the 1st input string?

Question

I had to give inputs to two strings value for FERTILIZER and TECHNIQUE. The inputs are COMPOST MANURE and CROP ROTATION. I used fgets. But it's skipping the input of 1st string but it's solved by using scanf() before first fgets. What's happening? And why do we have to use Scanf()?
https://code.sololearn.com/cqz32OKKFcmU/?ref=app

Answer 1

The call to `scanf` left a terminating character in the input string. This is a '\n' character that follows the number read for <year> variable. The first `fgets` call then gets this left over character instead of reading the input for variable <a>.

You can change the call to `scanf` as follows:

scanf("%d%*c", &y);

Or alternatively, without changing the `scanf` format specifier, you can add this line

getchar();

After the `scanf` call. This will consume the left over character also.

Answer 2

The problem is

you try to read a integer with fgets.

The link below explains.
fgets() reads 'a line of text' from a file; scanf() can be used for that but also handles conversions from string to built in numeric types.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1252132/difference-between-scanf-and-fgets

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/why-to-use-fgets-over-scanf-in-c/

Why do you want to use fgets ?
Scanf seems the better option.

Answer 3

Just add a space after the %d in scanf() and freely use gets or fgets.

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
int y;
char a[100], b[100];
printf("Welcome to Organic Farming\n");
printf("Year\n");
scanf("%d ", &y);

printf("Fertilizers\n");
gets(a);

printf("Technique\n");
gets(b);

printf("Organic Farming was introduced in the year %d. It relies on %s and many of it uses %s", y, a, b);

return 0;
}

fgets or gets will work perfectly well.

ALWAYS REMEMBER TO LEAVE A SPACE AFTER %d IN scanf.