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Clear screen in C is a commonly discussed topic in programming, particularly in the realm of console-based programs. In certain scenarios, it becomes necessary to clear the console screen programmatically. In this article, we will discuss solutions to this problem, and delve into the functions or libraries that can be used to achieve this.
#include <stdlib.h>
int main() {
system("clear");
return 0;
}
The code above exemplifies one of the simplest ways to clear the console screen. We use the system function from the stdlib.h library, which is a part of the standard library in C. The argument we pass into this function is a command-line command. The string “clear” is a UNIX command that clears the console window. Consequently, executing this function leads to the desired result.
The role of the stdlib library
The stdlib.h library houses a plethora of functions in C that deal with memory allocation, process control, conversions and others. The system function belongs to this library. It is used to pass commands to the command interpreter, which then executes these commands. This provides programmers with a degree of control over the system processes.
Understanding the system function
The system function takes a character string as input. This string can be any command that can be executed in the command-line interface of the system. The function sends this command string to the command interpreter, which in turn executes the command and outputs a result. In the context of our problem, we use it to send a “clear” command to the interpreter, thus leading to a cleared console screen.
Portable solutions to clear the screen
However, this raises a problem of portability. The “clear” command is primarily a UNIX command, and may not work in other environments like Windows. To address this issue, we can use preprocessor directives to check the environment and use the corresponding command.
#include <stdlib.h>
int main() {
#ifdef _WIN32
system("cls");
#else
system("clear");
#endif
return 0;
}
In the above code, we use the _WIN32 macro to check if the program is being executed in a Windows environment. If it is, we use the “cls” command to clear the console, else we use the “clear” command. This lends a greater degree of portability to our code.
In conclusion, the clear screen in C is a problem with multiple solutions, and understanding the underlying method and functions is crucial to picking the right tool for the job. While libraries like stdlib provide us with functions to interact with system processes, we must also account for the portability of the solution across different system environments.
