Syntax and example of getch()

getch() reads one character from the keyboard without displaying it (no echo) and without waiting for the Enter key. It is declared in <conio.h> (a non-standard header of Turbo C and Windows compilers).

Syntax: ch = getch(); or simply getch();

Example (Turbo C):

char ch;
printf("Enter password character: ");
ch = getch();       /* key is read but not shown */
printf("\nYou pressed %c", ch);

Uses:

• reading passwords and secret input, since typed characters are not echoed;
• holding the output screen until a key is pressed (getch(); at the end of main);
• menu choices that should react on a single keypress.

conio.h is not available in gcc. The portable standard function getchar() does the same job but needs the Enter key and echoes the character:

#include <stdio.h>
int main(void)
{
    char ch;
    printf("Press a key: ");
    ch = getchar();     /* portable counterpart of getch()/getche() */
    printf("You pressed: %c\n", ch);
    return 0;
}

Output for the key k:

Press a key: You pressed: k