📜 ft_printf

Because ft_putnbr() and ft_putstr() Aren't Enough

Welcome to ft_printf! This project involves creating our own version of the versatile printf() function. Through this, we delve into variadic functions, formatted output, and memory management, gaining a strong foundation in custom C function implementation.

🚀 How to Clone the Project

To clone this project, use the following command:

git clone [email protected]:SirAlabar/ft_printf.git

📂 Project Structure

This project follows a standardized directory structure:

ft_printf/
├── Makefile          # Build configuration
├── libft/            # Custom C library with helper functions
├── src/              # Source files directory
│   ├── ft_printf.c   # Core printf implementation
│   ├── ft_format.c   # Format specifier handling
│   ├── ft_utils.c    # Helper functions
│   ├── bonus/        # Bonus features implementation
│   │   ├── ft_printf_bonus.c
│   │   ├── ft_format_bonus.c
│   │   └── ft_utils_bonus.c
│   └── main.c        # Main program file
└── include/          # Header files directory
    ├── ft_printf.h         # Main header file
    └── ft_printf_bonus.h   # Bonus features header

Key Components:

// ft_printf.h
#ifndef FT_PRINTF_H
# define FT_PRINTF_H

# include "libft/libft.h"
# include <stdarg.h>

/* Main function */
int     ft_printf(const char *format, ...);

/* Format handling */
int     ft_format(const char *format, unsigned int *i, va_list args);

/* Output utilities */
int     ft_putchar(char c);
int     ft_putstr(char *s);

/* Flag structure for bonus features */
typedef struct s_flags
{
    int     width;
    int     precision;
    int     minus;
    int     zero;
    int     hash;
    int     space;
    int     plus;
    char    type;
}   t_flags;

#endif

The project follows the 42 School's Norm, maintaining clean and standardized code. Each file contains specific functionality:

• ft_printf.c: Main function implementation and variadic argument handling
• ft_format.c: Handles different format specifiers (%c, %s, %p, %d, %i, %u, %x, %X)
• ft_putchar.c & ft_putstr.c: Basic output utilities for characters and strings
• Makefile: Manages compilation with rules for all, clean, fclean, and re

This modular structure ensures easy maintenance and clear separation of concerns. 🗂️

You can find the full source code at SirAlabar/ft_printf.

🔹 Supported Conversions

Our ft_printf function handles a variety of conversions to closely mimic the original printf() function:

• %c - Prints a single character
• %s - Prints a string
• %p - Prints a pointer address in hexadecimal format
• %d - Prints a decimal (base 10) integer
• %i - Prints an integer in base 10
• %u - Prints an unsigned decimal integer
• %x - Prints a number in lowercase hexadecimal format
• %X - Prints a number in uppercase hexadecimal format
• %% - Prints a literal % symbol

⚙️ Project Fundamentals

This project helps to reinforce core C programming concepts:

• Memory Management: Managing memory carefully with malloc and free to prevent leaks and ensure efficient usage
• Variadic Functions: Using va_start, va_arg, and va_end to handle a variable number of arguments, a central feature in the printf() function
• Format Parsing: Breaking down format strings into individual conversions and options, keeping parsing efficient and organized
• Code Modularity: Splitting each conversion into dedicated functions to keep the codebase modular, readable, and easily maintainable

🌟 Bonus Features

For an advanced version of ft_printf, we added bonus features that enhance the functionality and versatility of our function:

• Flag Management: Supports the -, 0, ., and field width flags under all conversions, aligning with the flexibility of the original printf()
• Additional Flags: Implements support for the #, +, and space ( ) flags, providing even more control over formatting

Note: Bonus features are only evaluated if the mandatory part is fully functional.

🛠️ Compilation and Usage

To compile and use ft_printf, run the following commands:

1. Compile:

make

2. Clean up:

• To remove object files: make clean
• To remove the library: make fclean
• To recompile: make re

📝 Examples

Here are some examples of how to use ft_printf:

#include "ft_printf.h"

int main(void)
{
    // Basic usage
    ft_printf("Hello, %s!\n", "world");
    
    // Numbers and hexadecimal
    ft_printf("Number: %d, Hex: %x\n", 42, 255);
    
    // Pointer address
    int *ptr = &(int){42};
    ft_printf("Pointer: %p\n", (void *)ptr);
    
    // Bonus features
    ft_printf("Formatted: %+10d\n", 42);    // Width and plus flag
    ft_printf("Hex with prefix: %#x\n", 255); // Hash flag
    
    return (0);
}

Output:

Hello, world!
Number: 42, Hex: ff
Pointer: 0x7fff5fbff8ac
Formatted:       +42
Hex with prefix: 0xff

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Made with ❤️ by SirAlabar