strcpy Function

Copy the source string into the destination string.

Include

<string.h>

Prototype

char *strcpy(char *s1, const char *s2);

Arguments

s1

destination string to copy to

s2

source string to copy from

Return Value

Returns a pointer to the destination string.

Remarks

All characters of s2 are copied, including the null terminating character. If the strings overlap, the behavior is undefined.

For strcpy_eds or strcpy_packed, see “Functions for Specialized Copying and Initialization.”

Example

#include <string.h>
#include <stdio.h>

int main(void)
{
  char buf1[50] = "We're here";
  char buf2[50] = "Where is the time?";
  char buf3[50] = "Why?";

  printf("buf1 : %s\n", buf1);
  printf("buf2 : %s\n", buf2);
  printf("buf3 : %s\n\n", buf3);

  strcpy(buf1, buf2);
  printf("buf1 after strcpy of buf2: \n\t%s\n\n",
         buf1);

  strcpy(buf1, buf3);
  printf("buf1 after strcpy of buf3: \n\t%s\n",
          buf1);
}

Example Output

buf1 : We're here
buf2 : Where is the time?
buf3 : Why?

buf1 after strcpy of buf2:
        Where is the time?

buf1 after strcpy of buf3:
        Why?