Escape sequences in C++ are characters or sequences of characters that can be used inside a string literal to represent some special characters. They are prefixed with a backslash \ and are used to represent characters such as new line, carriage return, etc. that cannot be represented normally.
In this article, we will learn about escape characters in C++ and how to use them in our C++ program.
Escape Sequences in C++
The following table lists the commonly used escape characters in C++:
| Escape Sequence | Name | Description
|
|---|
\\
| Backslash
| Inserts a backslash character.
|
|---|
\'
| Single quote
| Displays a single quotation mark.
|
|---|
\"
| Double quote
| Displays double quotation marks.
|
|---|
\?
| Question mark
| Displays a question mark.
|
|---|
\a
| Alert (bell)
| Generates a bell sound in the C++ program.
|
|---|
\b
| Backspace
| Moves the cursor one place backward.
|
|---|
\f
| Form feed
| Moves the cursor to the start of the next logical page.
|
|---|
\n
| New line
| Moves the cursor to the start of the next line.
|
|---|
\r
| Carriage return
| Moves the cursor to the start of the current line.
|
|---|
\t
| Horizontal tab
| Inserts some whitespace to the left of the cursor and moves the cursor accordingly.
|
|---|
\v
| Vertical tab
| Inserts vertical space.
|
|---|
\0
| Null character
| Represents the NULL character.
|
|---|
\ooo
| Octal number
| Represents an octal number.
|
|---|
\xhh
| Hexadecimal number
| Represents a hexadecimal number.
|
|---|
Note: The output of some of these escape sequences depends upon the compiler you are working on.
Examples of Escape Characters in C++
The following examples demonstrates the use of above escape sequences in C++:
Example 1: Program to demonstrate how to use \a escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Generates a bell sound
cout << "My mobile number is "
"7\a8\a7\a3\a9\a2\a3\a4\a0\a8\a";
return 0;
}
OutputMy mobile number is 7873923408
Example 2: Program to demonstrate how to use \b escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Moves the cursor one place backward
cout << "Hello \b\b\b\b\b\bHi Geeks";
return 0;
}
Example 3: Program to demonstrate how to use \n escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Moves the cursor to the start of the next line
cout << "Hello\n";
cout << "GeeksforGeeks";
return 0;
}
OutputHello
GeeksforGeeks
Example 4: Program to demonstrate how to use \t escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Inserts a horizontal tab space
cout << "Hello \t GFG";
return 0;
}
Example 5: Program to demonstrate how to use \v escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Inserts a vertical tab space
cout << "Hello friends\v";
cout << "Welcome to GFG";
return 0;
}
OutputHello friends Welcome to GFG
Example 6: Program to demonstrate how to use \r escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Moves the cursor to the start of the current line
cout << "Hello Geeks \rGeeksfor";
return 0;
}
OutputHello Geeks
Geeksfor
Example 7: Program to demonstrate how to use \\ escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Inserts a backslash character
cout << "Hello\\GFG";
return 0;
}
Example 8: Program to demonstrate how to use \' and \" escape sequences in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Displays a single quotation mark
cout << "\' Hello Geeks\n";
// Displays double quotation marks
cout << "\" Hello Geeks";
return 0;
}
Output' Hello Geeks
" Hello Geeks
Example 9: Program to demonstrate how to use \? escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Displays a question mark
cout << "\?\?!\n";
return 0;
}
Example 10: Program to demonstrate how to use \ooo escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Represents an octal number
char* s = "A\072\065";
cout << s;
return 0;
}
Example 11: Program to demonstrate how to use \xhh escape sequence in C++
C++
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main()
{
// Represents a hexadecimal number
char* s = "B\x4a";
cout << s;
return 0;
}
Conclusion
These sequences allow you to represent characters that cannot be directly typed, such as newlines, tabs, and backslashes. Knowing how to use escape sequences enhances your ability to handle text and improves the readability and functionality of your code.