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dos.h header in C with examples

Last Updated : 12 Jul, 2025
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dos.h is a header file of C Language. This library has functions that are used for handling interrupts, producing sound, date and time functions, etc. It is Borland specific and works in compilers like Turbo C Compiler. Below are the functions supported by this library:
  1. delay(): The delay() function in C is used to stop the execution of the program for some period of time. Syntax:
    delay(unsigned int)
    
    Parameters: It accepts a time in milliseconds to stop the execution of the program to that period of time. Below is the program to illustrate delay(): C
    // C program to implement delay()
    #include <dos.h>
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>
    
    // Driver Code
    int main()
    {
        printf("Takes 10 sec and exit.\n");
    
        // Delay the program execution
        // for 1 second
        delay(10000);
    
        return 0;
    }
    
  2. sleep(): The sleep() function in C is used to delay the execution of the program for some period of time. Syntax:
    sleep(unsigned seconds)
    
    Parameters: It accepts a time in seconds to delay the execution of the program to that period of time. Below is the program to illustrate sleep(): C
    // C program to implement sleep()
    #include <dos.h>
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>
    
    // Driver Code
    int main()
    {
        printf("Wait 2 sec and exit.\n");
    
        // Delay the program execution
        // for by 2 seconds
        sleep(2);
    
        return 0;
    }
    
  3. getdate(): The getdate() function in C is used to get the current Date of the system. Syntax:
    getdate(struct date d)
    
    Parameters: It accepts a structure date which is defined in dos.h library itself. To print the date it uses function da_day(), da_mon() and da_year(). Below is the program to illustrate getdate():
    C
    // C program to implement getdate()
    #include <dos.h>
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>
    
    // Driver Code
    int main()
    {
        // Structure of date
        struct date a;
    
        // Function call to get the date
        // of the system
        getdate(&a);
    
        // Print the date, month and year
        printf("The Date is: %d/%d/%d\n", a.da_day,
               a.da_mon,
               a.da_year);
    
        return 0;
    }
    
  4. gettime(): The gettime() function in C is used to get the Time shown by the System. Syntax:
    gettime(struct time t)
    
    Parameters: It accepts a structure time which is defined in dos.h library itself. To print the date it uses function ti_hour(), ti_min() and ti_sec(). Below is the program to illustrate gettime(): C
    // C program to implement gettime()
    #include <dos.h>
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>
    
    // Driver Code
    int main()
    {
        // Structure of time
        struct time t;
    
        // Function call to get the time
        // of the system
        getdate(&t);
    
        // Print the hour, minutes and second
        printf("The time is: %d : %d : %d\n", x.ti_hour,
               x.ti_min,
               x.ti_sec);
    
        return 0;
    }
    
  5. sound(): The sound() function in C is used to play different sound on different frequency on our system. Syntax:
    sound(int frequency)
    
    Parameters: It accepts a frequency and play the sound of that frequency in our system. Below is the program to illustrate sound(): C
    // C program to implement sound()
    #include <dos.h>
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>
    
    // Driver Code
    int main()
    {
        // Initialise frequency
        int x = 200;
    
        // Loop for playing sound of
        // increasing frequency
        for (; x < 1000; x++) {
    
            // Function to play sound
            sound(x);
    
            delay(25);
        }
    
        // To stop the frequency
        nosound();
        return 0;
    }
    
  6. nosound(): The nosound() function in C is used to stop the sound played by souns() function. Syntax:
    nosound()
    
    Parameters: It doesn't accepts any parameters. Below is the program to illustrate nosound(): C
    // C program to implement nosound()
    #include <dos.h>
    #include <stdio.h>
    #include <stdlib.h>
    
    // Driver Code
    int main()
    {
        // Initialise frequency
        int x = 200;
    
        // Function call to play sound
        // with frequency 200htz
        sound(x);
    
        // Delay sound for 1 sec
        delay(1000);
    
        // To stop the sound
        nosound();
        return 0;
    }
    

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