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What is stream orientation? (fwide)  // did you know that stdout, and other streams have an "orientation"? Yep, and this video will help you stay out of trouble when you're tempted to use printf and wprintf in the same program. 

Related Videos: 
Wide characters: https://youtu.be/SKgkP15za_M

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Welcome! I post videos that help you learn to program and become a more confident software developer. I cover beginner-to-advanced systems topics ranging from network programming, threads, processes, operating systems, embedded systems and others. My goal is to help you get under-the-hood and better understand how computers work and how you can use them to become stronger students and more capable professional developers.


About me: I'm a computer scientist, electrical engineer, researcher, and teacher. I specialize in embedded systems, mobile computing, sensor networks, and the Internet of Things. I teach systems and networking courses at Clemson University, where I also lead the PERSIST research lab. 

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Jacob Sorber is a computer science professor, educator, and content creator known for his educational videos and courses on computer science topics. Readers can learn about algorithms, data structures, and computer architecture. With engaging lectures, interactive exercises, and hands-on projects, Jacob Sorber helps students and self-learners develop a deeper understanding of computer science concepts.

Jacob Sorber

Stream orientation in C determines whether a stream works with byte-oriented functions (like printf) or wide-character functions (like wprintf). Mixing these function types on the same stream causes undefined behavior. The fwide() function checks or sets a stream's orientation: negative values for byte-oriented, positive for wide-oriented, and zero to check without changing. Once set by the first I/O operation, orientation persists unless the stream is reopened with freopen(). Best practice is to choose one orientation and stick with it throughout your program.