sscanf()                Read Formatted Data from String

 #include   <stdio.h>

 int        sscanf(buffer,format-string[,argument,...]);
 const char *buffer;                     Stored data
 const char *format-string;              Format control string

    sscanf() reads data from 'buffer' into the locations given by
    'arguments'.  sscanf() operates exactly like scanf(), except that
    scanf() reads data from stdin, while sscanf() reads data from
    'buffer'.  The 'format-string', 'arguments', and return value of
    sscanf() are the same as those of scanf(); see the scanf() function
    for a complete description.

   -------------------------------- Example ---------------------------------

    This example scans 'buffer' for the given fields, which are then
    printed.

           #include <stdio.h>

           char *buffer = "001Smith,J 002Jones,B";
           int num, numread, num2;
           char name[15], name2[15];

           main()
           {
              numread = sscanf(buffer,"%3d %15s %3d %15s",
                               &num,name,&num2,name2);
              printf("number of fields read: %d \n",numread);
              printf("employee: %s (%d)\n",name,num);
              printf("employee: %s (%d)\n",name2,num2);

           }