check an phone number area code with strncmp

The phone number should be ###-###-####, which is including the dash. I am writing a function to determine whether a string form a phone format and a right area code checking for a three character combination followed by a dash. however, if I put dash in the string, it means to subtract. How can I avoid that?

function y = areacode(pnumber)
  usernum = input('Enter your number with dash : ' )
  if strncmp(pnumber,usernum,4)== 1
      disp('The area code is same!')
  else 
      disp('The area code is not same.')
  end
  end

Answer 1

[Phillip]

Hi

Type

help input

at the command prompt and have a look at what it says. Your answer is right there.

Regards, Phil

[jarvan]

i should put in '' to avoid it ,thank you

[Guillaume]

You should put in 's' as in

input('enter your number', 's')