iconv_open (3)

NAME

       iconv_open - allocate descriptor for character set conversion

SYNOPSIS

       #include <iconv.h>

       iconv_t iconv_open(const char *tocode, const char *fromcode);

DESCRIPTION

       The  iconv_open function allocates a conversion descriptor suitable for
       converting byte sequences from character encoding fromcode to character
       encoding tocode.

       The values permitted for fromcode and tocode and the supported combina-
       tions are system dependent. For the GNU C library, the permitted values
       are  listed  by  the  iconv --list command, and all combinations of the
       listed values are supported.

       The resulting conversion descriptor can be used with iconv  any  number
       of times. It remains valid until deallocated using iconv_close.

       A  conversion  descriptor  contains  a conversion state. After creation
       using iconv_open, the state is in the initial state. Using iconv  modi-
       fies the descriptor's conversion state. (This implies that a conversion
       descriptor can not be used  in  multiple  threads  simultaneously.)  To
       bring the state back to the initial state, use iconv with NULL as inbuf
       argument.

RETURN VALUE

       The iconv_open function returns a freshly allocated conversion descrip-
       tor. In case of error, it sets errno and returns (iconv_t)(-1).

ERRORS

       The following error can occur, among others:

       EINVAL The  conversion  from fromcode to tocode is not supported by the
              implementation.

CONFORMING TO

       UNIX98

SEE ALSO

       iconv(3), iconv_close(3), iconv(1)

GNU                               1999-11-27                     iconv_open(3)