man3/iconv_open.3

   1 .\" Copyright (c) Bruno Haible <haible@clisp.cons.org>
   2 .\"
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   8 .\" References consulted:
   9 .\"   GNU glibc-2 source code and manual
  10 .\"   OpenGroup's Single Unix specification http://www.UNIX-systems.org/online.html
  11 .\"
  12 .TH ICONV_OPEN 3  1999-11-27 "GNU" "Linux Programmer's Manual"
  13 .SH NAME
  14 iconv_open \- allocate descriptor for character set conversion
  15 .SH SYNOPSIS
  16 .nf
  17 .B #include <iconv.h>
  18 .sp
  19 .BI "iconv_t iconv_open(const char *" tocode ", const char *" fromcode );
  20 .fi
  21 .SH DESCRIPTION
  22 The \fBiconv_open\fP() function allocates a conversion descriptor suitable
  23 for converting byte sequences from character encoding \fIfromcode\fP to
  24 character encoding \fItocode\fP.
  25 .PP
  26 The values permitted for \fIfromcode\fP and \fItocode\fP and the supported
  27 combinations are system dependent. For the GNU C library, the permitted
  28 values are listed by the \fBiconv \-\-list\fP command, and all combinations
  29 of the listed values are supported.
  30 .PP
  31 The resulting conversion descriptor can be used with \fBiconv\fP any number
  32 of times. It remains valid until deallocated using \fBiconv_close\fP.
  33 .PP
  34 A conversion descriptor contains a conversion state. After creation using
  35 \fBiconv_open\fP(), the state is in the initial state. Using \fBiconv\fP
  36 modifies the descriptor's conversion state. (This implies that a conversion
  37 descriptor can not be used in multiple threads simultaneously.) To bring the
  38 state back to the initial state, use \fBiconv\fP with NULL as \fIinbuf\fP
  39 argument.
  40 .SH "RETURN VALUE"
  41 The \fBiconv_open\fP() function returns a freshly allocated conversion
  42 descriptor. In case of error, it sets \fBerrno\fP and returns (iconv_t)(\-1).
  43 .SH ERRORS
  44 The following error can occur, among others:
  45 .TP
  46 .B EINVAL
  47 The conversion from \fIfromcode\fP to \fItocode\fP is not supported by the
  48 implementation.
  49 .SH "CONFORMING TO"
  50 UNIX98
  51 .SH "SEE ALSO"
  52 .BR iconv (1),
  53 .BR iconv (3),
  54 .BR iconv_close (3)