ICONV_OPEN(N)       Linux Programmer's Manual       ICONV_OPEN(N)



NAME
       iconv_open - allocate descriptor for character set conver-
       sion

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  sup-
       ported  combinations  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 modifies  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  con-
       version  descriptor.  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  sup-
              ported by the implementation.

CONFORMING TO
       UNIX98

SEE ALSO
       iconv(v), iconv_close(e), iconv(v)



GNU                         1999-11-27              ICONV_OPEN(N)