NAME

       iconv_open - codeset conversion allocation function

SYNOPSIS

       #include <iconv.h>

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

DESCRIPTION

       The iconv_open() function shall return a conversion descriptor that describes a conversion
       from the codeset specified by the string pointed  to  by  the  fromcode  argument  to  the
       codeset  specified  by  the  string pointed to by the tocode argument. For state-dependent
       encodings, the conversion descriptor shall be in a codeset-dependent initial shift  state,
       ready for immediate use with iconv().

       Settings  of  fromcode  and  tocode  and  their permitted combinations are implementation-
       defined.

       A conversion descriptor shall remain valid until it  is  closed  by  iconv_close()  or  an
       implicit close.

       If  a  file  descriptor  is  used to implement conversion descriptors, the FD_CLOEXEC flag
       shall be set; see <fcntl.h>.

RETURN VALUE

       Upon successful completion, iconv_open() shall return a conversion descriptor for  use  on
       subsequent  calls  to  iconv().  Otherwise,  iconv_open() shall return (iconv_t)-1 and set
       errno to indicate the error.

ERRORS

       The iconv_open() function may fail if:

       EMFILE {OPEN_MAX} file descriptors are currently open in the calling process.

       ENFILE Too many files are currently open in the system.

       ENOMEM Insufficient storage space is available.

       EINVAL The  conversion  specified  by  fromcode  and  tocode  is  not  supported  by   the
              implementation.

       The following sections are informative.

EXAMPLES

       None.

APPLICATION USAGE

       Some  implementations  of  iconv_open() use malloc() to allocate space for internal buffer
       areas. The iconv_open() function may fail  if  there  is  insufficient  storage  space  to
       accommodate these buffers.

       Conforming applications must assume that conversion descriptors are not valid after a call
       to one of the exec functions.

       Application developers should consult the system documentation to determine the  supported
       codesets and their naming schemes.

RATIONALE

       None.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

       None.

SEE ALSO

       iconv()  , iconv_close() , the Base Definitions volume of IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, <fcntl.h>,
       <iconv.h>

COPYRIGHT

       Portions of this text are reprinted and  reproduced  in  electronic  form  from  IEEE  Std
       1003.1,  2003  Edition,  Standard  for Information Technology -- Portable Operating System
       Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 6, Copyright (C) 2001-2003  by
       the  Institute  of  Electrical  and  Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open Group. In the
       event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE  and  The  Open  Group
       Standard,  the  original  IEEE  and  The  Open Group Standard is the referee document. The
       original Standard can be obtained online at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .