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  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 conversion 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 supported by the implementation.

CONFORMING TO

       UNIX98

SEE ALSO

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