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.TH ICONV_OPEN 3C "Oct 2, 2001"
.SH NAME
iconv_open \- code conversion allocation function
.SH SYNOPSIS
.LP
.nf
#include <iconv.h>

\fBiconv_t\fR \fBiconv_open\fR(\fBconst char *\fR\fItocode\fR, \fBconst char *\fR\fIfromcode\fR);
.fi

.SH DESCRIPTION
.sp
.LP
The \fBiconv_open()\fR function returns a conversion descriptor that describes
a conversion from the codeset specified by the string pointed to by the
\fIfromcode\fR argument to the codeset specified by the string pointed to by
the \fItocode\fR argument. For state-dependent encodings, the conversion
descriptor will be in  a codeset-dependent initial shift state, ready for
immediate use with the  \fBiconv\fR(3C) function.
.sp
.LP
Settings of \fIfromcode\fR and \fItocode\fR and their permitted combinations
are implementation-dependent.
.sp
.LP
The \fBiconv_open()\fR function supports the alias of the encoding name
specified in \fItocode\fR and \fIfromcode\fR.  The alias table of the encoding
name is described in the file \fB/usr/lib/iconv/alias\fR. See \fBalias\fR(5).
.sp
.LP
A conversion descriptor remains valid in a process until that process closes
it.
.sp
.LP
For examples using the  \fBiconv_open()\fR function, see \fBiconv\fR(3C).
.SH RETURN VALUES
.sp
.LP
Upon successful completion  \fBiconv_open()\fR returns a conversion descriptor
for use on subsequent calls to  \fBiconv()\fR. Otherwise, \fBiconv_open()\fR
returns \fB(iconv_t)\fR \fB\(mi1\fR and sets \fBerrno\fR to indicate the error.
.SH ERRORS
.sp
.LP
The  \fBiconv_open\fR function may fail if:
.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fBEMFILE\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 10n
\fB{OPEN_MAX}\fR files descriptors are currently open in the calling process.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fBENFILE\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 10n
Too many files are currently open in the system.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fBENOMEM\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 10n
Insufficient storage space is available.
.RE

.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fBEINVAL\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 10n
The conversion specified by \fIfromcode\fR and \fItocode\fR is not supported by
the implementation.
.RE

.SH FILES
.sp
.ne 2
.na
\fB\fB/usr/lib/iconv/alias\fR\fR
.ad
.RS 24n
alias table file of the encoding name
.RE

.SH ATTRIBUTES
.sp
.LP
See \fBattributes\fR(7) for descriptions of the following attributes:
.sp

.sp
.TS
box;
c | c
l | l .
ATTRIBUTE TYPE	ATTRIBUTE VALUE
_
Interface Stability	Standard
_
MT-Level	MT-Safe
.TE

.SH SEE ALSO
.sp
.LP
.BR exec (2),
.BR iconv (3C),
.BR iconv_close (3C),
.BR malloc (3C),
.BR alias (5),
.BR attributes (7)
.SH NOTES
.sp
.LP
The \fBiconv_open()\fR function uses \fBmalloc\fR(3C) to allocate space for
internal buffer areas. \fBiconv_open()\fR may fail if there is insufficient
storage space to accommodate these buffers.
.sp
.LP
Portable applications must assume that conversion descriptors are not valid
after a call to one of the \fBexec\fR functions (see \fBexec\fR(2)).