MBSTOWCS(3)

NAME
mbstowcs, mbstowcs_l - convert a character string to a wide-character string

LIBRARY
libc

SYNOPSIS
#include <stdlib.h>
size_t
mbstowcs(wchar_t * restrict wcstring, const char * restrict mbstring, size_t nwchars);
#include <xlocale.h>
size_t
mbstowcs_l(wchar_t * restrict wcstring, const char * restrict mbstring, size_t nwchars, locale_t locale);

DESCRIPTION
The mbstowcs() and mbstowcs_l() functions convert a multibyte character string mbstring beginning in the initial conversion state into a wide character string wcstring. No more than nwchars wide characters are stored. A terminating null wide character is appended if there is room.

The mbstowcs_l() function takes an explicit locale argument, whereas the mbstowcs() function uses the current global or per-thread locale.

RETURN VALUES
The mbstowcs() and mbstowcs_l() functions return the number of wide characters converted, not counting any terminating null wide character, or -1 if an invalid multibyte character was encountered.

ERRORS
The mbstowcs() and mbstowcs_l() functions will fail if:

[EILSEQ]
    An invalid multibyte sequence was detected.

[EINVAL]
    The conversion state is invalid.

SEE ALSO
mbsrtowcs(3), mbtowc(3), multibyte(3), xlocale(3)

STANDARDS
The mbstowcs() function conforms to isoC-99.