API usage: iconv()

[bvining@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

iconv() only works with CCSIDs/code pages, and as there is no API
for you to create your own CCSID you will not be able to use iconv()
with your specialized table.  QDCXLATE would be the API to use given
your needs.  If what you are after is raw speed, an alternative would
be to use an appropriate mapping as input to the XLATEB MI instruction
(assuming you're using an ILE language such as RPG, COBOL, or C capable
of directly using MI).  This should outperform either API (but assumes
that we're not talking DBCS languages here).

Bruce

>
>I need to convert characters for a set of EDI interfaces.  Based on
>corporate region, certain characters are reserved and therefore will cause
>local application problems unless filtered out and converted to something
>benign. For example, for Europe I need to filter out these:    :+;  and
>replace them with a space.
>
>I am looking at creating tables to do this (TBL objects). I understand that
>this will work with QDCXLATE, but I'd like to know if it will also work
>with the iconv() API (since it should run faster).
>
>The documentation shows that the code page number is passed to iconv().  Is
>there a way to use my specialized table instead?
>