---
name: "XtConvert"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libxt"
version: "1.3.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/XtConvert"
---

# XtConvert(3)

invoke resource converters

## NAME

XtConvert, XtDirectConvert - invoke resource converters

## SYNTAX

\#include \<X11/Intrinsic.h\>

void XtConvert(Widget *w*, const char \**from\_type*, XrmValuePtr *from*, const char \**to\_type*, XrmValuePtr *to\_return*);

void XtDirectConvert(XtConverter *converter*, XrmValuePtr *args*, Cardinal *num\_args*, XrmValuePtr *from*, XrmValuePtr *to\_return*);

## ARGUMENTS

- *args*

  Specifies the argument list that contains the additional arguments needed to perform the conversion (often NULL).

- *converter*

  Specifies the conversion procedure that is to be called.

- *from*

  Specifies the value to be converted.

- *from\_type*

  Specifies the source type.

- *num\_args*

  Specifies the number of additional arguments (often zero).

- *to\_type*

  Specifies the destination type.

- *to\_return*

  Returns the converted value.

- *w*

  Specifies the widget to use for additional arguments (if any are needed).

## DESCRIPTION

The **XtConvert** function looks up the type converter registered to convert from\_type to to\_type, computes any additional arguments needed, and then calls **XtDirectConvert**. **XtConvert** has been replaced by **XtConvertAndStore**.

The **XtDirectConvert** function looks in the converter cache to see if this conversion procedure has been called with the specified arguments. If so, it returns a descriptor for information stored in the cache; otherwise, it calls the converter and enters the result in the cache.

Before calling the specified converter, **XtDirectConvert** sets the return value size to zero and the return value address to NULL. To determine if the conversion was successful, the client should check to\_return.address for non-NULL. **XtDirectConvert** has been replaced by **XtCallConverter**.

## SEE ALSO

[XtAppAddConverter(3)](/XtAppAddConverter/3.md), [XtStringConversionWarning(3)](/XtStringConversionWarning/3.md), [XtConvertAndStore(3)](/XtConvertAndStore/3.md), [XtCallConverter(3)](/XtCallConverter/3.md)\
 *X Toolkit Intrinsics - C Language Interface*\
 *Xlib - C Language X Interface*