---
name: "gencnval"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "icu"
version: "78.3-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/gencnval"
---

# gencnval(1)

compile the converters aliases file

## NAME

**gencnval** - compile the converters aliases file

## SYNOPSIS

**gencnval** \[ **-h, -?, --help** \] \[ **-v, --verbose** \] \[ **-c, --copyright** \] \[ **-s, --sourcedir** *source* \] \[ **-d, --destdir** *destination* \] \[ *converterfile* \]

## DESCRIPTION

**gencnval** converts the ICU aliases file *converterfile* into the binary file **cnvalias.icu**. This binary file can then be read directly by ICU, or used by [**pkgdata**(1)](/pkgdata/1.md) for incorporation into a larger archive or library.

If *converterfile* is not provided, the default ICU **convrtrs.txt** file is used.

## OPTIONS

- **-h, -?, --help**

  Print help about usage and exit.

- **-v, --verbose**

  Display verbose output. This information can include information about conflicting aliases and the converters the aliases resolve to.

- **-c, --copyright**

  Include a copyright notice in the binary data.

- **-s, --sourcedir** *source*

  Set the source directory to *source*. The default source directory is specified by the environment variable **ICU\_DATA**.

- **-d, --destdir** *destination*

  Set the destination directory to *destination*. The default destination directory is specified by the environment variable **ICU\_DATA**.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **ICU\_DATA**

  Specifies the directory containing ICU data. Defaults to **${prefix}/share/icu/78.3/**. Some tools in ICU depend on the presence of the trailing slash. It is thus important to make sure that it is present if **ICU\_DATA** is set.

## FILES

- **icu/source/data/mappings/convrtrs.txt**

  Description of ICU's converters and their aliases. This data file is not normally installed, and it is available as a part of ICU source code.

## VERSION

78\.3

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (C) 2000-2004 IBM, Inc. and others.

## SEE ALSO

[**pkgdata**(1)](/pkgdata/1.md)