---
name: "yaz-iconv"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "yaz"
version: "5.38.1-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/yaz-iconv"
---

# yaz-iconv(1)

YAZ Character set conversion utility

## NAME

yaz-iconv - YAZ Character set conversion utility

## SYNOPSIS

**yaz-iconv** \[**-f** *from*\] \[**-t** *to*\] \[**-v**\] \[file...\]

## DESCRIPTION

**yaz-iconv** converts data in the character set specified by *from* to output in the character set as specified by *to*.

This **yaz-iconv** utility is similar to the **iconv** found on many POSIX systems (Glibc, Solaris, etc).

If no *file* is specified, **yaz-iconv** reads from standard input.

## OPTIONS

\-f*from*\]

Specify the character set *from* of the input file. Should be used in conjunction with option -t.

\-t*to*\]

Specify the character set *of* of the output. Should be used in conjunction with option -f.

- \-v

  Print more information about the conversion process.

## ENCODINGS

The yaz-iconv command and the API as defined in yaz/yaz-iconv.h is a wrapper for the library system call iconv. But YAZ' iconv utility also implements conversions on its own. The table below lists characters sets (or encodings) that are supported by YAZ. Each character set is marked with either *encode* or *decode*. If an encoding is encode-enabled, YAZ may convert *to* the designated encoding. If an encoding is decode-enabled, YAZ may convert *from* the designated encoding.

marc8 (encode, decode)

The **MARC8**\[1\] encoding as defined by the Library of Congress. Most MARC21/USMARC records use this encoding.

marc8s (encode, decode)

Like MARC8 but conversion prefers non-combined characters in the Latin-1 plane over combined characters.

marc8lossy (encode)

Lossy encoding of MARC-8.

marc8lossless (encode)

Lossless encoding of MARC8.

utf8 (encode, decode)

The most commonly used UNICODE encoding on the Internet.

iso8859-1 (encode, decode)

ISO-8859-1, AKA Latin-1.

iso5426 (decode)

ISO 5426. Some MARC records (UNIMARC) use this encoding.

iso5428:1984 (encode, decode)

ISO 5428:1984.

advancegreek (encode, decode)

An encoding for Greek in use by some vendors (Advance).

danmarc (decode)

**Danmarc (in danish)**\[2\] is an encoding based on UNICODE which is used for DanMARC2 records.

## EXAMPLES

The following command converts from ISO-8859-1 (Latin-1) to UTF-8.

```
    yaz-iconv -f ISO-8859-1 -t UTF-8 <input.lst >output.lst
```

## FILES

*prefix*/bin/yaz-iconv

*prefix*/include/yaz/yaz-iconv.h

## SEE ALSO

[yaz(7)](/yaz/7.md) [iconv(1)](/iconv/1.md)

## AUTHORS

**Index Data**

## NOTES

- 1\.

  MARC8

  https://loc.gov/marc/specifications/speccharmarc8.html

- 2\.

  Danmarc (in danish)

  https://www.kat-format.dk/danMARC2/Danmarc2.4.htm