_mbbtype, _mbbtype_l

Returns the byte type, based on the previous byte.

Important

This API cannot be used in applications that execute in the Windows Runtime. For more information, see CRT functions not supported in Universal Windows Platform apps.

Syntax

int _mbbtype(
   unsigned char c,
   int type
);
int _mbbtype_l(
   unsigned char c,
   int type,
   _locale_t locale
);

Parameters

c
The character to test.

type
The type of byte to test for.

locale
The locale to use.

Return value

_mbbtype returns the type of byte in a string. This decision is context-sensitive, as specified by the value of type, which provides the control test condition. type is the type of the previous byte in the string. The manifest constants in the following table are defined in Mbctype.h.

Value of type _mbbtype tests for Return value c
Any value except 1 Valid single byte or lead byte _MBC_SINGLE (0) Single byte (0x20 - 0x7E, 0xA1 - 0xDF)
Any value except 1 Valid single byte or lead byte _MBC_LEAD (1) Lead byte of multibyte character (0x81 - 0x9F, 0xE0 - 0xFC)
Any value except 1 Valid single-byte or lead byte _MBC_ILLEGAL (-1) Invalid character: not single or lead (0x00 - 0x1F, 0x7F, 0x80, 0xA0, 0xFD, 0xFE, 0xFF)
1 Valid trail byte _MBC_TRAIL (2) Trailing byte of multibyte character (0x40 - 0x7E, 0x80 - 0xFC)
1 Valid trail byte _MBC_ILLEGAL (-1) Invalid character: not trailing (0x00 - 0x3F, 0x7F, 0xFD, 0xFE, 0xFF)

Remarks

The _mbbtype function determines the type of a byte in a multibyte character. If the value of type is any value except 1, _mbbtype tests for a valid single-byte or lead byte of a multibyte character. If the value of type is 1, _mbbtype tests for a valid trail byte of a multibyte character.

The output value is affected by the setting of the LC_CTYPE category setting of the locale. For more information, see setlocale, _wsetlocale. The _mbbtype version of this function uses the current locale for this locale-dependent behavior; the _mbbtype_l version is identical except that it uses the locale parameter that's passed in instead. For more information, see Locale.

In earlier versions, _mbbtype was named chkctype. For new code, use _mbbtype instead.

By default, this function's global state is scoped to the application. To change this behavior, see Global state in the CRT.

Requirements

Routine Required header Optional header
_mbbtype <mbstring.h> <mbctype.h>*
_mbbtype_l <mbstring.h> <mbctype.h>*

* For definitions of manifest constants that are used as return values.

For more compatibility information, see Compatibility.

See also

Byte classification