CStringGetTextDatum and other conversions in server-side code

Writing a language handler: pl_language_handler. Need to do a variety of data conversions. One of them is char* C-string to and from Text/Varchar.

The include file postgres.h has the macro CStringGetDatum but this is of no use: it’s just a cast.

There is a builtin macro CStringGetTextDatum which calls a function and looks like it might work. Questions:

1.       Is this the right function?

2.       Is it OK to use, or are there restrictions?

3.       Does it have friends: are there other conversion functions like this for other data types (decimal, time in particular)?

4.       Is there any particular documentation I can read?

Regards

David M Bennett FACS

Andl - A New Database Language - andl.org