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# MatConvert
Converts a matrix to another matrix, either of the same or different type. 
## Synopsis
```
#include "petscmat.h" 
PetscErrorCode MatConvert(Mat mat, MatType newtype, MatReuse reuse, Mat *M)
```
Collective


## Input Parameters

- ***mat -*** the matrix
- ***newtype -*** new matrix type.  Use `MATSAME` to create a new matrix of the
same type as the original matrix.
- ***reuse -*** denotes if the destination matrix is to be created or reused.
Use `MAT_INPLACE_MATRIX` for inplace conversion (that is when you want the input mat to be changed to contain the matrix in the new format), otherwise use
`MAT_INITIAL_MATRIX` or `MAT_REUSE_MATRIX` (can only be used after the first call was made with `MAT_INITIAL_MATRIX`, causes the matrix space in M to be reused).



## Output Parameter

- ***M -*** pointer to place new matrix





## Notes
`MatConvert()` first creates a new matrix and then copies the data from
the first matrix.  A related routine is `MatCopy()`, which copies the matrix
entries of one matrix to another already existing matrix context.

Cannot be used to convert a sequential matrix to parallel or parallel to sequential,
the MPI communicator of the generated matrix is always the same as the communicator
of the input matrix.


## See Also
 [](ch_matrices), `Mat`, `MatCopy()`, `MatDuplicate()`, `MAT_INITIAL_MATRIX`, `MAT_REUSE_MATRIX`, `MAT_INPLACE_MATRIX`

## Level
intermediate

## Location
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/interface/matrix.c.html#MatConvert">src/mat/interface/matrix.c</A>

## Examples
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex29.c.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex29.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex34.c.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex34.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex6f.F90.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex6f.F90</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex71.c.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex71.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex72.c.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex72.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex76.c.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex76.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex77.c.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex77.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex79.c.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex79.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex81.c.html">src/ksp/ksp/tutorials/ex81.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/tutorials/ex5cu.cu.html">src/mat/tutorials/ex5cu.cu</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/snes/tutorials/ex28.c.html">src/snes/tutorials/ex28.c</A><BR>

## Implementations

<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/impls/shell/shellcnv.c.html#MatConvert_Shell">MatConvert_Shell in src/mat/impls/shell/shellcnv.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/impls/transpose/htransm.c.html#MatConvert_HT">MatConvert_HT in src/mat/impls/transpose/htransm.c</A><BR>
<A HREF="PETSC_DOC_OUT_ROOT_PLACEHOLDER/src/mat/impls/transpose/transm.c.html#MatConvert_Transpose">MatConvert_Transpose in src/mat/impls/transpose/transm.c</A><BR>


---
[Edit on GitLab](https://gitlab.com/petsc/petsc/-/edit/release/src/mat/interface/matrix.c)


[Index of all Mat routines](index.md)  
[Table of Contents for all manual pages](/manualpages/index.md)  
[Index of all manual pages](/manualpages/singleindex.md)