How to convert wstring to wchar_t*? C++

Question

I would like to convert wstring to wchar_t*. I have tried everything what i know, please help. I would like to convert wstring to wchar_t*.

Singularity

According to the manual you can obtaine a pointer like this: std::wstring::c_str – Vizierate

Answer 1

Did you try reading the reference

const wchar_t* wcs = s.c_str();

Jealousy

The OP apparently wants a wchar_t*, not a wchar_t const*, as illustrated in this answer. Starting with C++17, wstring::data() provides that. – Sarge

Answer 2

There is no way to convert wstring to wchar_t* but you can convert it to const wchar_t* which is what answer by K.Kirsz says.

This is by design because you can access a const pointer but you shouldn't manipulate the pointer. See a related question and its answers.

The best bet is to create a new string using _wcsdup and access the non const buffer, an ascii example is given there.

For unicode:

    wstring str = L"I am a unicode string";
    wchar_t* ptr = _wcsdup(str.c_str());
    // use ptr here....
    free(ptr); // free memory when done

Quisling

Answer 3

I just had this same question and arrived here. Posting my answer a few years later, but this works:

std::wstring wname1 = L"wide string";
wchar_t wname2[1024];
wcscpy(wname2, wname1.c_str());
wchar_t* pfoo = new wchar_t[1024];
wcscpy(pfoo, wname1.c_str());

Schist

Answer 4

Even before C++17, this is possible, just the same way as you can get the mutable char* from a regular std::string – by taking the address of its first element:

std::wstring s = ...;
wchar_t* str_ptr = &s[0]

Corruptible

@MichaelChourdakis It didn't originally (C++03), but as of C++11 it is now guaranteed. See for example stackoverflow.com/a/11752722 – Corruptible