Converting std::wstring to array of UTF8 characters

Question

I need to encrypt a std::wstring and eventually decrypt back to the std::wstring. To do this I need to convert the wstring to an array of UTF8 characters, but in such a way that each wchar_t becomes equivalent to the two characters which comprises the wchar_t. When I decrypt back I need to take my array of UTF8 characters and convert it to the equivalent wstring.

How do I do that using native C++ and/or the Win32 API ?

I do not think the various WideCharToMultiByte/MultiByteToWideChar ( wcstombs/mbstowcs in the RTL ) will work properly, as I believe they do conversions rather than equivalents.

Answer 1

eldiener said:

I need to encrypt a std::wstring and eventually decrypt back to the std::wstring. To do this I need to convert the wstring to an array of UTF8 characters, but in such a way that each wchar_t becomes equivalent to the two characters which comprises the wchar_t. When I decrypt back I need to take my array of UTF8 characters and convert it to the equivalent wstring.

How do I do that using native C++ and/or the Win32 API ?

I do not think the various WideCharToMultiByte/MultiByteToWideChar ( wcstombs/mbstowcs in the RTL ) will work properly, as I believe they do conversions rather than equivalents.

Never mind, I realized the answer myself, which is to use LOBYTE and HIBYTE for a wchar_t, after casting it to a WORD, and then putting it the WORD together again from the individual BYTEs.

Answer 2

eldiener said:

eldiener said:

I need to encrypt a std::wstring and eventually decrypt back to the std::wstring. To do this I need to convert the wstring to an array of UTF8 characters, but in such a way that each wchar_t becomes equivalent to the two characters which comprises the wchar_t. When I decrypt back I need to take my array of UTF8 characters and convert it to the equivalent wstring.

How do I do that using native C++ and/or the Win32 API ?

I do not think the various WideCharToMultiByte/MultiByteToWideChar ( wcstombs/mbstowcs in the RTL ) will work properly, as I believe they do conversions rather than equivalents.

Never mind, I realized the answer myself, which is to use LOBYTE and HIBYTE for a wchar_t, after casting it to a WORD, and then putting it the WORD together again from the individual BYTEs.

Actually the LOBYTE, HIBYTE technique is not needed as I can just directly reinterpret_cast my wstring's c_str() const wchar_t * pointer to a const BYTE * pointer to get the exact same affect.