add a concept of an 8 bit string class for testing and experimentation.

tools/UTF8.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string>
+#include <wx/string.h>
+
+
+/**
+ * Class UTF8
+ * is an 8 bit std::string assuredly encoded in UTF8 that supplies special
+ * conversion support to and from wxString.
+ */
+class UTF8 : public std::string
+{
+
+public:
+
+    UTF8( const wxString& o ) :
+        std::string( (const char*) o.utf8_str() )
+    {
+    }
+
+    UTF8( const char* txt ) :
+        std::string( txt )
+    {
+    }
+
+    UTF8( const std::string& o ) :
+        std::string( o )
+    {
+    }
+
+    UTF8() :
+        std::string()
+    {
+    }
+
+    UTF8& operator = ( const wxString& o )
+    {
+        std::string::operator=( (const char*) o.utf8_str() );
+    }
+
+    operator wxString () const
+    {
+        return wxString( c_str(), wxConvUTF8 );
+    }
+};
+
+
+void aFunctionTaking_wxString( const wxString& wx )
+{
+    printf( "%s: '%s'\n", __func__, UTF8( wx ).c_str() );
+}
+
+
+int main()
+{
+    UTF8        utf;
+    std::string str = "input";
+    wxString    wx = wxT( "input" );
+
+    utf = str;
+
+    wxString    wx2 = utf;
+
+    UTF8        utf2 = wx2;
+
+    printf( "here is some text:%s\n", utf2.c_str() );
+
+    // this is the key accomplishment here, passing a UTF8 to a function taking wxString:
+    aFunctionTaking_wxString( utf2 );
+
+    return 0;
+}