X-Git-Url: https://git.saurik.com/wxWidgets.git/blobdiff_plain/7c74e7fe1de14f32dcd6f3c9cdd727de540bbd0e..b6e2eddeaf7e559589ce41ac41e88f9bd71c5a08:/include/wx/string.h

diff --git a/include/wx/string.h b/include/wx/string.h
index 7cd776c85f..d402585c46 100644
--- a/include/wx/string.h
+++ b/include/wx/string.h
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 // Created:     29/01/98
 // RCS-ID:      $Id$
 // Copyright:   (c) 1998 Vadim Zeitlin <zeitlin@dptmaths.ens-cachan.fr>
-// Licence:     wxWindows license
+// Licence:     wxWindows licence
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
 /*
@@ -18,83 +18,79 @@
 #ifndef _WX_WXSTRINGH__
 #define _WX_WXSTRINGH__
 
-#ifdef __GNUG__
+#if defined(__GNUG__) && !defined(NO_GCC_PRAGMA)
     #pragma interface "string.h"
 #endif
 
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// conditinal compilation
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-// compile the std::string compatibility functions if defined
-#define   wxSTD_STRING_COMPATIBILITY
-
-// define to derive wxString from wxObject (deprecated!)
-#ifdef WXSTRING_IS_WXOBJECT
-    #undef WXSTRING_IS_WXOBJECT
-#endif
-
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // headers
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-#ifdef __WXMAC__
+#include "wx/defs.h"        // everybody should include this
+
+#if defined(__WXMAC__) || defined(__VISAGECPP__)
     #include <ctype.h>
 #endif
 
-#ifdef __EMX__
-    #include <std.h>
+#if defined(__VISAGECPP__) && __IBMCPP__ >= 400
+   // problem in VACPP V4 with including stdlib.h multiple times
+   // strconv includes it anyway
+#  include <stdio.h>
+#  include <string.h>
+#  include <stdarg.h>
+#  include <limits.h>
+#else
+#  include <string.h>
+#  include <stdio.h>
+#  include <stdarg.h>
+#  include <limits.h>
+#  include <stdlib.h>
 #endif
 
-#include <string.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <stdarg.h>
-#include <limits.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
-
 #ifdef HAVE_STRINGS_H
     #include <strings.h>    // for strcasecmp()
-#endif // AIX
+#endif // HAVE_STRINGS_H
 
-#include "wx/defs.h"        // everybody should include this
-#include "wx/debug.h"       // for wxASSERT()
 #include "wx/wxchar.h"      // for wxChar
 #include "wx/buffer.h"      // for wxCharBuffer
 #include "wx/strconv.h"     // for wxConvertXXX() macros and wxMBConv classes
 
-#ifndef  WX_PRECOMP
-  #ifdef    WXSTRING_IS_WXOBJECT
-    #include "wx/object.h" // base class
-  #endif
-#endif // !PCH
-
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // macros
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-// 'naughty' cast
+// casts [unfortunately!] needed to call some broken functions which require
+// "char *" instead of "const char *"
 #define   WXSTRINGCAST (wxChar *)(const wxChar *)
 #define   wxCSTRINGCAST (wxChar *)(const wxChar *)
 #define   wxMBSTRINGCAST (char *)(const char *)
 #define   wxWCSTRINGCAST (wchar_t *)(const wchar_t *)
 
 // implementation only
-#define   ASSERT_VALID_INDEX(i) wxASSERT( (unsigned)(i) <= Len() )
+#define   wxASSERT_VALID_INDEX(i) \
+    wxASSERT_MSG( (size_t)(i) <= length(), _T("invalid index in wxString") )
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // constants
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+#if defined(__VISAGECPP__) && __IBMCPP__ >= 400
+// must define this static for VA or else you get multiply defined symbols everywhere
+extern const unsigned int wxSTRING_MAXLEN;
+
+#else
 // maximum possible length for a string means "take all string" everywhere
 //  (as sizeof(StringData) is unknown here, we substract 100)
 const unsigned int wxSTRING_MAXLEN = UINT_MAX - 100;
 
+#endif
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // global data
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 // global pointer to empty string
-WXDLLEXPORT_DATA(extern const wxChar*) wxEmptyString;
+extern WXDLLIMPEXP_DATA_BASE(const wxChar*) wxEmptyString;
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // global functions complementing standard C string library replacements for
@@ -105,16 +101,24 @@ WXDLLEXPORT_DATA(extern const wxChar*) wxEmptyString;
 // backwards compatibility only.
 
 // checks whether the passed in pointer is NULL and if the string is empty
-inline bool WXDLLEXPORT IsEmpty(const char *p) { return (!p || !*p); }
+inline bool IsEmpty(const char *p) { return (!p || !*p); }
 
 // safe version of strlen() (returns 0 if passed NULL pointer)
-inline size_t WXDLLEXPORT Strlen(const char *psz)
+inline size_t Strlen(const char *psz)
   { return psz ? strlen(psz) : 0; }
 
 // portable strcasecmp/_stricmp
-inline int WXDLLEXPORT Stricmp(const char *psz1, const char *psz2)
+inline int Stricmp(const char *psz1, const char *psz2)
 {
-#if defined(__VISUALC__) || ( defined(__MWERKS__) && defined(__INTEL__) )
+#if defined(__VISUALC__) && defined(__WXWINCE__)
+  register char c1, c2;
+  do {
+    c1 = tolower(*psz1++);
+    c2 = tolower(*psz2++);
+  } while ( c1 && (c1 == c2) );
+
+  return c1 - c2;
+#elif defined(__VISUALC__) || ( defined(__MWERKS__) && defined(__INTEL__) )
   return _stricmp(psz1, psz2);
 #elif defined(__SC__)
   return _stricmp(psz1, psz2);
@@ -124,6 +128,8 @@ inline int WXDLLEXPORT Stricmp(const char *psz1, const char *psz2)
   return stricmp(psz1, psz2);
 #elif defined(__WATCOMC__)
   return stricmp(psz1, psz2);
+#elif defined(__DJGPP__)
+  return stricmp(psz1, psz2);
 #elif defined(__EMX__)
   return stricmp(psz1, psz2);
 #elif defined(__WXPM__)
@@ -157,15 +163,42 @@ inline int WXDLLEXPORT Stricmp(const char *psz1, const char *psz2)
 }
 
 // return an empty wxString
-class WXDLLEXPORT wxString; // not yet defined
+class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxString; // not yet defined
 inline const wxString& wxGetEmptyString() { return *(wxString *)&wxEmptyString; }
 
+#if wxUSE_STL
+
+#include "wx/beforestd.h"
+#include <string>
+#include "wx/afterstd.h"
+
+#if wxUSE_UNICODE
+    #if HAVE_STD_WSTRING
+        typedef std::wstring wxStringBase;
+    #else
+        typedef std::basic_string<wxChar> wxStringBase;
+    #endif
+#else
+    typedef std::string wxStringBase;
+#endif
+
+#if (defined(__GNUG__) && (__GNUG__ < 3)) || \
+    (defined(_MSC_VER) && (_MSC_VER <= 1100))
+    #define wxSTRING_BASE_HASNT_CLEAR
+#endif
+
+#else // if !wxUSE_STL
+
+#ifndef HAVE_STD_STRING_COMPARE
+    #define HAVE_STD_STRING_COMPARE
+#endif
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // string data prepended with some housekeeping info (used by wxString class),
 // is never used directly (but had to be put here to allow inlining)
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-struct WXDLLEXPORT wxStringData
+struct WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxStringData
 {
   int     nRefs;        // reference count
   size_t  nDataLength,  // actual string length
@@ -180,7 +213,20 @@ struct WXDLLEXPORT wxStringData
 
   // lock/unlock
   void  Lock()   { if ( !IsEmpty() ) nRefs++;                    }
+
+  // VC++ will refuse to inline Unlock but profiling shows that it is wrong
+#if defined(__VISUALC__) && (__VISUALC__ >= 1200)
+  __forceinline
+#endif
+  // VC++ free must take place in same DLL as allocation when using non dll
+  // run-time library (e.g. Multithreaded instead of Multithreaded DLL)
+#if defined(__VISUALC__) && defined(_MT) && !defined(_DLL)
+  void  Unlock() { if ( !IsEmpty() && --nRefs == 0) Free();  }
+  // we must not inline deallocation since allocation is not inlined
+  void  Free();
+#else
   void  Unlock() { if ( !IsEmpty() && --nRefs == 0) free(this);  }
+#endif
 
   // if we had taken control over string memory (GetWriteBuf), it's
   // intentionally put in invalid state
@@ -188,6 +234,357 @@ struct WXDLLEXPORT wxStringData
   bool  IsValid() const   { return (nRefs != 0); }
 };
 
+class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxStringBase
+{
+#if !wxUSE_STL
+friend class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxArrayString;
+#endif
+public :
+  // an 'invalid' value for string index, moved to this place due to a CW bug
+  static const size_t npos;
+protected:
+  // points to data preceded by wxStringData structure with ref count info
+  wxChar *m_pchData;
+
+  // accessor to string data
+  wxStringData* GetStringData() const { return (wxStringData*)m_pchData - 1; }
+
+  // string (re)initialization functions
+    // initializes the string to the empty value (must be called only from
+    // ctors, use Reinit() otherwise)
+  void Init() { m_pchData = (wxChar *)wxEmptyString; }
+    // initializaes the string with (a part of) C-string
+  void InitWith(const wxChar *psz, size_t nPos = 0, size_t nLen = npos);
+    // as Init, but also frees old data
+  void Reinit() { GetStringData()->Unlock(); Init(); }
+
+  // memory allocation
+    // allocates memory for string of length nLen
+  bool AllocBuffer(size_t nLen);
+    // copies data to another string
+  bool AllocCopy(wxString&, int, int) const;
+    // effectively copies data to string
+  bool AssignCopy(size_t, const wxChar *);
+
+  // append a (sub)string
+  bool ConcatSelf(size_t nLen, const wxChar *src, size_t nMaxLen);
+  bool ConcatSelf(size_t nLen, const wxChar *src)
+    { return ConcatSelf(nLen, src, nLen); }
+
+  // functions called before writing to the string: they copy it if there
+  // are other references to our data (should be the only owner when writing)
+  bool CopyBeforeWrite();
+  bool AllocBeforeWrite(size_t);
+
+    // compatibility with wxString
+  bool Alloc(size_t nLen);
+public:
+  // standard types
+  typedef wxChar value_type;
+  typedef wxChar char_type;
+  typedef size_t size_type;
+  typedef value_type& reference;
+  typedef const value_type& const_reference;
+  typedef value_type* pointer;
+  typedef const value_type* const_pointer;
+  typedef value_type *iterator;
+  typedef const value_type *const_iterator;
+
+  // constructors and destructor
+    // ctor for an empty string
+  wxStringBase() { Init(); }
+    // copy ctor
+  wxStringBase(const wxStringBase& stringSrc)
+  {
+    wxASSERT_MSG( stringSrc.GetStringData()->IsValid(),
+                  _T("did you forget to call UngetWriteBuf()?") );
+
+    if ( stringSrc.empty() ) {
+      // nothing to do for an empty string
+      Init();
+    }
+    else {
+      m_pchData = stringSrc.m_pchData;            // share same data
+      GetStringData()->Lock();                    // => one more copy
+    }
+  }
+    // string containing nRepeat copies of ch
+  wxStringBase(size_type nRepeat, wxChar ch);
+    // ctor takes first nLength characters from C string
+    // (default value of npos means take all the string)
+  wxStringBase(const wxChar *psz)
+      { InitWith(psz, 0, npos); }
+  wxStringBase(const wxChar *psz, size_t nLength)
+      { InitWith(psz, 0, nLength); }
+  wxStringBase(const wxChar *psz, wxMBConv& WXUNUSED(conv), size_t nLength = npos)
+      { InitWith(psz, 0, nLength); }
+    // take nLen chars starting at nPos
+  wxStringBase(const wxStringBase& str, size_t nPos, size_t nLen)
+  {
+    wxASSERT_MSG( str.GetStringData()->IsValid(),
+                  _T("did you forget to call UngetWriteBuf()?") );
+    Init();
+    size_t strLen = str.length() - nPos; nLen = strLen < nLen ? strLen : nLen;
+    InitWith(str.c_str(), nPos, nLen);
+  }
+    // take all characters from pStart to pEnd
+  wxStringBase(const void *pStart, const void *pEnd);
+
+    // dtor is not virtual, this class must not be inherited from!
+  ~wxStringBase() { GetStringData()->Unlock(); }
+
+  // overloaded assignment
+    // from another wxString
+  wxStringBase& operator=(const wxStringBase& stringSrc);
+    // from a character
+  wxStringBase& operator=(wxChar ch);
+    // from a C string
+  wxStringBase& operator=(const wxChar *psz);
+
+    // return the length of the string
+  size_type size() const { return GetStringData()->nDataLength; }
+    // return the length of the string
+  size_type length() const { return size(); }
+    // return the maximum size of the string
+  size_type max_size() const { return wxSTRING_MAXLEN; }
+    // resize the string, filling the space with c if c != 0
+  void resize(size_t nSize, wxChar ch = wxT('\0'));
+    // delete the contents of the string
+  void clear() { erase(0, npos); }
+    // returns true if the string is empty
+  bool empty() const { return size() == 0; }
+    // inform string about planned change in size
+  void reserve(size_t sz) { Alloc(sz); }
+  size_type capacity() const { return GetStringData()->nAllocLength; }
+
+  // lib.string.access
+    // return the character at position n
+  value_type at(size_type n) const
+    { wxASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); return m_pchData[n]; }
+  value_type operator[](size_type n) const { return at(n); }
+    // returns the writable character at position n
+  reference at(size_type n)
+    { wxASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); CopyBeforeWrite(); return m_pchData[n]; }
+  reference operator[](size_type n)
+    { wxASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); CopyBeforeWrite(); return m_pchData[n]; }
+
+  // lib.string.modifiers
+    // append elements str[pos], ..., str[pos+n]
+  wxStringBase& append(const wxStringBase& str, size_t pos, size_t n)
+  {
+    wxASSERT(pos <= str.length());
+    ConcatSelf(n, str.c_str() + pos, str.length() - pos);
+    return *this;
+  }
+    // append a string
+  wxStringBase& append(const wxStringBase& str)
+    { ConcatSelf(str.length(), str.c_str()); return *this; }
+    // append first n (or all if n == npos) characters of sz
+  wxStringBase& append(const wxChar *sz)
+    { ConcatSelf(wxStrlen(sz), sz); return *this; }
+  wxStringBase& append(const wxChar *sz, size_t n)
+    { ConcatSelf(n, sz); return *this; }
+    // append n copies of ch
+  wxStringBase& append(size_t n, wxChar ch);
+    // append from first to last
+  wxStringBase& append(const_iterator first, const_iterator last)
+    { ConcatSelf(last - first, first); return *this; }
+
+    // same as `this_string = str'
+  wxStringBase& assign(const wxStringBase& str)
+    { return *this = str; }
+    // same as ` = str[pos..pos + n]
+  wxStringBase& assign(const wxStringBase& str, size_t pos, size_t n)
+    { clear(); return append(str, pos, n); }
+    // same as `= first n (or all if n == npos) characters of sz'
+  wxStringBase& assign(const wxChar *sz)
+    { clear(); return append(sz, wxStrlen(sz)); }
+  wxStringBase& assign(const wxChar *sz, size_t n)
+    { clear(); return append(sz, n); }
+    // same as `= n copies of ch'
+  wxStringBase& assign(size_t n, wxChar ch)
+    { clear(); return append(n, ch); }
+    // assign from first to last
+  wxStringBase& assign(const_iterator first, const_iterator last)
+    { clear(); return append(first, last); }
+
+    // first valid index position
+  const_iterator begin() const { return m_pchData; }
+    // position one after the last valid one
+  const_iterator end() const { return m_pchData + length(); }
+
+  // first valid index position
+  iterator begin() { CopyBeforeWrite(); return m_pchData; }
+  // position one after the last valid one
+  iterator end() { CopyBeforeWrite(); return m_pchData + length(); }
+
+    // insert another string
+  wxStringBase& insert(size_t nPos, const wxStringBase& str)
+  {
+    wxASSERT( str.GetStringData()->IsValid() );
+    return insert(nPos, str.c_str(), str.length());
+  }
+    // insert n chars of str starting at nStart (in str)
+  wxStringBase& insert(size_t nPos, const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart, size_t n)
+  {
+    wxASSERT( str.GetStringData()->IsValid() );
+    wxASSERT( nStart < str.length() );
+    size_t strLen = str.length() - nStart;
+    n = strLen < n ? strLen : n;
+    return insert(nPos, str.c_str() + nStart, n);
+  }
+    // insert first n (or all if n == npos) characters of sz
+  wxStringBase& insert(size_t nPos, const wxChar *sz, size_t n = npos);
+    // insert n copies of ch
+  wxStringBase& insert(size_t nPos, size_t n, wxChar ch)
+    { return insert(nPos, wxStringBase(n, ch)); }
+  iterator insert(iterator it, wxChar ch)
+    { size_t idx = it - begin(); insert(idx, 1, ch); return begin() + idx; } 
+  void insert(iterator it, const_iterator first, const_iterator last)
+    { insert(it - begin(), first, last - first); }
+  void insert(iterator it, size_type n, wxChar ch)
+    { insert(it - begin(), n, ch); }
+
+    // delete characters from nStart to nStart + nLen
+  wxStringBase& erase(size_type pos = 0, size_type n = npos);
+  iterator erase(iterator first, iterator last)
+  {
+    size_t idx = first - begin();
+    erase(idx, last - first);
+    return begin() + idx;
+  }
+  iterator erase(iterator first);
+
+  // explicit conversion to C string (use this with printf()!)
+  const wxChar* c_str() const { return m_pchData; }
+  const wxChar* data() const { return m_pchData; }
+
+    // replaces the substring of length nLen starting at nStart
+  wxStringBase& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, const wxChar* sz);
+    // replaces the substring of length nLen starting at nStart
+  wxStringBase& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, const wxStringBase& str)
+    { return replace(nStart, nLen, str.c_str()); }
+    // replaces the substring with nCount copies of ch
+  wxStringBase& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, size_t nCount, wxChar ch);
+    // replaces a substring with another substring
+  wxStringBase& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
+                        const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart2, size_t nLen2);
+    // replaces the substring with first nCount chars of sz
+  wxStringBase& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
+                        const wxChar* sz, size_t nCount);
+  wxStringBase& replace(iterator first, iterator last, const_pointer s)
+    { return replace(first - begin(), last - first, s); }
+  wxStringBase& replace(iterator first, iterator last, const_pointer s,
+                        size_type n)
+    { return replace(first - begin(), last - first, s, n); }
+  wxStringBase& replace(iterator first, iterator last, const wxStringBase& s)
+    { return replace(first - begin(), last - first, s); }
+  wxStringBase& replace(iterator first, iterator last, size_type n, wxChar c)
+    { return replace(first - begin(), last - first, n, c); }
+  wxStringBase& replace(iterator first, iterator last,
+                        const_iterator first1, const_iterator last1)
+    { return replace(first - begin(), last - first, first1, last1 - first1); }
+
+    // swap two strings
+  void swap(wxStringBase& str);
+
+    // All find() functions take the nStart argument which specifies the
+    // position to start the search on, the default value is 0. All functions
+    // return npos if there were no match.
+
+    // find a substring
+  size_t find(const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart = 0) const;
+
+  // VC++ 1.5 can't cope with this syntax.
+#if !defined(__VISUALC__) || defined(__WIN32__)
+    // find first n characters of sz
+  size_t find(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = 0, size_t n = npos) const;
+#endif // VC++ 1.5
+
+    // find the first occurence of character ch after nStart
+  size_t find(wxChar ch, size_t nStart = 0) const;
+
+    // rfind() family is exactly like find() but works right to left
+
+    // as find, but from the end
+  size_t rfind(const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart = npos) const;
+
+  // VC++ 1.5 can't cope with this syntax.
+    // as find, but from the end
+  size_t rfind(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = npos,
+               size_t n = npos) const;
+    // as find, but from the end
+  size_t rfind(wxChar ch, size_t nStart = npos) const;
+
+    // find first/last occurence of any character in the set
+
+    // as strpbrk() but starts at nStart, returns npos if not found
+  size_t find_first_of(const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart = 0) const
+    { return find_first_of(str.c_str(), nStart); }
+    // same as above
+  size_t find_first_of(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = 0) const;
+    // same as find(char, size_t)
+  size_t find_first_of(wxChar c, size_t nStart = 0) const
+    { return find(c, nStart); }
+    // find the last (starting from nStart) char from str in this string
+  size_t find_last_of (const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart = npos) const
+    { return find_last_of(str.c_str(), nStart); }
+    // same as above
+  size_t find_last_of (const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = npos) const;
+    // same as above
+  size_t find_last_of(wxChar c, size_t nStart = npos) const
+    { return rfind(c, nStart); }
+
+    // find first/last occurence of any character not in the set
+
+    // as strspn() (starting from nStart), returns npos on failure
+  size_t find_first_not_of(const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart = 0) const
+    { return find_first_not_of(str.c_str(), nStart); }
+    // same as above
+  size_t find_first_not_of(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = 0) const;
+    // same as above
+  size_t find_first_not_of(wxChar ch, size_t nStart = 0) const;
+    //  as strcspn()
+  size_t find_last_not_of(const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart = npos) const
+    { return find_first_not_of(str.c_str(), nStart); }
+    // same as above
+  size_t find_last_not_of(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = npos) const;
+    // same as above
+  size_t find_last_not_of(wxChar ch, size_t nStart = npos) const;
+
+    // All compare functions return -1, 0 or 1 if the [sub]string is less,
+    // equal or greater than the compare() argument.
+
+    // just like strcmp()
+  int compare(const wxStringBase& str) const
+    { return wxStrcmp(c_str(), str.c_str()); }
+    // comparison with a substring
+  int compare(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, const wxStringBase& str) const;
+    // comparison of 2 substrings
+  int compare(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
+              const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart2, size_t nLen2) const;
+    // just like strcmp()
+  int compare(const wxChar* sz) const
+    { return wxStrcmp(c_str(), sz); }
+    // substring comparison with first nCount characters of sz
+  int compare(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
+              const wxChar* sz, size_t nCount = npos) const;
+
+  size_type copy(wxChar* s, size_type n, size_type pos = 0);
+
+  // substring extraction
+  wxStringBase substr(size_t nStart = 0, size_t nLen = npos) const;
+
+      // string += string
+  wxStringBase& operator+=(const wxStringBase& s) { return append(s); }
+      // string += C string
+  wxStringBase& operator+=(const wxChar *psz) { return append(psz); }
+      // string += char
+  wxStringBase& operator+=(wxChar ch) { return append(1, ch); }
+};
+
+#endif // !wxUSE_STL
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // This is (yet another one) String class for C++ programmers. It doesn't use
 // any of "advanced" C++ features (i.e. templates, exceptions, namespaces...)
@@ -211,137 +608,95 @@ struct WXDLLEXPORT wxStringData
 //  - regular expressions support
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-#ifdef  WXSTRING_IS_WXOBJECT
-class WXDLLEXPORT wxString : public wxObject
-{
-    DECLARE_DYNAMIC_CLASS(wxString)
-#else   //WXSTRING_IS_WXOBJECT
-class WXDLLEXPORT wxString
+class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxString : public wxStringBase
 {
-#endif  //WXSTRING_IS_WXOBJECT
-
-friend class WXDLLEXPORT wxArrayString;
+#if !wxUSE_STL
+friend class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxArrayString;
+#endif
 
   // NB: special care was taken in arranging the member functions in such order
   //     that all inline functions can be effectively inlined, verify that all
   //     performace critical functions are still inlined if you change order!
 private:
-  // points to data preceded by wxStringData structure with ref count info
-  wxChar *m_pchData;
-
-  // accessor to string data
-  wxStringData* GetStringData() const { return (wxStringData*)m_pchData - 1; }
-
-  // string (re)initialization functions
-    // initializes the string to the empty value (must be called only from
-    // ctors, use Reinit() otherwise)
-  void Init() { m_pchData = (wxChar *)wxEmptyString; }
-    // initializaes the string with (a part of) C-string
-  void InitWith(const wxChar *psz, size_t nPos = 0, size_t nLen = wxSTRING_MAXLEN);
-    // as Init, but also frees old data
-  void Reinit() { GetStringData()->Unlock(); Init(); }
-
-  // memory allocation
-    // allocates memory for string of lenght nLen
-  void AllocBuffer(size_t nLen);
-    // copies data to another string
-  void AllocCopy(wxString&, int, int) const;
-    // effectively copies data to string
-  void AssignCopy(size_t, const wxChar *);
-
-  // append a (sub)string
-  void ConcatSelf(int nLen, const wxChar *src);
-
-  // functions called before writing to the string: they copy it if there
-  // are other references to our data (should be the only owner when writing)
-  void CopyBeforeWrite();
-  void AllocBeforeWrite(size_t);
+  // if we hadn't made these operators private, it would be possible to
+  // compile "wxString s; s = 17;" without any warnings as 17 is implicitly
+  // converted to char in C and we do have operator=(char)
+  //
+  // NB: we don't need other versions (short/long and unsigned) as attempt
+  //     to assign another numeric type to wxString will now result in
+  //     ambiguity between operator=(char) and operator=(int)
+  wxString& operator=(int);
 
-  // this method is not implemented - there is _no_ conversion from int to
+  // these methods are not implemented - there is _no_ conversion from int to
   // string, you're doing something wrong if the compiler wants to call it!
   //
   // try `s << i' or `s.Printf("%d", i)' instead
   wxString(int);
-  wxString(long);
 
 public:
   // constructors and destructor
     // ctor for an empty string
-  wxString() { Init(); }
+  wxString() : wxStringBase() { }
     // copy ctor
-  wxString(const wxString& stringSrc)
-  {
-    wxASSERT( stringSrc.GetStringData()->IsValid() );
-
-    if ( stringSrc.IsEmpty() ) {
-      // nothing to do for an empty string
-      Init();
-    }
-    else {
-      m_pchData = stringSrc.m_pchData;            // share same data
-      GetStringData()->Lock();                    // => one more copy
-    }
-  }
+  wxString(const wxStringBase& stringSrc) : wxStringBase(stringSrc) { }
+  wxString(const wxString& stringSrc) : wxStringBase(stringSrc) { }
     // string containing nRepeat copies of ch
-  wxString(wxChar ch, size_t nRepeat = 1);
+  wxString(wxChar ch, size_t nRepeat = 1)
+      : wxStringBase(nRepeat, ch) { }
+  wxString(size_t nRepeat, wxChar ch)
+      : wxStringBase(nRepeat, ch) { }
     // ctor takes first nLength characters from C string
-    // (default value of wxSTRING_MAXLEN means take all the string)
-  wxString(const wxChar *psz, size_t nLength = wxSTRING_MAXLEN)
-    { InitWith(psz, 0, nLength); }
+    // (default value of npos means take all the string)
+  wxString(const wxChar *psz)
+      : wxStringBase(psz ? psz : wxT("")) { }
+  wxString(const wxChar *psz, size_t nLength)
+      : wxStringBase(psz, nLength) { }
+  wxString(const wxChar *psz, wxMBConv& WXUNUSED(conv), size_t nLength = npos)
+      : wxStringBase(psz, nLength == npos ? wxStrlen(psz) : nLength) { }
 
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
     // from multibyte string
     // (NB: nLength is right now number of Unicode characters, not
     //  characters in psz! So try not to use it yet!)
-  wxString(const char *psz, wxMBConv& conv = wxConvLibc, size_t nLength = wxSTRING_MAXLEN);
+  wxString(const char *psz, wxMBConv& conv, size_t nLength = npos);
     // from wxWCharBuffer (i.e. return from wxGetString)
-  wxString(const wxWCharBuffer& psz)
-    { InitWith(psz, 0, wxSTRING_MAXLEN); }
+  wxString(const wxWCharBuffer& psz) : wxStringBase(psz.data()) { }
 #else // ANSI
     // from C string (for compilers using unsigned char)
-  wxString(const unsigned char* psz, size_t nLength = wxSTRING_MAXLEN)
-    { InitWith((const char*)psz, 0, nLength); }
-    // from multibyte string
-  wxString(const char *psz, wxMBConv& WXUNUSED(conv) , size_t nLength = wxSTRING_MAXLEN)
-    { InitWith(psz, 0, nLength); }
+  wxString(const unsigned char* psz, size_t nLength = npos)
+      : wxStringBase((const char*)psz, nLength) { }
 
 #if wxUSE_WCHAR_T
     // from wide (Unicode) string
-  wxString(const wchar_t *pwz);
+  wxString(const wchar_t *pwz, wxMBConv& conv = wxConvLibc, size_t nLength = npos);
 #endif // !wxUSE_WCHAR_T
 
     // from wxCharBuffer
   wxString(const wxCharBuffer& psz)
-    { InitWith(psz, 0, wxSTRING_MAXLEN); }
+      : wxStringBase(psz, npos) { }
 #endif // Unicode/ANSI
 
-    // dtor is not virtual, this class must not be inherited from!
- ~wxString() { GetStringData()->Unlock(); }
-
   // generic attributes & operations
     // as standard strlen()
-  size_t Len() const { return GetStringData()->nDataLength; }
+  size_t Len() const { return length(); }
     // string contains any characters?
-  bool IsEmpty() const { return Len() == 0; }
+  bool IsEmpty() const { return empty(); }
     // empty string is "FALSE", so !str will return TRUE
   bool operator!() const { return IsEmpty(); }
+    // truncate the string to given length
+  wxString& Truncate(size_t uiLen);
     // empty string contents
   void Empty()
   {
-    if ( !IsEmpty() )
-      Reinit();
+    Truncate(0);
 
-    // should be empty
-    wxASSERT( GetStringData()->nDataLength == 0 );
+    wxASSERT_MSG( IsEmpty(), _T("string not empty after call to Empty()?") );
   }
     // empty the string and free memory
   void Clear()
   {
-    if ( !GetStringData()->IsEmpty() )
-      Reinit();
-
-    wxASSERT( GetStringData()->nDataLength == 0 );  // should be empty
-    wxASSERT( GetStringData()->nAllocLength == 0 ); // and not own any memory
+    wxString tmp(wxEmptyString);
+    swap(tmp);
   }
 
   // contents test
@@ -355,90 +710,147 @@ public:
   // data access (all indexes are 0 based)
     // read access
     wxChar  GetChar(size_t n) const
-      { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n );  return m_pchData[n]; }
+      { return operator[](n); }
     // read/write access
     wxChar& GetWritableChar(size_t n)
-      { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); CopyBeforeWrite(); return m_pchData[n]; }
+      { return operator[](n); }
     // write access
     void  SetChar(size_t n, wxChar ch)
-      { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); CopyBeforeWrite(); m_pchData[n] = ch; }
+      { operator[](n) = ch; }
 
     // get last character
     wxChar  Last() const
-      { wxASSERT( !IsEmpty() ); return m_pchData[Len() - 1]; }
+      {
+          wxASSERT_MSG( !IsEmpty(), _T("wxString: index out of bounds") );
+
+          return operator[](length() - 1);
+      }
+
     // get writable last character
     wxChar& Last()
-      { wxASSERT( !IsEmpty() ); CopyBeforeWrite(); return m_pchData[Len()-1]; }
+      {
+          wxASSERT_MSG( !IsEmpty(), _T("wxString: index out of bounds") );
+          return operator[](length() - 1);
+      }
 
-    // operator version of GetChar
-    wxChar  operator[](size_t n) const
-      { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); return m_pchData[n]; }
+    /*
+        So why do we have all these overloaded operator[]s? A bit of history:
+        initially there was only one of them, taking size_t. Then people
+        started complaining because they wanted to use ints as indices (I
+        wonder why) and compilers were giving warnings about it, so we had to
+        add the operator[](int). Then it became apparent that you couldn't
+        write str[0] any longer because there was ambiguity between two
+        overloads and so you now had to write str[0u] (or, of course, use the
+        explicit casts to either int or size_t but nobody did this).
+
+        Finally, someone decided to compile wxWin on an Alpha machine and got
+        a surprize: str[0u] didn't compile there because it is of type
+        unsigned int and size_t is unsigned _long_ on Alpha and so there was
+        ambiguity between converting uint to int or ulong. To fix this one we
+        now add operator[](uint) for the machines where size_t is not already
+        the same as unsigned int - hopefully this fixes the problem (for some
+        time)
+
+        The only real fix is, of course, to remove all versions but the one
+        taking size_t...
+     */
 
     // operator version of GetChar
     wxChar  operator[](int n) const
-      { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); return m_pchData[n]; }
-#ifdef __alpha__
+      { return wxStringBase::operator[](n); }
+    wxChar& operator[](size_type n)
+      { return wxStringBase::operator[](n); }
+    wxChar operator[](size_type n) const
+      { return wxStringBase::operator[](n); }
+#ifndef wxSIZE_T_IS_UINT
     // operator version of GetChar
-    wxChar  operator[](unsigned int n) const
-      { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); return m_pchData[n]; }
-#endif
-    
-    // operator version of GetWriteableChar
-    wxChar& operator[](size_t n)
-      { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); CopyBeforeWrite(); return m_pchData[n]; }
-#ifdef __alpha__
+    wxChar operator[](unsigned int n) const
+      { return wxStringBase::operator[](n); }
+
     // operator version of GetWriteableChar
-    wxChar&  operator[](unsigned int n)
-      { ASSERT_VALID_INDEX( n ); CopyBeforeWrite(); return m_pchData[n]; }
-#endif
+    wxChar& operator[](unsigned int n)
+      { return wxStringBase::operator[](n); }
+#endif // size_t != unsigned int
 
     // implicit conversion to C string
-    operator const wxChar*() const { return m_pchData; }
-    // explicit conversion to C string (use this with printf()!)
-    const wxChar* c_str()   const { return m_pchData; }
-    // (and this with [wx]Printf()!)
-    const wxChar* wx_str()  const { return m_pchData; }
-    // identical to c_str()
-    const wxChar* GetData() const { return m_pchData; }
-
-    // conversions with (possible) format convertions: have to return a
+    operator const wxChar*() const { return c_str(); }
+
+    // identical to c_str(), for wxWin 1.6x compatibility
+    const wxChar* wx_str()  const { return c_str(); }
+    // identical to c_str(), for MFC compatibility
+    const wxChar* GetData() const { return c_str(); }
+
+    // conversion to/from plain (i.e. 7 bit) ASCII: this is useful for
+    // converting numbers or strings which are certain not to contain special
+    // chars (typically system functions, X atoms, environment variables etc.)
+    //
+    // the behaviour of these functions with the strings containing anything
+    // else than 7 bit ASCII characters is undefined, use at your own risk.
+#if wxUSE_UNICODE
+    static wxString FromAscii(const char *ascii);  // string
+    static wxString FromAscii(const char ascii);   // char
+    const wxCharBuffer ToAscii() const;
+#else // ANSI
+    static wxString FromAscii(const char *ascii) { return wxString( ascii ); }
+    static wxString FromAscii(const char ascii) { return wxString( ascii ); }
+    const char *ToAscii() const { return c_str(); }
+#endif // Unicode/!Unicode
+
+    // conversions with (possible) format conversions: have to return a
     // buffer with temporary data
+    //
+    // the functions defined (in either Unicode or ANSI) mode are mb_str() to
+    // return an ANSI (multibyte) string, wc_str() to return a wide string and
+    // fn_str() to return a string which should be used with the OS APIs
+    // accepting the file names. The return value is always the same, but the
+    // type differs because a function may either return pointer to the buffer
+    // directly or have to use intermediate buffer for translation.
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
-    const wxCharBuffer mb_str(wxMBConv& conv = wxConvLibc) const { return conv.cWC2MB(m_pchData); }
+    const wxCharBuffer mb_str(wxMBConv& conv = wxConvLibc) const
+        { return conv.cWC2MB(c_str()); }
+
     const wxWX2MBbuf mbc_str() const { return mb_str(*wxConvCurrent); }
 
-    const wxChar* wc_str(wxMBConv& WXUNUSED(conv) = wxConvLibc) const { return m_pchData; }
+    const wxChar* wc_str() const { return c_str(); }
+
+    // for compatibility with !wxUSE_UNICODE version
+    const wxChar* wc_str(wxMBConv& WXUNUSED(conv)) const { return c_str(); }
 
 #if wxMBFILES
     const wxCharBuffer fn_str() const { return mb_str(wxConvFile); }
 #else // !wxMBFILES
-    const wxChar* fn_str() const { return m_pchData; }
+    const wxChar* fn_str() const { return c_str(); }
 #endif // wxMBFILES/!wxMBFILES
 #else // ANSI
-#if wxUSE_MULTIBYTE
-    const wxChar* mb_str(wxMBConv& WXUNUSED(conv) = wxConvLibc) const
-        { return m_pchData; }
-    const wxWX2MBbuf mbc_str() const { return mb_str(*wxConvCurrent); }
-#else // !mmultibyte
-    const wxChar* mb_str() const { return m_pchData; }
+    const wxChar* mb_str() const { return c_str(); }
+
+    // for compatibility with wxUSE_UNICODE version
+    const wxChar* mb_str(wxMBConv& WXUNUSED(conv)) const { return c_str(); }
+
     const wxWX2MBbuf mbc_str() const { return mb_str(); }
-#endif // multibyte/!multibyte
+
 #if wxUSE_WCHAR_T
-    const wxWCharBuffer wc_str(wxMBConv& conv) const { return conv.cMB2WC(m_pchData); }
+    const wxWCharBuffer wc_str(wxMBConv& conv) const
+        { return conv.cMB2WC(c_str()); }
 #endif // wxUSE_WCHAR_T
-    const wxChar* fn_str() const { return m_pchData; }
+
+    const wxChar* fn_str() const { return c_str(); }
 #endif // Unicode/ANSI
 
   // overloaded assignment
     // from another wxString
-  wxString& operator=(const wxString& stringSrc);
+  wxString& operator=(const wxStringBase& stringSrc)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::operator=(stringSrc); }
     // from a character
-  wxString& operator=(wxChar ch);
+  wxString& operator=(wxChar ch)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::operator=(ch); }
     // from a C string
-  wxString& operator=(const wxChar *psz);
+  wxString& operator=(const wxChar *psz)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::operator=(psz); }
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
     // from wxWCharBuffer
-  wxString& operator=(const wxWCharBuffer& psz) { return operator=((const wchar_t *)psz); }
+  wxString& operator=(const wxWCharBuffer& psz)
+    { (void) operator=((const wchar_t *)psz); return *this; }
 #else // ANSI
     // from another kind of C string
   wxString& operator=(const unsigned char* psz);
@@ -447,7 +859,8 @@ public:
   wxString& operator=(const wchar_t *pwz);
 #endif
     // from wxCharBuffer
-  wxString& operator=(const wxCharBuffer& psz) { return operator=((const char *)psz); }
+  wxString& operator=(const wxCharBuffer& psz)
+    { (void) operator=((const char *)psz); return *this; }
 #endif // Unicode/ANSI
 
   // string concatenation
@@ -460,39 +873,50 @@ public:
       // string += string
   wxString& operator<<(const wxString& s)
   {
-    wxASSERT( s.GetStringData()->IsValid() );
+#if !wxUSE_STL
+    wxASSERT_MSG( s.GetStringData()->IsValid(),
+                  _T("did you forget to call UngetWriteBuf()?") );
+#endif
 
-    ConcatSelf(s.Len(), s);
+    append(s);
     return *this;
   }
       // string += C string
   wxString& operator<<(const wxChar *psz)
-    { ConcatSelf(wxStrlen(psz), psz); return *this; }
-      // string += char
-  wxString& operator<<(wxChar ch) { ConcatSelf(1, &ch); return *this; }
-
-      // string += string
-  void operator+=(const wxString& s) { (void)operator<<(s); }
-      // string += C string
-  void operator+=(const wxChar *psz) { (void)operator<<(psz); }
+    { append(psz); return *this; }
       // string += char
-  void operator+=(wxChar ch) { (void)operator<<(ch); }
+  wxString& operator<<(wxChar ch) { append(1, ch); return *this; }
 
       // string += buffer (i.e. from wxGetString)
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
-  wxString& operator<<(const wxWCharBuffer& s) { (void)operator<<((const wchar_t *)s); return *this; }
-  void operator+=(const wxWCharBuffer& s) { (void)operator<<((const wchar_t *)s); }
-#else
-  wxString& operator<<(const wxCharBuffer& s) { (void)operator<<((const char *)s); return *this; }
-  void operator+=(const wxCharBuffer& s) { (void)operator<<((const char *)s); }
-#endif
+  wxString& operator<<(const wxWCharBuffer& s)
+    { (void)operator<<((const wchar_t *)s); return *this; }
+  void operator+=(const wxWCharBuffer& s)
+    { (void)operator<<((const wchar_t *)s); }
+#else // !wxUSE_UNICODE
+  wxString& operator<<(const wxCharBuffer& s)
+    { (void)operator<<((const char *)s); return *this; }
+  void operator+=(const wxCharBuffer& s)
+    { (void)operator<<((const char *)s); }
+#endif // wxUSE_UNICODE/!wxUSE_UNICODE
 
     // string += C string
+  wxString& Append(const wxString& s)
+    {
+        // test for IsEmpty() to share the string if possible
+        if ( IsEmpty() )
+            *this = s;
+        else
+            append(s);
+        return *this;
+    }
   wxString& Append(const wxChar* psz)
-    { ConcatSelf(wxStrlen(psz), psz); return *this; }
+    { append(psz); return *this; }
     // append count copies of given character
   wxString& Append(wxChar ch, size_t count = 1u)
-    { wxString str(ch, count); return *this << str; }
+    { append(count, ch); return *this; }
+  wxString& Append(const wxChar* psz, size_t nLen)
+    { append(psz, nLen); return *this; }
 
     // prepend a string, return the string itself
   wxString& Prepend(const wxString& str)
@@ -500,23 +924,35 @@ public:
 
     // non-destructive concatenation
       //
-  friend wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxString& string1,  const wxString& string2);
+  friend wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(const wxString& string1,  const wxString& string2);
       //
-  friend wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxString& string, wxChar ch);
+  friend wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(const wxString& string, wxChar ch);
       //
-  friend wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(wxChar ch, const wxString& string);
+  friend wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(wxChar ch, const wxString& string);
       //
-  friend wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxString& string, const wxChar *psz);
+  friend wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(const wxString& string, const wxChar *psz);
       //
-  friend wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxChar *psz, const wxString& string);
+  friend wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(const wxChar *psz, const wxString& string);
 
   // stream-like functions
       // insert an int into string
-  wxString& operator<<(int i);
+  wxString& operator<<(int i)
+    { return (*this) << Format(_T("%d"), i); }
+      // insert an unsigned int into string
+  wxString& operator<<(unsigned int ui)
+    { return (*this) << Format(_T("%u"), ui); }
+      // insert a long into string
+  wxString& operator<<(long l)
+    { return (*this) << Format(_T("%ld"), l); }
+      // insert an unsigned long into string
+  wxString& operator<<(unsigned long ul)
+    { return (*this) << Format(_T("%lu"), ul); }
       // insert a float into string
-  wxString& operator<<(float f);
+  wxString& operator<<(float f)
+    { return (*this) << Format(_T("%f"), f); }
       // insert a double into string
-  wxString& operator<<(double d);
+  wxString& operator<<(double d)
+    { return (*this) << Format(_T("%g"), d); }
 
   // string comparison
     // case-sensitive comparison (returns a value < 0, = 0 or > 0)
@@ -530,24 +966,29 @@ public:
     // comparison with a signle character: returns TRUE if equal
   bool IsSameAs(wxChar c, bool compareWithCase = TRUE) const
     {
-      return (Len() == 1) && (compareWithCase ? GetChar(0u) == c
+      return (length() == 1) && (compareWithCase ? GetChar(0u) == c
                               : wxToupper(GetChar(0u)) == wxToupper(c));
     }
 
   // simple sub-string extraction
       // return substring starting at nFirst of length nCount (or till the end
       // if nCount = default value)
-  wxString Mid(size_t nFirst, size_t nCount = wxSTRING_MAXLEN) const;
+  wxString Mid(size_t nFirst, size_t nCount = npos) const;
 
-    // operator version of Mid()
+      // operator version of Mid()
   wxString  operator()(size_t start, size_t len) const
     { return Mid(start, len); }
 
+      // check that the string starts with prefix and return the rest of the
+      // string in the provided pointer if it is not NULL, otherwise return
+      // FALSE
+  bool StartsWith(const wxChar *prefix, wxString *rest = NULL) const;
+
       // get first nCount characters
   wxString Left(size_t nCount) const;
       // get last nCount characters
   wxString Right(size_t nCount) const;
-      // get all characters before the first occurence of ch
+      // get all characters before the first occurance of ch
       // (returns the whole string if ch not found)
   wxString BeforeFirst(wxChar ch) const;
       // get all characters before the last occurence of ch
@@ -580,8 +1021,6 @@ public:
   wxString& Trim(bool bFromRight = TRUE);
       // add nCount copies chPad in the beginning or at the end (default)
   wxString& Pad(size_t nCount, wxChar chPad = wxT(' '), bool bFromRight = TRUE);
-      // truncate string to given length
-  wxString& Truncate(size_t uiLen);
 
   // searching and replacing
       // searching (return starting index, or -1 if not found)
@@ -597,24 +1036,45 @@ public:
     // check if the string contents matches a mask containing '*' and '?'
   bool Matches(const wxChar *szMask) const;
 
+    // conversion to numbers: all functions return TRUE only if the whole
+    // string is a number and put the value of this number into the pointer
+    // provided, the base is the numeric base in which the conversion should be
+    // done and must be comprised between 2 and 36 or be 0 in which case the
+    // standard C rules apply (leading '0' => octal, "0x" => hex)
+        // convert to a signed integer
+    bool ToLong(long *val, int base = 10) const;
+        // convert to an unsigned integer
+    bool ToULong(unsigned long *val, int base = 10) const;
+        // convert to a double
+    bool ToDouble(double *val) const;
+
   // formated input/output
     // as sprintf(), returns the number of characters written or < 0 on error
-  int Printf(const wxChar *pszFormat, ...);
+    // (take 'this' into account in attribute parameter count)
+  int Printf(const wxChar *pszFormat, ...) ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF_2;
     // as vprintf(), returns the number of characters written or < 0 on error
   int PrintfV(const wxChar* pszFormat, va_list argptr);
 
+    // returns the string containing the result of Printf() to it
+  static wxString Format(const wxChar *pszFormat, ...) ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF_1;
+    // the same as above, but takes a va_list
+  static wxString FormatV(const wxChar *pszFormat, va_list argptr);
+
   // raw access to string memory
     // ensure that string has space for at least nLen characters
     // only works if the data of this string is not shared
-  void Alloc(size_t nLen);
+  bool Alloc(size_t nLen) { reserve(nLen); /*return capacity() >= nLen;*/ return true; }
     // minimize the string's memory
     // only works if the data of this string is not shared
-  void Shrink();
+  bool Shrink();
+#if !wxUSE_STL
     // get writable buffer of at least nLen bytes. Unget() *must* be called
     // a.s.a.p. to put string back in a reasonable state!
   wxChar *GetWriteBuf(size_t nLen);
     // call this immediately after GetWriteBuf() has been used
   void UngetWriteBuf();
+  void UngetWriteBuf(size_t nLen);
+#endif
 
   // wxWindows version 1 compatibility functions
 
@@ -626,15 +1086,16 @@ public:
     // values for first parameter of Strip function
   enum stripType {leading = 0x1, trailing = 0x2, both = 0x3};
 
-    // use Printf()
-  int sprintf(const wxChar *pszFormat, ...);
+  // use Printf()
+  // (take 'this' into account in attribute parameter count)
+  int sprintf(const wxChar *pszFormat, ...) ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF_2;
 
     // use Cmp()
   inline int CompareTo(const wxChar* psz, caseCompare cmp = exact) const
     { return cmp == exact ? Cmp(psz) : CmpNoCase(psz); }
 
     // use Len
-  size_t Length() const { return Len(); }
+  size_t Length() const { return length(); }
     // Count the number of characters
   int Freq(wxChar ch) const;
     // use MakeLower
@@ -649,9 +1110,10 @@ public:
   size_t Index(wxChar ch)         const { return Find(ch);  }
     // use Truncate
   wxString& Remove(size_t pos) { return Truncate(pos); }
-  wxString& RemoveLast() { return Truncate(Len() - 1); }
+  wxString& RemoveLast(size_t n = 1) { return Truncate(length() - n); }
 
-  wxString& Remove(size_t nStart, size_t nLen) { return erase( nStart, nLen ); }
+  wxString& Remove(size_t nStart, size_t nLen)
+      { return (wxString&)erase( nStart, nLen ); }
 
     // use Find()
   int First( const wxChar ch ) const { return Find(ch); }
@@ -663,344 +1125,338 @@ public:
     // use IsEmpty()
   bool IsNull() const { return IsEmpty(); }
 
-#ifdef  wxSTD_STRING_COMPATIBILITY
   // std::string compatibility functions
 
-  // standard types
-  typedef wxChar value_type;
-  typedef const value_type *const_iterator;
-
-  // an 'invalid' value for string index
-  static const size_t npos;
-
-  // constructors
     // take nLen chars starting at nPos
   wxString(const wxString& str, size_t nPos, size_t nLen)
-  {
-    wxASSERT( str.GetStringData()->IsValid() );
-    InitWith(str.c_str(), nPos, nLen == npos ? 0 : nLen);
-  }
+      : wxStringBase(str, nPos, nLen) { }
     // take all characters from pStart to pEnd
-  wxString(const void *pStart, const void *pEnd);
-
-  // lib.string.capacity
-    // return the length of the string
-  size_t size() const { return Len(); }
-    // return the length of the string
-  size_t length() const { return Len(); }
-    // return the maximum size of the string
-  size_t max_size() const { return wxSTRING_MAXLEN; }
-    // resize the string, filling the space with c if c != 0
-  void resize(size_t nSize, wxChar ch = wxT('\0'));
-    // delete the contents of the string
-  void clear() { Empty(); }
-    // returns true if the string is empty
-  bool empty() const { return IsEmpty(); }
-
-  // lib.string.access
-    // return the character at position n
-  wxChar at(size_t n) const { return GetChar(n); }
-    // returns the writable character at position n
-  wxChar& at(size_t n) { return GetWritableChar(n); }
-
-    // first valid index position
-  const_iterator begin() const { return wx_str(); }
-    // position one after the last valid one
-  const_iterator end() const { return wx_str() + length(); }
+  wxString(const void *pStart, const void *pEnd)
+      : wxStringBase((const char*)pStart, (const char*)pEnd) { }
+#if wxUSE_STL
+  wxString(const_iterator first, const_iterator last)
+      : wxStringBase(first, last) { }
+#endif
 
   // lib.string.modifiers
-    // append a string
-  wxString& append(const wxString& str)
-    { *this += str; return *this; }
     // append elements str[pos], ..., str[pos+n]
   wxString& append(const wxString& str, size_t pos, size_t n)
-    { ConcatSelf(n, str.c_str() + pos); return *this; }
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::append(str, pos, n); }
+    // append a string
+  wxString& append(const wxString& str)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::append(str); }
     // append first n (or all if n == npos) characters of sz
-  wxString& append(const wxChar *sz, size_t n = npos)
-    { ConcatSelf(n == npos ? wxStrlen(sz) : n, sz); return *this; }
-
+  wxString& append(const wxChar *sz)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::append(sz); }
+  wxString& append(const wxChar *sz, size_t n)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::append(sz, n); }
     // append n copies of ch
-  wxString& append(size_t n, wxChar ch) { return Pad(n, ch); }
+  wxString& append(size_t n, wxChar ch)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::append(n, ch); }
+    // append from first to last
+  wxString& append(const_iterator first, const_iterator last)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::append(first, last); }
 
     // same as `this_string = str'
-  wxString& assign(const wxString& str) { return (*this) = str; }
+  wxString& assign(const wxString& str)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::assign(str); }
     // same as ` = str[pos..pos + n]
   wxString& assign(const wxString& str, size_t pos, size_t n)
-    { return *this = wxString((const wxChar *)str + pos, n); }
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::assign(str, pos, n); }
     // same as `= first n (or all if n == npos) characters of sz'
-  wxString& assign(const wxChar *sz, size_t n = npos)
-    { return *this = wxString(sz, n); }
+  wxString& assign(const wxChar *sz)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::assign(sz); }
+  wxString& assign(const wxChar *sz, size_t n)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::assign(sz, n); }
     // same as `= n copies of ch'
   wxString& assign(size_t n, wxChar ch)
-    { return *this = wxString(ch, n); }
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::assign(n, ch); }
+    // assign from first to last
+  wxString& assign(const_iterator first, const_iterator last)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::assign(first, last); }
+
+    // string comparison
+#ifndef HAVE_STD_STRING_COMPARE
+  int compare(const wxStringBase& str) const;
+    // comparison with a substring
+  int compare(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, const wxStringBase& str) const;
+    // comparison of 2 substrings
+  int compare(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
+              const wxStringBase& str, size_t nStart2, size_t nLen2) const;
+    // just like strcmp()
+  int compare(const wxChar* sz) const;
+    // substring comparison with first nCount characters of sz
+  int compare(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
+              const wxChar* sz, size_t nCount = npos) const;
+#endif // !defined HAVE_STD_STRING_COMPARE
 
     // insert another string
-  wxString& insert(size_t nPos, const wxString& str);
+  wxString& insert(size_t nPos, const wxString& str)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::insert(nPos, str); }
     // insert n chars of str starting at nStart (in str)
   wxString& insert(size_t nPos, const wxString& str, size_t nStart, size_t n)
-    { return insert(nPos, wxString((const wxChar *)str + nStart, n)); }
-
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::insert(nPos, str, nStart, n); }
     // insert first n (or all if n == npos) characters of sz
-  wxString& insert(size_t nPos, const wxChar *sz, size_t n = npos)
-    { return insert(nPos, wxString(sz, n)); }
+  wxString& insert(size_t nPos, const wxChar *sz)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::insert(nPos, sz); }
+  wxString& insert(size_t nPos, const wxChar *sz, size_t n)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::insert(nPos, sz, n); }
     // insert n copies of ch
   wxString& insert(size_t nPos, size_t n, wxChar ch)
-    { return insert(nPos, wxString(ch, n)); }
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::insert(nPos, n, ch); }
+  iterator insert(iterator it, wxChar ch)
+    { return wxStringBase::insert(it, ch); } 
+  void insert(iterator it, const_iterator first, const_iterator last)
+    { wxStringBase::insert(it, first, last); }
+  void insert(iterator it, size_type n, wxChar ch)
+    { wxStringBase::insert(it, n, ch); }
 
     // delete characters from nStart to nStart + nLen
-  wxString& erase(size_t nStart = 0, size_t nLen = npos);
+  wxString& erase(size_type pos = 0, size_type n = npos)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::erase(pos, n); }
+  iterator erase(iterator first, iterator last)
+    { return wxStringBase::erase(first, last); }
+  iterator erase(iterator first)
+    { return wxStringBase::erase(first); }
+
+#ifdef wxSTRING_BASE_HASNT_CLEAR
+  void clear() { erase(); }
+#endif
 
     // replaces the substring of length nLen starting at nStart
-  wxString& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, const wxChar* sz);
+  wxString& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, const wxChar* sz)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(nStart, nLen, sz); }
+    // replaces the substring of length nLen starting at nStart
+  wxString& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, const wxString& str)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(nStart, nLen, str); }
     // replaces the substring with nCount copies of ch
-  wxString& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, size_t nCount, wxChar ch);
+  wxString& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, size_t nCount, wxChar ch)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(nStart, nLen, nCount, ch); }
     // replaces a substring with another substring
   wxString& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
-                    const wxString& str, size_t nStart2, size_t nLen2);
-    // replaces the substring with first nCount chars of sz
-    wxString& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
-                      const wxChar* sz, size_t nCount);
+                    const wxString& str, size_t nStart2, size_t nLen2)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(nStart, nLen, str,
+                                              nStart2, nLen2); }
+     // replaces the substring with first nCount chars of sz
+  wxString& replace(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
+                    const wxChar* sz, size_t nCount)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(nStart, nLen, sz, nCount); }
+  wxString& replace(iterator first, iterator last, const_pointer s)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(first, last, s); }
+  wxString& replace(iterator first, iterator last, const_pointer s,
+                    size_type n)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(first, last, s, n); }
+  wxString& replace(iterator first, iterator last, const wxString& s)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(first, last, s); }
+  wxString& replace(iterator first, iterator last, size_type n, wxChar c)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(first, last, n, c); }
+  wxString& replace(iterator first, iterator last,
+                    const_iterator first1, const_iterator last1)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::replace(first, last, first1, last1); }
 
-    // swap two strings
-  void swap(wxString& str);
+      // string += string
+  wxString& operator+=(const wxString& s)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::operator+=(s); }
+      // string += C string
+  wxString& operator+=(const wxChar *psz)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::operator+=(psz); }
+      // string += char
+  wxString& operator+=(wxChar ch)
+    { return (wxString&)wxStringBase::operator+=(ch); }
+};
 
-    // All find() functions take the nStart argument which specifies the
-    // position to start the search on, the default value is 0. All functions
-    // return npos if there were no match.
+// define wxArrayString, for compatibility
+#if WXWIN_COMPATIBILITY_2_4 && !wxUSE_STL
+    #include "wx/arrstr.h"
+#endif
 
-    // find a substring
-  size_t find(const wxString& str, size_t nStart = 0) const;
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// wxStringBuffer: a tiny class allowing to get a writable pointer into string
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-  // VC++ 1.5 can't cope with this syntax.
-#if !defined(__VISUALC__) || defined(__WIN32__)
-    // find first n characters of sz
-  size_t find(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = 0, size_t n = npos) const;
-#endif
+#if wxUSE_STL
 
-  // Gives a duplicate symbol (presumably a case-insensitivity problem)
-#if !defined(__BORLANDC__)
-    // find the first occurence of character ch after nStart
-  size_t find(wxChar ch, size_t nStart = 0) const;
-#endif
-    // rfind() family is exactly like find() but works right to left
+class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxStringBuffer
+{
+public:
+    wxStringBuffer(wxString& str, size_t lenWanted = 1024)
+        : m_str(str), m_buf(lenWanted)
+        { }
 
-    // as find, but from the end
-  size_t rfind(const wxString& str, size_t nStart = npos) const;
+    ~wxStringBuffer() { m_str.assign(m_buf.data(), wxStrlen(m_buf.data())); }
 
-  // VC++ 1.5 can't cope with this syntax.
-#if !defined(__VISUALC__) || defined(__WIN32__)
-    // as find, but from the end
-  size_t rfind(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = npos,
-          size_t n = npos) const;
-    // as find, but from the end
-  size_t rfind(wxChar ch, size_t nStart = npos) const;
+    operator wxChar*() { return m_buf.data(); }
+
+private:
+    wxString& m_str;
+#if wxUSE_UNICODE
+    wxWCharBuffer m_buf;
+#else
+    wxCharBuffer m_buf;
 #endif
 
-    // find first/last occurence of any character in the set
+    DECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxStringBuffer)
+};
 
-    // as strpbrk() but starts at nStart, returns npos if not found
-  size_t find_first_of(const wxString& str, size_t nStart = 0) const
-    { return find_first_of(str.c_str(), nStart); }
-    // same as above
-  size_t find_first_of(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = 0) const;
-    // same as find(char, size_t)
-  size_t find_first_of(wxChar c, size_t nStart = 0) const
-    { return find(c, nStart); }
-    // find the last (starting from nStart) char from str in this string
-  size_t find_last_of (const wxString& str, size_t nStart = npos) const
-    { return find_last_of(str.c_str(), nStart); }
-    // same as above
-  size_t find_last_of (const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = npos) const;
-    // same as above
-  size_t find_last_of(wxChar c, size_t nStart = npos) const
-    { return rfind(c, nStart); }
+class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxStringBufferLength
+{
+public:
+    wxStringBufferLength(wxString& str, size_t lenWanted = 1024)
+        : m_str(str), m_buf(lenWanted), m_len(0), m_lenSet(false)
+        { }
 
-    // find first/last occurence of any character not in the set
+    ~wxStringBufferLength()
+    {
+        wxASSERT(m_lenSet);
+        m_str.assign(m_buf.data(), m_len);
+    }
 
-    // as strspn() (starting from nStart), returns npos on failure
-  size_t find_first_not_of(const wxString& str, size_t nStart = 0) const
-    { return find_first_not_of(str.c_str(), nStart); }
-    // same as above
-  size_t find_first_not_of(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = 0) const;
-    // same as above
-  size_t find_first_not_of(wxChar ch, size_t nStart = 0) const;
-    //  as strcspn()
-  size_t find_last_not_of(const wxString& str, size_t nStart=npos) const;
-    // same as above
-  size_t find_last_not_of(const wxChar* sz, size_t nStart = npos) const;
-    // same as above
-  size_t find_last_not_of(wxChar ch, size_t nStart = npos) const;
+    operator wxChar*() { return m_buf.data(); }
+    void SetLength(size_t length) { m_len = length; m_lenSet = true; }
 
-    // All compare functions return -1, 0 or 1 if the [sub]string is less,
-    // equal or greater than the compare() argument.
-
-    // just like strcmp()
-  int compare(const wxString& str) const { return Cmp(str); }
-    // comparison with a substring
-  int compare(size_t nStart, size_t nLen, const wxString& str) const;
-    // comparison of 2 substrings
-  int compare(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
-              const wxString& str, size_t nStart2, size_t nLen2) const;
-    // just like strcmp()
-  int compare(const wxChar* sz) const { return Cmp(sz); }
-    // substring comparison with first nCount characters of sz
-  int compare(size_t nStart, size_t nLen,
-              const wxChar* sz, size_t nCount = npos) const;
+private:
+    wxString& m_str;
+#if wxUSE_UNICODE
+    wxWCharBuffer m_buf;
+#else
+    wxCharBuffer  m_buf;
+#endif
+    size_t        m_len;
+    bool          m_lenSet;
 
-  // substring extraction
-  wxString substr(size_t nStart = 0, size_t nLen = npos) const;
-#endif // wxSTD_STRING_COMPATIBILITY
+    DECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxStringBufferLength)
 };
 
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-// The string array uses it's knowledge of internal structure of the wxString
-// class to optimize string storage. Normally, we would store pointers to
-// string, but as wxString is, in fact, itself a pointer (sizeof(wxString) is
-// sizeof(char *)) we store these pointers instead. The cast to "wxString *" is
-// really all we need to turn such pointer into a string!
-//
-// Of course, it can be called a dirty hack, but we use twice less memory and
-// this approach is also more speed efficient, so it's probably worth it.
-//
-// Usage notes: when a string is added/inserted, a new copy of it is created,
-// so the original string may be safely deleted. When a string is retrieved
-// from the array (operator[] or Item() method), a reference is returned.
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+#else // if !wxUSE_STL
 
-class WXDLLEXPORT wxArrayString
+class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxStringBuffer
 {
 public:
-  // type of function used by wxArrayString::Sort()
-  typedef int (*CompareFunction)(const wxString& first,
-                                 const wxString& second);
+    wxStringBuffer(wxString& str, size_t lenWanted = 1024)
+        : m_str(str), m_buf(NULL)
+        { m_buf = m_str.GetWriteBuf(lenWanted); }
 
-  // constructors and destructor
-    // default ctor: if autoSort is TRUE, the array is always sorted (in
-    // alphabetical order)
-  wxArrayString(bool autoSort = FALSE);
-    // copy ctor
-  wxArrayString(const wxArrayString& array);
-    // assignment operator
-  wxArrayString& operator=(const wxArrayString& src);
-    // not virtual, this class should not be derived from
- ~wxArrayString();
-
-  // memory management
-    // empties the list, but doesn't release memory
-  void Empty();
-    // empties the list and releases memory
-  void Clear();
-    // preallocates memory for given number of items
-  void Alloc(size_t nCount);
-    // minimzes the memory usage (by freeing all extra memory)
-  void Shrink();
-
-  // simple accessors
-    // number of elements in the array
-  size_t GetCount() const { return m_nCount; }
-    // is it empty?
-  bool IsEmpty() const { return m_nCount == 0; }
-    // number of elements in the array (GetCount is preferred API)
-  size_t Count() const { return m_nCount; }
-
-  // items access (range checking is done in debug version)
-    // get item at position uiIndex
-  wxString& Item(size_t nIndex) const
-    { wxASSERT( nIndex < m_nCount ); return *(wxString *)&(m_pItems[nIndex]); }
-    // same as Item()
-  wxString& operator[](size_t nIndex) const { return Item(nIndex); }
-    // get last item
-  wxString& Last() const { wxASSERT( !IsEmpty() ); return Item(Count() - 1); }
-
-  // item management
-    // Search the element in the array, starting from the beginning if
-    // bFromEnd is FALSE or from end otherwise. If bCase, comparison is case
-    // sensitive (default). Returns index of the first item matched or
-    // wxNOT_FOUND
-  int  Index (const wxChar *sz, bool bCase = TRUE, bool bFromEnd = FALSE) const;
-    // add new element at the end (if the array is not sorted), return its
-    // index
-  size_t Add(const wxString& str);
-    // add new element at given position
-  void Insert(const wxString& str, size_t uiIndex);
-    // remove first item matching this value
-  void Remove(const wxChar *sz);
-    // remove item by index
-  void Remove(size_t nIndex);
-
-  // sorting
-    // sort array elements in alphabetical order (or reversed alphabetical
-    // order if reverseOrder parameter is TRUE)
-  void Sort(bool reverseOrder = FALSE);
-    // sort array elements using specified comparaison function
-  void Sort(CompareFunction compareFunction);
+    ~wxStringBuffer() { m_str.UngetWriteBuf(); }
 
-protected:
-  void Copy(const wxArrayString& src);  // copies the contents of another array
+    operator wxChar*() const { return m_buf; }
 
 private:
-  void Grow();                          // makes array bigger if needed
-  void Free();                          // free all the strings stored
+    wxString& m_str;
+    wxChar   *m_buf;
 
-  void DoSort();                        // common part of all Sort() variants
-
-  size_t  m_nSize,    // current size of the array
-          m_nCount;   // current number of elements
-
-  wxChar  **m_pItems; // pointer to data
-
-  bool    m_autoSort; // if TRUE, keep the array always sorted
+    DECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxStringBuffer)
 };
 
-class WXDLLEXPORT wxSortedArrayString : public wxArrayString
+class WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxStringBufferLength
 {
 public:
-  wxSortedArrayString() : wxArrayString(TRUE)
-    { }
-  wxSortedArrayString(const wxArrayString& array) : wxArrayString(TRUE)
-    { Copy(array); }
+    wxStringBufferLength(wxString& str, size_t lenWanted = 1024)
+        : m_str(str), m_buf(NULL), m_len(0), m_lenSet(false)
+        { m_buf = m_str.GetWriteBuf(lenWanted); }
+
+    ~wxStringBufferLength()
+    {
+        wxASSERT(m_lenSet);
+        m_str.UngetWriteBuf(m_len);
+    }
+
+    operator wxChar*() const { return m_buf; }
+    void SetLength(size_t length) { m_len = length; m_lenSet = true; }
+
+private:
+    wxString& m_str;
+    wxChar   *m_buf;
+    size_t    m_len;
+    bool      m_lenSet;
+
+    DECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxStringBufferLength)
 };
 
+#endif // !wxUSE_STL
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // wxString comparison functions: operator versions are always case sensitive
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-//
-inline bool operator==(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) == 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator==(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) == 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator==(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s2.Cmp(s1) == 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator!=(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) != 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator!=(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) != 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator!=(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s2.Cmp(s1) != 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator< (const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) < 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator< (const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) <  0); }
-//
-inline bool operator< (const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s2.Cmp(s1) >  0); }
-//
-inline bool operator> (const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) >  0); }
-//
-inline bool operator> (const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) >  0); }
-//
-inline bool operator> (const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s2.Cmp(s1) <  0); }
-//
-inline bool operator<=(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) <= 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator<=(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) <= 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator<=(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s2.Cmp(s1) >= 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator>=(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) >= 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator>=(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2) { return (s1.Cmp(s2) >= 0); }
-//
-inline bool operator>=(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2) { return (s2.Cmp(s1) <= 0); }
+#if wxUSE_STL
+
+inline bool operator==(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) == 0; }
+inline bool operator==(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) == 0; }
+inline bool operator==(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.compare(s1) == 0; }
+inline bool operator!=(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) != 0; }
+inline bool operator!=(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) != 0; }
+inline bool operator!=(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.compare(s1) != 0; }
+inline bool operator< (const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) <  0; }
+inline bool operator< (const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) <  0; }
+inline bool operator< (const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.compare(s1) >  0; }
+inline bool operator> (const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) >  0; }
+inline bool operator> (const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) >  0; }
+inline bool operator> (const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.compare(s1) <  0; }
+inline bool operator<=(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) <= 0; }
+inline bool operator<=(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) <= 0; }
+inline bool operator<=(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.compare(s1) >= 0; }
+inline bool operator>=(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) >= 0; }
+inline bool operator>=(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.compare(s2) >= 0; }
+inline bool operator>=(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.compare(s1) <= 0; }
+
+#else // if !wxUSE_STL
+
+inline bool operator==(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return (s1.Len() == s2.Len()) && (s1.Cmp(s2) == 0); }
+inline bool operator==(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) == 0; }
+inline bool operator==(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.Cmp(s1) == 0; }
+inline bool operator!=(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return (s1.Len() != s2.Len()) || (s1.Cmp(s2) != 0); }
+inline bool operator!=(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) != 0; }
+inline bool operator!=(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.Cmp(s1) != 0; }
+inline bool operator< (const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) < 0; }
+inline bool operator< (const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) <  0; }
+inline bool operator< (const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.Cmp(s1) >  0; }
+inline bool operator> (const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) >  0; }
+inline bool operator> (const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) >  0; }
+inline bool operator> (const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.Cmp(s1) <  0; }
+inline bool operator<=(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) <= 0; }
+inline bool operator<=(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) <= 0; }
+inline bool operator<=(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.Cmp(s1) >= 0; }
+inline bool operator>=(const wxString& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) >= 0; }
+inline bool operator>=(const wxString& s1, const wxChar  * s2)
+    { return s1.Cmp(s2) >= 0; }
+inline bool operator>=(const wxChar  * s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return s2.Cmp(s1) <= 0; }
+
+#endif // !wxUSE_STL
 
 // comparison with char
 inline bool operator==(wxChar c, const wxString& s) { return s.IsSameAs(c); }
@@ -1013,43 +1469,56 @@ inline bool operator==(const wxString& s1, const wxWCharBuffer& s2)
     { return (s1.Cmp((const wchar_t *)s2) == 0); }
 inline bool operator==(const wxWCharBuffer& s1, const wxString& s2)
     { return (s2.Cmp((const wchar_t *)s1) == 0); }
-#else
+inline bool operator!=(const wxString& s1, const wxWCharBuffer& s2)
+    { return (s1.Cmp((const wchar_t *)s2) != 0); }
+inline bool operator!=(const wxWCharBuffer& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return (s2.Cmp((const wchar_t *)s1) != 0); }
+#else // !wxUSE_UNICODE
 inline bool operator==(const wxString& s1, const wxCharBuffer& s2)
     { return (s1.Cmp((const char *)s2) == 0); }
 inline bool operator==(const wxCharBuffer& s1, const wxString& s2)
     { return (s2.Cmp((const char *)s1) == 0); }
-#endif
+inline bool operator!=(const wxString& s1, const wxCharBuffer& s2)
+    { return (s1.Cmp((const char *)s2) != 0); }
+inline bool operator!=(const wxCharBuffer& s1, const wxString& s2)
+    { return (s2.Cmp((const char *)s1) != 0); }
+#endif // wxUSE_UNICODE/!wxUSE_UNICODE
+
+#if !wxUSE_STL
+
+wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(const wxString& string1,  const wxString& string2);
+wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(const wxString& string, wxChar ch);
+wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(wxChar ch, const wxString& string);
+wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(const wxString& string, const wxChar *psz);
+wxString WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE operator+(const wxChar *psz, const wxString& string);
+
+#endif // !wxUSE_STL
 
-wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxString& string1,  const wxString& string2);
-wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxString& string, wxChar ch);
-wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(wxChar ch, const wxString& string);
-wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxString& string, const wxChar *psz);
-wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxChar *psz, const wxString& string);
 #if wxUSE_UNICODE
-inline wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxString& string, const wxWCharBuffer& buf)
+inline wxString operator+(const wxString& string, const wxWCharBuffer& buf)
     { return string + (const wchar_t *)buf; }
-inline wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxWCharBuffer& buf, const wxString& string)
+inline wxString operator+(const wxWCharBuffer& buf, const wxString& string)
     { return (const wchar_t *)buf + string; }
-#else
-inline wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxString& string, const wxCharBuffer& buf)
+#else // !wxUSE_UNICODE
+inline wxString operator+(const wxString& string, const wxCharBuffer& buf)
     { return string + (const char *)buf; }
-inline wxString WXDLLEXPORT operator+(const wxCharBuffer& buf, const wxString& string)
+inline wxString operator+(const wxCharBuffer& buf, const wxString& string)
     { return (const char *)buf + string; }
-#endif
+#endif // wxUSE_UNICODE/!wxUSE_UNICODE
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Implementation only from here until the end of file
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 // don't pollute the library user's name space
-#undef ASSERT_VALID_INDEX
+#undef wxASSERT_VALID_INDEX
 
-#if defined(wxSTD_STRING_COMPATIBILITY) && wxUSE_STD_IOSTREAM
+#if wxUSE_STD_IOSTREAM
 
-#include "wx/ioswrap.h"
+#include "wx/iosfwrap.h"
 
-WXDLLEXPORT istream& operator>>(istream&, wxString&);
-WXDLLEXPORT ostream& operator<<(ostream&, const wxString&);
+WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxSTD istream& operator>>(wxSTD istream&, wxString&);
+WXDLLIMPEXP_BASE wxSTD ostream& operator<<(wxSTD ostream&, const wxString&);
 
 #endif  // wxSTD_STRING_COMPATIBILITY