diff --git a/src/Actor.cpp b/src/Actor.cpp
index d9166fb303..64510543a2 100644
--- a/src/Actor.cpp
+++ b/src/Actor.cpp
@@ -1941,7 +1941,7 @@ public:
 	static int GetHAlign( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushnumber( L, p->GetHorizAlign() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetVAlign( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushnumber( L, p->GetVertAlign() ); return 1; }
 
-	static int GetName( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring( L, p->GetName() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetName( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring( L, p->GetName().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetParent( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		Actor *pParent = p->GetParent();
diff --git a/src/AdjustSync.cpp b/src/AdjustSync.cpp
index 6812625b8e..bb085b1c81 100644
--- a/src/AdjustSync.cpp
+++ b/src/AdjustSync.cpp
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ void AdjustSync::GetSyncChangeTextGlobal( std::vector<RString> &vsAddTo )
 		if( std::abs(fDelta) > 0.0001f )
 		{
 			vsAddTo.push_back( ssprintf(
-				GLOBAL_OFFSET_FROM.GetValue(),
+				GLOBAL_OFFSET_FROM.GetValue().c_str(),
 				fOld, fNew,
 				(fDelta > 0 ? EARLIER:LATER).GetValue().c_str() ));
 		}
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ void AdjustSync::GetSyncChangeTextSong( std::vector<RString> &vsAddTo )
 			if( std::abs(fDelta) > 0.0001f )
 			{
 				vsAddTo.push_back( ssprintf(
-					SONG_OFFSET_FROM.GetValue(),
+					SONG_OFFSET_FROM.GetValue().c_str(),
 					fOld,
 					fNew,
 					(fDelta > 0 ? EARLIER:LATER).GetValue().c_str() ) );
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ void AdjustSync::GetSyncChangeTextSong( std::vector<RString> &vsAddTo )
 				break;
 			}
 
-			RString s = ssprintf( TEMPO_SEGMENT_FROM.GetValue(),
+			RString s = ssprintf( TEMPO_SEGMENT_FROM.GetValue().c_str(),
 					FormatNumberAndSuffix(i+1).c_str(), fOld, fNew );
 
 			vsAddTo.push_back( s );
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ void AdjustSync::GetSyncChangeTextSong( std::vector<RString> &vsAddTo )
 				break;
 			}
 
-			RString s = ssprintf( CHANGED_STOP.GetValue(), i+1, fOld, fNew, fDelta );
+			RString s = ssprintf( CHANGED_STOP.GetValue().c_str(), i+1, fOld, fNew, fDelta );
 			vsAddTo.push_back( s );
 		}
 
@@ -426,18 +426,18 @@ void AdjustSync::GetSyncChangeTextSong( std::vector<RString> &vsAddTo )
 				break;
 			}
 
-			RString s = ssprintf( CHANGED_STOP.GetValue(),
+			RString s = ssprintf( CHANGED_STOP.GetValue().c_str(),
 				i+1, fOld, fNew, fDelta );
 			vsAddTo.push_back( s );
 		}
 
 		if( vsAddTo.size() > iOriginalSize && s_fAverageError > 0.0f )
 		{
-			vsAddTo.push_back( ssprintf(ERROR.GetValue(), s_fAverageError) );
+			vsAddTo.push_back( ssprintf(ERROR.GetValue().c_str(), s_fAverageError) );
 		}
 		if( vsAddTo.size() > iOriginalSize && s_iStepsFiltered > 0 )
 		{
-			vsAddTo.push_back( ssprintf(TAPS_IGNORED.GetValue(), s_iStepsFiltered) );
+			vsAddTo.push_back( ssprintf(TAPS_IGNORED.GetValue().c_str(), s_iStepsFiltered) );
 		}
 #undef SEGMENTS_MISMATCH_MESSAGE
 	}
diff --git a/src/AnnouncerManager.cpp b/src/AnnouncerManager.cpp
index 0325aacfc8..c87332a6ea 100644
--- a/src/AnnouncerManager.cpp
+++ b/src/AnnouncerManager.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ void AnnouncerManager::GetAnnouncerNames( std::vector<RString>& AddTo )
 
 	// strip out the empty announcer folder
 	for( int i=AddTo.size()-1; i>=0; i-- )
-		if( !strcasecmp( AddTo[i], EMPTY_ANNOUNCER_NAME ) )
+		if( !strcasecmp( AddTo[i].c_str(), EMPTY_ANNOUNCER_NAME.c_str() ) )
 			AddTo.erase(AddTo.begin()+i, AddTo.begin()+i+1 );
 }
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ bool AnnouncerManager::DoesAnnouncerExist( RString sAnnouncerName )
 	std::vector<RString> asAnnouncerNames;
 	GetAnnouncerNames( asAnnouncerNames );
 	for( unsigned i=0; i<asAnnouncerNames.size(); i++ )
-		if( 0==strcasecmp(sAnnouncerName, asAnnouncerNames[i]) )
+		if( 0==strcasecmp(sAnnouncerName.c_str(), asAnnouncerNames[i].c_str()) )
 			return true;
 	return false;
 }
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ public:
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			lua_pushstring(L, s );
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str() );
 		}
 		return 1;
 	}
diff --git a/src/BGAnimation.cpp b/src/BGAnimation.cpp
index ce38ec800c..8f4cefd807 100644
--- a/src/BGAnimation.cpp
+++ b/src/BGAnimation.cpp
@@ -27,9 +27,9 @@ static bool CompareLayerNames( const RString& s1, const RString& s2 )
 	int i1, i2;
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = sscanf( s1, "Layer%d", &i1 );
+	ret = sscanf( s1.c_str(), "Layer%d", &i1 );
 	ASSERT( ret == 1 );
-	ret = sscanf( s2, "Layer%d", &i2 );
+	ret = sscanf( s2.c_str(), "Layer%d", &i2 );
 	ASSERT( ret == 1 );
 	return i1 < i2;
 }
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ void BGAnimation::AddLayersFromAniDir( const RString &_sAniDir, const XNode *pNo
 		std::vector<RString> vsLayerNames;
 		FOREACH_CONST_Child( pNode, pLayer )
 		{
-			if( strncmp(pLayer->GetName(), "Layer", 5) == 0 )
+			if( strncmp(pLayer->GetName().c_str(), "Layer", 5) == 0 )
 				vsLayerNames.push_back( pLayer->GetName() );
 		}
 
diff --git a/src/BPMDisplay.cpp b/src/BPMDisplay.cpp
index 578419c897..57f7f57801 100644
--- a/src/BPMDisplay.cpp
+++ b/src/BPMDisplay.cpp
@@ -82,9 +82,9 @@ void BPMDisplay::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 		{
 			m_fBPMFrom = -1;
 			if( (bool)SHOW_QMARKS )
-				SetText( (RandomFloat(0,1)>0.90f) ? (RString)QUESTIONMARKS_TEXT : ssprintf((RString)BPM_FORMAT_STRING,RandomFloat(0,999)) );
+				SetText( (RandomFloat(0,1)>0.90f) ? (RString)QUESTIONMARKS_TEXT : ssprintf(((RString)BPM_FORMAT_STRING).c_str(),RandomFloat(0,999)) );
 			else
-				SetText( ssprintf((RString)BPM_FORMAT_STRING, RandomFloat(0,999)) );
+				SetText( ssprintf(((RString)BPM_FORMAT_STRING).c_str(), RandomFloat(0,999)) );
 		}
 		else if(m_fBPMFrom == -1)
 		{
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ void BPMDisplay::Update( float fDeltaTime )
 	if( m_fBPMTo != -1)
 	{
 		const float fActualBPM = GetActiveBPM();
-		SetText( ssprintf((RString)BPM_FORMAT_STRING, fActualBPM) );
+		SetText( ssprintf(((RString)BPM_FORMAT_STRING).c_str(), fActualBPM) );
 	}
 }
 
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ public:
 		}
 		COMMON_RETURN_SELF;
 	}
-	static int GetText( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring( L, p->GetText() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetText( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring( L, p->GetText().c_str() ); return 1; }
 
 	LunaBPMDisplay()
 	{
diff --git a/src/BitmapText.cpp b/src/BitmapText.cpp
index b3dfc1ff91..3ef8456bdc 100644
--- a/src/BitmapText.cpp
+++ b/src/BitmapText.cpp
@@ -1087,7 +1087,7 @@ public:
 	static int distort( T* p, lua_State *L) { p->SetDistortion( FArg(1) ); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	static int undistort( T* p, lua_State *L) { p->UnSetDistortion(); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	GETTER_SETTER_BOOL_METHOD(mult_attrs_with_diffuse);
-	static int GetText( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring( L, p->GetText() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetText( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring( L, p->GetText().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int AddAttribute( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		size_t iPos = IArg(1);
diff --git a/src/Character.cpp b/src/Character.cpp
index 45272243f3..8d2f4285fd 100644
--- a/src/Character.cpp
+++ b/src/Character.cpp
@@ -213,17 +213,17 @@ void Character::UndemandGraphics()
 class LunaCharacter: public Luna<Character>
 {
 public:
-	static int GetCardPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetCardPath() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetIconPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetIconPath() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetSongSelectIconPath( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSongSelectIconPath() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetStageIconPath( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetStageIconPath() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetModelPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetModelPath() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetRestAnimationPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetRestAnimationPath() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetWarmUpAnimationPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetWarmUpAnimationPath() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetDanceAnimationPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDanceAnimationPath() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetCharacterDir( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sCharDir ); return 1; }
-	static int GetCharacterID( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sCharacterID ); return 1; }
-	static int GetDisplayName( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayName() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetCardPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetCardPath().c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetIconPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetIconPath().c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetSongSelectIconPath( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSongSelectIconPath().c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetStageIconPath( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetStageIconPath().c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetModelPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetModelPath().c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetRestAnimationPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetRestAnimationPath().c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetWarmUpAnimationPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetWarmUpAnimationPath().c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetDanceAnimationPath( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDanceAnimationPath().c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetCharacterDir( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sCharDir.c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetCharacterID( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sCharacterID.c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetDisplayName( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayName().c_str() ); return 1; }
 
 	LunaCharacter()
 	{
diff --git a/src/Course.cpp b/src/Course.cpp
index 8910be4e02..317ec448dc 100644
--- a/src/Course.cpp
+++ b/src/Course.cpp
@@ -1310,8 +1310,8 @@ class LunaCourse: public Luna<Course>
 {
 public:
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetPlayMode, GetPlayMode() )
-	static int GetDisplayFullTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayFullTitle() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetTranslitFullTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitFullTitle() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetDisplayFullTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayFullTitle().c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetTranslitFullTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitFullTitle().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int HasMods( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushboolean(L, p->HasMods() ); return 1; }
 	static int HasTimedMods( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushboolean( L, p->HasTimedMods() ); return 1; }
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetCourseType, GetCourseType() )
@@ -1352,12 +1352,12 @@ public:
 	}
 	static int GetBannerPath( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ RString s = p->GetBannerPath(); if( s.empty() ) return 0; LuaHelpers::Push(L, s); return 1; }
 	static int GetBackgroundPath( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ RString s = p->GetBackgroundPath(); if( s.empty() ) return 0; LuaHelpers::Push(L, s); return 1; }
-	static int GetCourseDir( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sPath ); return 1; }
-	static int GetGroupName( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sGroupName ); return 1; }
+	static int GetCourseDir( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sPath.c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetGroupName( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sGroupName.c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int IsAutogen( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushboolean(L, p->m_bIsAutogen ); return 1; }
 	static int GetEstimatedNumStages( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetEstimatedNumStages() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetScripter( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sScripter ); return 1; }
-	static int GetDescription( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sDescription ); return 1; }
+	static int GetScripter( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sScripter.c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetDescription( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sDescription.c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetTotalSeconds( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		StepsType st = Enum::Check<StepsType>(L, 1);
diff --git a/src/CourseLoaderCRS.cpp b/src/CourseLoaderCRS.cpp
index 6dbd1710f1..3d831621b9 100644
--- a/src/CourseLoaderCRS.cpp
+++ b/src/CourseLoaderCRS.cpp
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ bool CourseLoaderCRS::ParseCourseSong( const MsdFile::value_t &sParams, CourseEn
 
 	if( new_entry.stepsCriteria.m_difficulty == Difficulty_Invalid )
 	{
-		int retval = sscanf( sParams[2], "%d..%d", &new_entry.stepsCriteria.m_iLowMeter, &new_entry.stepsCriteria.m_iHighMeter );
+		int retval = sscanf( sParams[2].c_str(), "%d..%d", &new_entry.stepsCriteria.m_iLowMeter, &new_entry.stepsCriteria.m_iHighMeter );
 		if( retval == 1 )
 			new_entry.stepsCriteria.m_iHighMeter = new_entry.stepsCriteria.m_iLowMeter;
 		else if( retval != 2 )
diff --git a/src/CourseUtil.cpp b/src/CourseUtil.cpp
index 177bfbcc31..46a8dd2e3c 100644
--- a/src/CourseUtil.cpp
+++ b/src/CourseUtil.cpp
@@ -425,9 +425,9 @@ bool EditCourseUtil::ValidateEditCourseName( const RString &sAnswer, RString &sE
 	}
 
 	static const RString sInvalidChars = "\\/:*?\"<>|";
-	if( strpbrk(sAnswer, sInvalidChars) != nullptr )
+	if( strpbrk(sAnswer.c_str(), sInvalidChars.c_str()) != nullptr )
 	{
-		sErrorOut = ssprintf( EDIT_NAME_CANNOT_CONTAIN.GetValue(), sInvalidChars.c_str() );
+		sErrorOut = ssprintf( EDIT_NAME_CANNOT_CONTAIN.GetValue().c_str(), sInvalidChars.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/CreateZip.cpp b/src/CreateZip.cpp
index b662ab7e29..c516c42954 100644
--- a/src/CreateZip.cpp
+++ b/src/CreateZip.cpp
@@ -1009,12 +1009,12 @@ RString MakeDestZipFileName( RString fn )
 }
 bool CreateZip::AddFile(RString fn)
 {
-	lasterrorZ = hz->Add(MakeDestZipFileName(fn),fn,ZIP_FILENAME);
+	lasterrorZ = hz->Add(MakeDestZipFileName(fn).c_str(),fn.c_str(),ZIP_FILENAME);
 	return lasterrorZ == ZR_OK;
 }
 bool CreateZip::AddDir(RString fn)
 {
-	lasterrorZ = hz->Add(MakeDestZipFileName(fn),nullptr,ZIP_FOLDER);
+	lasterrorZ = hz->Add(MakeDestZipFileName(fn).c_str(),nullptr,ZIP_FOLDER);
 	return lasterrorZ == ZR_OK;
 }
 bool CreateZip::Finish()
diff --git a/src/CryptManager.cpp b/src/CryptManager.cpp
index 168c035c62..d9a8293640 100644
--- a/src/CryptManager.cpp
+++ b/src/CryptManager.cpp
@@ -493,49 +493,49 @@ public:
 	{
 		RString md5out;
 		md5out = p->GetMD5ForString(SArg(1));
-		lua_pushlstring(L, md5out, md5out.size());
+		lua_pushlstring(L, md5out.c_str(), md5out.size());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int MD5File( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString md5fout;
 		md5fout = p->GetMD5ForFile(SArg(1));
-		lua_pushlstring(L, md5fout, md5fout.size());
+		lua_pushlstring(L, md5fout.c_str(), md5fout.size());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int SHA1String( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString sha1out;
 		sha1out = p->GetSHA1ForString(SArg(1));
-		lua_pushlstring(L, sha1out, sha1out.size());
+		lua_pushlstring(L, sha1out.c_str(), sha1out.size());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int SHA1File( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString sha1fout;
 		sha1fout = p->GetSHA1ForFile(SArg(1));
-		lua_pushlstring(L, sha1fout, sha1fout.size());
+		lua_pushlstring(L, sha1fout.c_str(), sha1fout.size());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int SHA256String( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString sha256out;
 		sha256out = p->GetSHA256ForString(SArg(1));
-		lua_pushlstring(L, sha256out, sha256out.size());
+		lua_pushlstring(L, sha256out.c_str(), sha256out.size());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int SHA256File( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString sha256fout;
 		sha256fout = p->GetSHA256ForFile(SArg(1));
-		lua_pushlstring(L, sha256fout, sha256fout.size());
+		lua_pushlstring(L, sha256fout.c_str(), sha256fout.size());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GenerateRandomUUID( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString uuidOut;
 		uuidOut = p->GenerateRandomUUID();
-		lua_pushlstring(L, uuidOut, uuidOut.size());
+		lua_pushlstring(L, uuidOut.c_str(), uuidOut.size());
 		return 1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/DateTime.cpp b/src/DateTime.cpp
index 2208af09b2..7304ac3818 100644
--- a/src/DateTime.cpp
+++ b/src/DateTime.cpp
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ bool DateTime::FromString( const RString sDateTime )
 
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = sscanf( sDateTime, "%d-%d-%d %d:%d:%d", 
+	ret = sscanf( sDateTime.c_str(), "%d-%d-%d %d:%d:%d", 
 		&tm_year,
 		&tm_mon,
 		&tm_mday,
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ bool DateTime::FromString( const RString sDateTime )
 		&tm_sec );
 	if( ret != 6 )
 	{
-		ret = sscanf( sDateTime, "%d-%d-%d", 
+		ret = sscanf( sDateTime.c_str(), "%d-%d-%d", 
 			&tm_year,
 			&tm_mon,
 			&tm_mday );
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ RString DayInYearToString( int iDayInYear )
 int StringToDayInYear( RString sDayInYear )
 {
 	int iDayInYear;
-	if( sscanf( sDayInYear, "DayInYear%d", &iDayInYear ) != 1 )
+	if( sscanf( sDayInYear.c_str(), "DayInYear%d", &iDayInYear ) != 1 )
 		return -1;
 	return iDayInYear;
 }
diff --git a/src/EnumHelper.h b/src/EnumHelper.h
index 9b71e21a8d..ec2dda70d5 100644
--- a/src/EnumHelper.h
+++ b/src/EnumHelper.h
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ static void Lua##X(lua_State* L) \
 	FOREACH_ENUM( X, i ) \
 	{ \
 		RString s = X##ToString( i ); \
-		lua_pushstring( L, (#X "_")+s ); \
+		lua_pushstring( L, ((#X "_")+s).c_str() ); \
 		lua_rawseti( L, -2, i+1 ); /* 1-based */ \
 	} \
 	EnumTraits<X>::EnumToString.SetFromStack( L ); \
@@ -144,12 +144,12 @@ static void Lua##X(lua_State* L) \
 	FOREACH_ENUM( X, i ) \
 	{ \
 		RString s = X##ToString( i ); \
-		lua_pushstring( L, (#X "_")+s ); \
+		lua_pushstring( L, ((#X "_")+s).c_str() ); \
 		lua_pushnumber( L, i ); /* 0-based */ \
 		lua_rawset( L, -3 ); \
 		/* Compatibility with old, case-insensitive values */ \
 		s.MakeLower(); \
-		lua_pushstring( L, s ); \
+		lua_pushstring( L, s.c_str() ); \
 		lua_pushnumber( L, i ); /* 0-based */ \
 		lua_rawset( L, -3 ); \
 		/* Compatibility with old, raw values */ \
diff --git a/src/GameCommand.cpp b/src/GameCommand.cpp
index db5627de9b..1f2bc25b00 100644
--- a/src/GameCommand.cpp
+++ b/src/GameCommand.cpp
@@ -467,8 +467,8 @@ void GameCommand::LoadOne( const Command& cmd )
 		if( cmd.m_vsArgs.size() == 3 )
 		{
 			m_bFadeMusic = true;
-			m_fMusicFadeOutVolume = static_cast<float>(atof( cmd.m_vsArgs[1] ));
-			m_fMusicFadeOutSeconds = static_cast<float>(atof( cmd.m_vsArgs[2] ));
+			m_fMusicFadeOutVolume = static_cast<float>(atof( cmd.m_vsArgs[1].c_str() ));
+			m_fMusicFadeOutSeconds = static_cast<float>(atof( cmd.m_vsArgs[2].c_str() ));
 		}
 		else
 		{
@@ -797,8 +797,8 @@ void GameCommand::ApplySelf( const std::vector<PlayerNumber> &vpns ) const
 	{
 		Lua *L = LUA->Get();
 		GAMESTATE->m_Environment->PushSelf(L);
-		lua_pushstring( L, i->first );
-		lua_pushstring( L, i->second );
+		lua_pushstring( L, i->first.c_str() );
+		lua_pushstring( L, i->second.c_str() );
 		lua_settable( L, -3 );
 		lua_pop( L, 1 );
 		LUA->Release(L);
@@ -912,27 +912,27 @@ bool GameCommand::IsZero() const
 class LunaGameCommand: public Luna<GameCommand>
 {
 public:
-	static int GetName( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sName ); return 1; }
-	static int GetText( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sText ); return 1; }
+	static int GetName( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sName.c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetText( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sText.c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetIndex( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->m_iIndex ); return 1; }
 	static int GetMultiPlayer( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->m_MultiPlayer); return 1; }
 	static int GetStyle( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ if(p->m_pStyle== nullptr) lua_pushnil(L); else {Style *pStyle = (Style*)p->m_pStyle; pStyle->PushSelf(L);} return 1; }
-	static int GetScreen( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sScreen ); return 1; }
-	static int GetProfileID( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sProfileID ); return 1; }
+	static int GetScreen( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sScreen.c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetProfileID( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sProfileID.c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetSong( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ if(p->m_pSong== nullptr) lua_pushnil(L); else p->m_pSong->PushSelf(L); return 1; }
 	static int GetSteps( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ if(p->m_pSteps== nullptr) lua_pushnil(L); else p->m_pSteps->PushSelf(L); return 1; }
 	static int GetCourse( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ if(p->m_pCourse== nullptr) lua_pushnil(L); else p->m_pCourse->PushSelf(L); return 1; }
 	static int GetTrail( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ if(p->m_pTrail== nullptr) lua_pushnil(L); else p->m_pTrail->PushSelf(L); return 1; }
 	static int GetCharacter( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ if(p->m_pCharacter== nullptr) lua_pushnil(L); else p->m_pCharacter->PushSelf(L); return 1; }
-	static int GetSongGroup( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sSongGroup ); return 1; }
+	static int GetSongGroup( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sSongGroup.c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetUrl(T* p, lua_State* L)
 	{
 		LOG->Warn("GetUrl usage has been deprecated.");
 		return 1;
 	}
-	static int GetAnnouncer( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sAnnouncer ); return 1; }
-	static int GetPreferredModifiers( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sPreferredModifiers ); return 1; }
-	static int GetStageModifiers( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sStageModifiers ); return 1; }
+	static int GetAnnouncer( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sAnnouncer.c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetPreferredModifiers( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sPreferredModifiers.c_str() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetStageModifiers( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sStageModifiers.c_str() ); return 1; }
 
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetCourseDifficulty,	m_CourseDifficulty )
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetDifficulty,	m_dc )
diff --git a/src/GameInput.cpp b/src/GameInput.cpp
index 4f325f6693..3efcd75419 100644
--- a/src/GameInput.cpp
+++ b/src/GameInput.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ bool GameInput::FromString( const InputScheme* pInputs, const RString &s )
 	char szController[32] = "";
 	char szButton[32] = "";
 
-	if( 2 != sscanf( s, "%31[^_]_%31[^_]", szController, szButton ) )
+	if( 2 != sscanf( s.c_str(), "%31[^_]_%31[^_]", szController, szButton ) )
 	{
 		controller = GameController_Invalid;
 		return false;
diff --git a/src/GameManager.cpp b/src/GameManager.cpp
index a006c7856b..942980959b 100644
--- a/src/GameManager.cpp
+++ b/src/GameManager.cpp
@@ -3499,7 +3499,7 @@ const Style* GameManager::GameAndStringToStyle( const Game *game, RString sStyle
 class LunaGameManager: public Luna<GameManager>
 {
 public:
-	static int StepsTypeToLocalizedString( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetStepsTypeInfo(Enum::Check<StepsType>(L, 1)).GetLocalizedString() ); return 1; }
+	static int StepsTypeToLocalizedString( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetStepsTypeInfo(Enum::Check<StepsType>(L, 1)).GetLocalizedString().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetFirstStepsTypeForGame( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		Game *pGame = Luna<Game>::check( L, 1 );
diff --git a/src/GameState.cpp b/src/GameState.cpp
index fb29f552f7..0c02a34a63 100644
--- a/src/GameState.cpp
+++ b/src/GameState.cpp
@@ -2948,7 +2948,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		SongOptions so;
 		p->GetDefaultSongOptions( so );
-		lua_pushstring(L, so.GetString());
+		lua_pushstring(L, so.GetString().c_str());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int ApplyPreferredSongOptionsToOtherLevels(T* p, lua_State* L)
@@ -3033,8 +3033,8 @@ public:
 			const Steps* pSteps = vpStepsToShow[i];
 			RString sDifficulty = CustomDifficultyToLocalizedString( GetCustomDifficulty( pSteps->m_StepsType, pSteps->GetDifficulty(), CourseType_Invalid ) );
 
-			lua_pushstring( L, sDifficulty );
-			lua_pushstring( L, pSteps->GetDescription() );
+			lua_pushstring( L, sDifficulty.c_str() );
+			lua_pushstring( L, pSteps->GetDescription().c_str() );
 		}
 
 		return vpStepsToShow.size()*2;
@@ -3114,7 +3114,7 @@ public:
 			p->m_pCurCharacters[Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1)] = c;
 		COMMON_RETURN_SELF;
 	}
-	static int GetExpandedSectionName( T* p, lua_State *L )				{ lua_pushstring(L, p->sExpandedSectionName); return 1; }
+	static int GetExpandedSectionName( T* p, lua_State *L )				{ lua_pushstring(L, p->sExpandedSectionName.c_str()); return 1; }
 	static int AddStageToPlayer( T* p, lua_State *L )				{ p->AddStageToPlayer(Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1)); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	static int InsertCoin( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
diff --git a/src/Group.cpp b/src/Group.cpp
index e321f93667..f195a73f39 100644
--- a/src/Group.cpp
+++ b/src/Group.cpp
@@ -148,30 +148,30 @@ class LunaGroup: public Luna<Group>
 public:
 	static int GetGroupName(T* p, lua_State *L)
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetGroupName());
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetGroupName().c_str());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetSortTitle(T* p, lua_State *L)
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSortTitle());
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSortTitle().c_str());
         return 1;
     }
 
     static int GetDisplayTitle(T* p, lua_State *L)
     {
-        lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayTitle());
+        lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayTitle().c_str());
         return 1;
     }
 
     static int GetTranslitTitle(T* p, lua_State *L)
     {
-        lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitTitle());
+        lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitTitle().c_str());
         return 1;
     }
 
     static int GetSeries(T* p, lua_State *L)
     {
-        lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSeries());
+        lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSeries().c_str());
         return 1;
     }
 
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ public:
 
     static int GetBannerPath(T* p, lua_State *L)
     {
-        lua_pushstring(L, p->GetBannerPath());
+        lua_pushstring(L, p->GetBannerPath().c_str());
         return 1;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/HighScore.cpp b/src/HighScore.cpp
index 8a8a8a303d..c7f996109b 100644
--- a/src/HighScore.cpp
+++ b/src/HighScore.cpp
@@ -479,10 +479,10 @@ void Screenshot::LoadFromNode( const XNode* pNode )
 class LunaHighScore: public Luna<HighScore>
 {
 public:
-	static int GetName( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetName() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetName( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetName().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetScore( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetScore() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetPercentDP( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetPercentDP() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetDate( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDateTime().GetString() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetDate( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDateTime().GetString().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetSurvivalSeconds( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetSurvivalSeconds() ); return 1; }
 	static int IsFillInMarker( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ public:
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetMaxCombo( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetMaxCombo() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetModifiers( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetModifiers() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetModifiers( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetModifiers().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetTapNoteScore( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetTapNoteScore( Enum::Check<TapNoteScore>(L, 1) ) ); return 1; }
 	static int GetHoldNoteScore( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetHoldNoteScore( Enum::Check<HoldNoteScore>(L, 1) ) ); return 1; }
 	static int GetRadarValues( T* p, lua_State *L )
diff --git a/src/InputMapper.cpp b/src/InputMapper.cpp
index 75bef4d15c..544c62ca75 100644
--- a/src/InputMapper.cpp
+++ b/src/InputMapper.cpp
@@ -1145,7 +1145,7 @@ MultiPlayer InputMapper::InputDeviceToMultiPlayer( InputDevice id )
 GameButton InputScheme::ButtonNameToIndex( const RString &sButtonName ) const
 {
 	for( GameButton gb=(GameButton) 0; gb<m_iButtonsPerController; gb=(GameButton)(gb+1) )
-		if( strcasecmp(GetGameButtonName(gb), sButtonName) == 0 )
+		if( strcasecmp(GetGameButtonName(gb), sButtonName.c_str()) == 0 )
 			return gb;
 
 	return GameButton_Invalid;
diff --git a/src/LifeMeterBattery.cpp b/src/LifeMeterBattery.cpp
index 250549301a..ac4e3cdb51 100644
--- a/src/LifeMeterBattery.cpp
+++ b/src/LifeMeterBattery.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ int LifeMeterBattery::GetRemainingLives() const
 }
 void LifeMeterBattery::Refresh()
 {
-	m_textNumLives.SetText( ssprintf(LIVES_FORMAT.GetValue(), m_iLivesLeft) );
+	m_textNumLives.SetText( ssprintf(LIVES_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), m_iLivesLeft) );
 	if( m_iLivesLeft < 0 )
 	{
 		// hide text to avoid showing -1
diff --git a/src/LuaBinding.cpp b/src/LuaBinding.cpp
index feeb46a834..fc033790fc 100644
--- a/src/LuaBinding.cpp
+++ b/src/LuaBinding.cpp
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ void LuaBinding::Register( lua_State *L )
 	int methods = lua_gettop( L );
 
 	/* Create a metatable for the userdata objects. */
-	luaL_newmetatable( L, GetClassName() );
+	luaL_newmetatable( L, GetClassName().c_str() );
 	int metatable = lua_gettop( L );
 
 	// We use the metatable to determine the type of the table, so don't
@@ -101,17 +101,17 @@ void LuaBinding::Register( lua_State *L )
 	// to the base class.
 	if( IsDerivedClass() )
 	{
-		lua_getfield( L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, GetBaseClassName() );
+		lua_getfield( L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, GetBaseClassName().c_str() );
 		lua_setfield( L, methods_metatable, "__index" );
 
-		lua_pushstring( L, GetBaseClassName() );
+		lua_pushstring( L, GetBaseClassName().c_str() );
 		lua_setfield( L, metatable, "base" );
 	}
 
-	lua_pushstring( L, GetClassName() );
+	lua_pushstring( L, GetClassName().c_str() );
 	lua_setfield( L, methods_metatable, "class" );
 
-	lua_pushstring( L, GetClassName() );
+	lua_pushstring( L, GetClassName().c_str() );
 	LuaHelpers::PushValueFunc( L, 1 );
 	lua_setfield( L, metatable, "__type" ); // for luaL_pushtype
 
@@ -123,12 +123,12 @@ void LuaBinding::Register( lua_State *L )
 		int iIndex = 0;
 		while( !sClass.empty() )
 		{
-			lua_pushstring( L, sClass );
+			lua_pushstring( L, sClass.c_str() );
 			lua_pushinteger( L, iIndex );
 			lua_rawset( L, iHeirarchyTable );
 			++iIndex;
 
-			luaL_getmetatable( L, sClass );
+			luaL_getmetatable( L, sClass.c_str() );
 			ASSERT( !lua_isnil(L, -1) );
 			lua_getfield( L, -1, "base" );
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ void LuaBinding::CreateMethodsTable( lua_State *L, const RString &sName )
 {
 	lua_newtable( L );
 	lua_pushvalue( L, -1 );
-	lua_setfield( L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, sName );
+	lua_setfield( L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX, sName.c_str() );
 }
 
 int LuaBinding::PushEqual( lua_State *L )
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ void LuaBinding::ApplyDerivedType( Lua *L, const RString &sClassName, void *pSel
 		lua_settop( L, iTable );
 	}
 
-	luaL_getmetatable( L, sClassName );
+	luaL_getmetatable( L, sClassName.c_str() );
 	lua_setmetatable( L, iTable );
 }
 
diff --git a/src/LuaBinding.h b/src/LuaBinding.h
index c9c45ac2f6..98148fe831 100644
--- a/src/LuaBinding.h
+++ b/src/LuaBinding.h
@@ -74,12 +74,12 @@ public:
 	// Get userdata from the Lua stack and return a pointer to T object.
 	static T *check( lua_State *L, int narg, bool bIsSelf = false )
 	{
-		if( !LuaBinding::CheckLuaObjectType(L, narg, m_sClassName) )
+		if( !LuaBinding::CheckLuaObjectType(L, narg, m_sClassName.c_str()) )
 		{
 			if( bIsSelf )
-				luaL_typerror( L, narg, m_sClassName );
+				luaL_typerror( L, narg, m_sClassName.c_str() );
 			else
-				LuaHelpers::TypeError( L, narg, m_sClassName );
+				LuaHelpers::TypeError( L, narg, m_sClassName.c_str() );
 		}
 
 		return get( L, narg );
diff --git a/src/LuaManager.cpp b/src/LuaManager.cpp
index 8d80d2ba29..1f43a3a463 100644
--- a/src/LuaManager.cpp
+++ b/src/LuaManager.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void LuaManager::SetGlobal( const RString &sName, int val )
 {
 	Lua *L = Get();
 	LuaHelpers::Push( L, val );
-	lua_setglobal( L, sName );
+	lua_setglobal( L, sName.c_str() );
 	Release( L );
 }
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void LuaManager::SetGlobal( const RString &sName, const RString &val )
 {
 	Lua *L = Get();
 	LuaHelpers::Push( L, val );
-	lua_setglobal( L, sName );
+	lua_setglobal( L, sName.c_str() );
 	Release( L );
 }
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void LuaManager::UnsetGlobal( const RString &sName )
 {
 	Lua *L = Get();
 	lua_pushnil( L );
-	lua_setglobal( L, sName );
+	lua_setglobal( L, sName.c_str() );
 	Release( L );
 }
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ namespace
 
 		FOREACH_CONST_Attr( pNode, pAttr )
 		{
-			lua_pushstring( L, pAttr->first );			// push key
+			lua_pushstring( L, pAttr->first.c_str() );			// push key
 			pNode->PushAttrValue( L, pAttr->first );	// push value
 
 			//add key-value pair to our table
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ namespace
 		FOREACH_CONST_Child( pNode, c )
 		{
 			const XNode *pChild = c;
-			lua_pushstring( L, pChild->m_sName ); // push key
+			lua_pushstring( L, pChild->m_sName.c_str() ); // push key
 
 			// push value (more correctly, build this child's table and leave it there)
 			CreateTableFromXNodeRecursive( L, pChild );
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ bool LuaHelpers::RunScriptFile( const RString &sFile )
 bool LuaHelpers::LoadScript( Lua *L, const RString &sScript, const RString &sName, RString &sError )
 {
 	// load string
-	int ret = luaL_loadbuffer( L, sScript.data(), sScript.size(), sName );
+	int ret = luaL_loadbuffer( L, sScript.data(), sScript.size(), sName.c_str() );
 	if( ret )
 	{
 		LuaHelpers::Pop( L, sError );
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ namespace
 	static int CheckType( lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString sType = SArg(1);
-		bool bRet = LuaBinding::CheckLuaObjectType( L, 2, sType );
+		bool bRet = LuaBinding::CheckLuaObjectType( L, 2, sType.c_str() );
 		LuaHelpers::Push( L, bRet );
 		return 1;
 	}
diff --git a/src/LuaReference.cpp b/src/LuaReference.cpp
index 38e386e9d5..ea87f066a6 100644
--- a/src/LuaReference.cpp
+++ b/src/LuaReference.cpp
@@ -190,14 +190,14 @@ void LuaTable::Set( Lua *L, const RString &sKey )
 	int iTop = lua_gettop( L );
 	this->PushSelf( L );
 	lua_pushvalue( L, iTop ); // push the value
-	lua_setfield( L, -2, sKey );
+	lua_setfield( L, -2, sKey.c_str() );
 	lua_settop( L, iTop-1 ); // remove all of the above
 }
 
 void LuaTable::Get( Lua *L, const RString &sKey )
 {
 	this->PushSelf( L );
-	lua_getfield( L, -1, sKey );
+	lua_getfield( L, -1, sKey.c_str() );
 	lua_remove( L, -2 ); // remove self
 }
 
diff --git a/src/MemoryCardManager.cpp b/src/MemoryCardManager.cpp
index 0927c9c1db..2bee98b14a 100644
--- a/src/MemoryCardManager.cpp
+++ b/src/MemoryCardManager.cpp
@@ -731,7 +731,7 @@ public:
 	static int GetName( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		PlayerNumber pn = Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1);
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetName(pn) );
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetName(pn).c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/Model.cpp b/src/Model.cpp
index 19a3295966..c2075d175b 100644
--- a/src/Model.cpp
+++ b/src/Model.cpp
@@ -146,16 +146,16 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 	{
 		iLineNum++;
 
-		if( !strncmp (sLine, "//", 2) )
+		if( !strncmp (sLine.c_str(), "//", 2) )
 			continue;
 
 		int nFrame;
-		if( sscanf(sLine, "Frames: %d", &nFrame) == 1 )
+		if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "Frames: %d", &nFrame) == 1 )
 		{
 			// ignore
 			// m_pModel->nTotalFrames = nFrame;
 		}
-		if( sscanf(sLine, "Frame: %d", &nFrame) == 1 )
+		if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "Frame: %d", &nFrame) == 1 )
 		{
 			// ignore
 			// m_pModel->nFrame = nFrame;
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 
 		// materials
 		int nNumMaterials = 0;
-		if( sscanf(sLine, "Materials: %d", &nNumMaterials) == 1 )
+		if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "Materials: %d", &nNumMaterials) == 1 )
 		{
 			m_Materials.resize( nNumMaterials );
 
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 				// name
 				if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 					THROW;
-				if( sscanf(sLine, "\"%255[^\"]\"", szName) != 1 )
+				if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "\"%255[^\"]\"", szName) != 1 )
 					THROW;
 				Material.sName = szName;
 
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 				if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 					THROW;
 				RageVector4 Ambient;
-				if( sscanf(sLine, "%f %f %f %f", &Ambient[0], &Ambient[1], &Ambient[2], &Ambient[3]) != 4 )
+				if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "%f %f %f %f", &Ambient[0], &Ambient[1], &Ambient[2], &Ambient[3]) != 4 )
 					THROW;
 				Material.Ambient = Ambient;
 
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 				if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 					THROW;
 				RageVector4 Diffuse;
-				if( sscanf(sLine, "%f %f %f %f", &Diffuse[0], &Diffuse[1], &Diffuse[2], &Diffuse[3]) != 4 )
+				if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "%f %f %f %f", &Diffuse[0], &Diffuse[1], &Diffuse[2], &Diffuse[3]) != 4 )
 					THROW;
 				Material.Diffuse = Diffuse;
 
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 				if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 					THROW;
 				RageVector4 Specular;
-				if( sscanf(sLine, "%f %f %f %f", &Specular[0], &Specular[1], &Specular[2], &Specular[3]) != 4 )
+				if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "%f %f %f %f", &Specular[0], &Specular[1], &Specular[2], &Specular[3]) != 4 )
 					THROW;
 				Material.Specular = Specular;
 
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 				if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 					THROW;
 				RageVector4 Emissive;
-				if( sscanf (sLine, "%f %f %f %f", &Emissive[0], &Emissive[1], &Emissive[2], &Emissive[3]) != 4 )
+				if( sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "%f %f %f %f", &Emissive[0], &Emissive[1], &Emissive[2], &Emissive[3]) != 4 )
 					THROW;
 				Material.Emissive = Emissive;
 
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 				if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 					THROW;
 				strcpy( szName, "" );
-				sscanf( sLine, "\"%255[^\"]\"", szName );
+				sscanf( sLine.c_str(), "\"%255[^\"]\"", szName );
 				RString sDiffuseTexture = szName;
 
 				if( sDiffuseTexture == "" )
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ void Model::LoadMaterialsFromMilkshapeAscii( const RString &_sPath )
 				if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 					THROW;
 				strcpy( szName, "" );
-				sscanf( sLine, "\"%255[^\"]\"", szName );
+				sscanf( sLine.c_str(), "\"%255[^\"]\"", szName );
 				RString sAlphaTexture = szName;
 
 				if( sAlphaTexture == "" )
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ public:
 	static int position( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ p->SetPosition( FArg(1) ); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	static int playanimation( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ p->PlayAnimation(SArg(1),FArg(2)); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	static int SetDefaultAnimation( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ p->SetDefaultAnimation(SArg(1),FArg(2)); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
-	static int GetDefaultAnimation( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring( L, p->GetDefaultAnimation() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetDefaultAnimation( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring( L, p->GetDefaultAnimation().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int loop( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ p->SetLoop(BArg(1)); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	static int rate( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ p->SetRate(FArg(1)); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	static int GetNumStates( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushnumber( L, p->GetNumStates() ); return 1; }
diff --git a/src/ModelTypes.cpp b/src/ModelTypes.cpp
index 6ed14f885c..19b67b066a 100644
--- a/src/ModelTypes.cpp
+++ b/src/ModelTypes.cpp
@@ -241,12 +241,12 @@ bool msAnimation::LoadMilkshapeAsciiBones( RString sAniName, RString sPath )
 	{
 		iLineNum++;
 
-		if (!strncmp (sLine, "//", 2))
+		if (!strncmp (sLine.c_str(), "//", 2))
 			continue;
 
 		// bones
 		int nNumBones = 0;
-		if( sscanf (sLine, "Bones: %d", &nNumBones) != 1 )
+		if( sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "Bones: %d", &nNumBones) != 1 )
 			continue;
 
 		char szName[MS_MAX_NAME];
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ bool msAnimation::LoadMilkshapeAsciiBones( RString sAniName, RString sPath )
 			// name
 			if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 				THROW;
-			if (sscanf(sLine, "\"%31[^\"]\"", szName) != 1)
+			if (sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "\"%31[^\"]\"", szName) != 1)
 				THROW;
 			Bone.sName = szName;
 
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ bool msAnimation::LoadMilkshapeAsciiBones( RString sAniName, RString sPath )
 			if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 				THROW;
 			strcpy(szName, "");
-			sscanf(sLine, "\"%31[^\"]\"", szName);
+			sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "\"%31[^\"]\"", szName);
 
 			Bone.sParentName = szName;
 
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@ bool msAnimation::LoadMilkshapeAsciiBones( RString sAniName, RString sPath )
 				THROW;
 
 			int nFlags;
-			if (sscanf (sLine, "%d %f %f %f %f %f %f",
+			if (sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "%d %f %f %f %f %f %f",
 				&nFlags,
 				&Position[0], &Position[1], &Position[2],
 				&Rotation[0], &Rotation[1], &Rotation[2]) != 7)
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ bool msAnimation::LoadMilkshapeAsciiBones( RString sAniName, RString sPath )
 			if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 				THROW;
 			int nNumPositionKeys = 0;
-			if (sscanf (sLine, "%d", &nNumPositionKeys) != 1)
+			if (sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "%d", &nNumPositionKeys) != 1)
 				THROW;
 
 			Bone.PositionKeys.resize( nNumPositionKeys );
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ bool msAnimation::LoadMilkshapeAsciiBones( RString sAniName, RString sPath )
 					THROW;
 
 				float fTime;
-				if (sscanf (sLine, "%f %f %f %f", &fTime, &Position[0], &Position[1], &Position[2]) != 4)
+				if (sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "%f %f %f %f", &fTime, &Position[0], &Position[1], &Position[2]) != 4)
 					THROW;
 
 				msPositionKey key = {};
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ bool msAnimation::LoadMilkshapeAsciiBones( RString sAniName, RString sPath )
 			if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 				THROW;
 			int nNumRotationKeys = 0;
-			if (sscanf (sLine, "%d", &nNumRotationKeys) != 1)
+			if (sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "%d", &nNumRotationKeys) != 1)
 				THROW;
 
 			Bone.RotationKeys.resize( nNumRotationKeys );
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ bool msAnimation::LoadMilkshapeAsciiBones( RString sAniName, RString sPath )
 					THROW;
 
 				float fTime;
-				if (sscanf (sLine, "%f %f %f %f", &fTime, &Rotation[0], &Rotation[1], &Rotation[2]) != 4)
+				if (sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "%f %f %f %f", &fTime, &Rotation[0], &Rotation[1], &Rotation[2]) != 4)
 					THROW;
 				Rotation = RadianToDegree(Rotation);
 
diff --git a/src/NoteDisplay.cpp b/src/NoteDisplay.cpp
index 0fc9500095..556575c16d 100644
--- a/src/NoteDisplay.cpp
+++ b/src/NoteDisplay.cpp
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ struct NoteSkinAndPath
 	GameController gc;
 	bool operator<( const NoteSkinAndPath &other ) const
 	{
-		int cmp = strcmp(sNoteSkin, other.sNoteSkin);
+		int cmp = strcmp(sNoteSkin.c_str(), other.sNoteSkin.c_str());
 
 		if( cmp < 0 )
 		{
diff --git a/src/NoteSkinManager.cpp b/src/NoteSkinManager.cpp
index 044d2e5470..f5cd2cf9c0 100644
--- a/src/NoteSkinManager.cpp
+++ b/src/NoteSkinManager.cpp
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ bool NoteSkinManager::NoteSkinNameInList(const RString name, std::vector<RString
 {
 	for(size_t i= 0; i < name_list.size(); ++i)
 	{
-		if(0 == strcasecmp(name, name_list[i]))
+		if(0 == strcasecmp(name.c_str(), name_list[i].c_str()))
 		{
 			return true;
 		}
diff --git a/src/NotesLoaderBMS.cpp b/src/NotesLoaderBMS.cpp
index c5a63a90d3..edf753960a 100644
--- a/src/NotesLoaderBMS.cpp
+++ b/src/NotesLoaderBMS.cpp
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ bool BMSChartReader::ReadNoteData()
 		if( channel == 3 ) // bpm change
 		{
 			unsigned int bpm;
-			if( sscanf(obj.value, "%x", &bpm) == 1 )
+			if( sscanf(obj.value.c_str(), "%x", &bpm) == 1 )
 			{
 				if( bpm > 0 ) td.SetBPMAtRow( row, measureAdjust * (currentBPM = bpm) );
 			}
diff --git a/src/NotesLoaderDWI.cpp b/src/NotesLoaderDWI.cpp
index d8bf9a057b..fc6d1bf2ce 100644
--- a/src/NotesLoaderDWI.cpp
+++ b/src/NotesLoaderDWI.cpp
@@ -629,13 +629,13 @@ bool DWILoader::LoadFromDir( const RString &sPath_, Song &out, std::set<RString>
 			/* We can't parse this as a float with sscanf, since '.' is a valid
 			 * character in a float.  (We could do it with a regex, but it's not
 			 * worth bothering with since we don't display fractional BPM anyway.) */
-		    if( sscanf( sParams[1], "%i..%i", &iMin, &iMax ) == 2 )
+		    if( sscanf( sParams[1].c_str(), "%i..%i", &iMin, &iMax ) == 2 )
 			{
 				out.m_DisplayBPMType = DISPLAY_BPM_SPECIFIED;
 				out.m_fSpecifiedBPMMin = (float) iMin;
 				out.m_fSpecifiedBPMMax = (float) iMax;
 			}
-			else if( sscanf( sParams[1], "%i", &iMin ) == 1 )
+			else if( sscanf( sParams[1].c_str(), "%i", &iMin ) == 1 )
 			{
 				out.m_DisplayBPMType = DISPLAY_BPM_SPECIFIED;
 				out.m_fSpecifiedBPMMin = out.m_fSpecifiedBPMMax = (float) iMin;
diff --git a/src/NotesLoaderSM.cpp b/src/NotesLoaderSM.cpp
index 00934e72fc..ed661ba426 100644
--- a/src/NotesLoaderSM.cpp
+++ b/src/NotesLoaderSM.cpp
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ void SMLoader::LoadFromTokens(
 void SMLoader::ProcessBGChanges( Song &out, const RString &sValueName, const RString &sPath, const RString &sParam )
 {
 	BackgroundLayer iLayer = BACKGROUND_LAYER_1;
-	if( sscanf(sValueName, "BGCHANGES%d", &*ConvertValue<int>(&iLayer)) == 1 )
+	if( sscanf(sValueName.c_str(), "BGCHANGES%d", &*ConvertValue<int>(&iLayer)) == 1 )
 		enum_add(iLayer, -1);	// #BGCHANGES2 = BACKGROUND_LAYER_2
 
 	bool bValid = iLayer>=0 && iLayer<NUM_BackgroundLayer;
@@ -400,11 +400,11 @@ void SMLoader::ProcessAttacks( AttackArray &attacks, MsdFile::value_t params )
 		Trim( sBits[0] );
 
 		if( !sBits[0].CompareNoCase("TIME") )
-			attack.fStartSecond = strtof( sBits[1], nullptr );
+			attack.fStartSecond = strtof( sBits[1].c_str(), nullptr );
 		else if( !sBits[0].CompareNoCase("LEN") )
-			attack.fSecsRemaining = strtof( sBits[1], nullptr );
+			attack.fSecsRemaining = strtof( sBits[1].c_str(), nullptr );
 		else if( !sBits[0].CompareNoCase("END") )
-			end = strtof( sBits[1], nullptr );
+			end = strtof( sBits[1].c_str(), nullptr );
 		else if( !sBits[0].CompareNoCase("MODS") )
 		{
 			Trim(sBits[1]);
@@ -872,7 +872,7 @@ void SMLoader::ProcessTickcounts( TimingData &out, const RString line, const int
 		}
 
 		const float fTickcountBeat = RowToBeat( arrayTickcountValues[0], rowsPerBeat );
-		int iTicks = std::clamp(atoi( arrayTickcountValues[1] ), 0, ROWS_PER_BEAT);
+		int iTicks = std::clamp(atoi( arrayTickcountValues[1].c_str() ), 0, ROWS_PER_BEAT);
 
 		out.AddSegment( TickcountSegment(BeatToNoteRow(fTickcountBeat), iTicks) );
 	}
diff --git a/src/NotesWriterSM.cpp b/src/NotesWriterSM.cpp
index 7e7a5e1dc0..b5e4be780d 100644
--- a/src/NotesWriterSM.cpp
+++ b/src/NotesWriterSM.cpp
@@ -330,14 +330,14 @@ bool NotesWriterSM::WriteEditFileToMachine( const Song *pSong, Steps *pSteps, RS
 			pSteps->GetFilename() != sPath;
 	if( bFileNameChanging  &&  DoesFileExist(sPath) )
 	{
-		sErrorOut = ssprintf( DESTINATION_ALREADY_EXISTS.GetValue(), sPath.c_str() );
+		sErrorOut = ssprintf( DESTINATION_ALREADY_EXISTS.GetValue().c_str(), sPath.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	RageFile f;
 	if( !f.Open(sPath, RageFile::WRITE | RageFile::SLOW_FLUSH) )
 	{
-		sErrorOut = ssprintf( ERROR_WRITING_FILE.GetValue(), sPath.c_str() );
+		sErrorOut = ssprintf( ERROR_WRITING_FILE.GetValue().c_str(), sPath.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ bool NotesWriterSM::WriteEditFileToMachine( const Song *pSong, Steps *pSteps, RS
 	GetEditFileContents( pSong, pSteps, sTag );
 	if( f.PutLine(sTag) == -1 || f.Flush() == -1 )
 	{
-		sErrorOut = ssprintf( ERROR_WRITING_FILE.GetValue(), sPath.c_str() );
+		sErrorOut = ssprintf( ERROR_WRITING_FILE.GetValue().c_str(), sPath.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/NotesWriterSSC.cpp b/src/NotesWriterSSC.cpp
index 048178cb67..7f9b85ff05 100644
--- a/src/NotesWriterSSC.cpp
+++ b/src/NotesWriterSSC.cpp
@@ -50,12 +50,12 @@ struct TimingTagWriter {
 		m_sNext = ",";
 	}
 
-	void Write( const int row, const float value )        { Write( row, ssprintf( "%.6f",  value ) ); }
-	void Write( const int row, const int value )          { Write( row, ssprintf( "%d",    value ) ); }
-	void Write( const int row, const int a, const int b ) { Write( row, ssprintf( "%d=%d", a, b ) );  }
-	void Write( const int row, const float a, const float b ) { Write( row, ssprintf( "%.6f=%.6f", a, b) ); }
+	void Write( const int row, const float value )        { Write( row, ssprintf( "%.6f",  value ).c_str() ); }
+	void Write( const int row, const int value )          { Write( row, ssprintf( "%d",    value ).c_str() ); }
+	void Write( const int row, const int a, const int b ) { Write( row, ssprintf( "%d=%d", a, b ).c_str() );  }
+	void Write( const int row, const float a, const float b ) { Write( row, ssprintf( "%.6f=%.6f", a, b).c_str() ); }
 	void Write( const int row, const float a, const float b, const unsigned short c )
-		{ Write( row, ssprintf( "%.6f=%.6f=%hd", a, b, c) ); }
+		{ Write( row, ssprintf( "%.6f=%.6f=%hd", a, b, c).c_str() ); }
 
 	void Init( const RString sTag ) { m_sNext = "#" + sTag + ":"; }
 	void Finish( ) { m_pvsLines->push_back( ( m_sNext != "," ? m_sNext : RString("") ) + ";" ); }
@@ -585,14 +585,14 @@ bool NotesWriterSSC::WriteEditFileToMachine( const Song *pSong, Steps *pSteps, R
 		pSteps->GetFilename() != sPath;
 	if( bFileNameChanging  &&  DoesFileExist(sPath) )
 	{
-		sErrorOut = ssprintf( DESTINATION_ALREADY_EXISTS.GetValue(), sPath.c_str() );
+		sErrorOut = ssprintf( DESTINATION_ALREADY_EXISTS.GetValue().c_str(), sPath.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
 	RageFile f;
 	if( !f.Open(sPath, RageFile::WRITE | RageFile::SLOW_FLUSH) )
 	{
-		sErrorOut = ssprintf( ERROR_WRITING_FILE.GetValue(), sPath.c_str() );
+		sErrorOut = ssprintf( ERROR_WRITING_FILE.GetValue().c_str(), sPath.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -600,7 +600,7 @@ bool NotesWriterSSC::WriteEditFileToMachine( const Song *pSong, Steps *pSteps, R
 	GetEditFileContents( pSong, pSteps, sTag );
 	if( f.PutLine(sTag) == -1 || f.Flush() == -1 )
 	{
-		sErrorOut = ssprintf( ERROR_WRITING_FILE.GetValue(), sPath.c_str() );
+		sErrorOut = ssprintf( ERROR_WRITING_FILE.GetValue().c_str(), sPath.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/OptionRow.cpp b/src/OptionRow.cpp
index 1111fb98be..85e3363d08 100644
--- a/src/OptionRow.cpp
+++ b/src/OptionRow.cpp
@@ -979,7 +979,7 @@ public:
 	DEFINE_METHOD( FirstItemGoesDown, GetFirstItemGoesDown() )
 	static int GetChoiceInRowWithFocus( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushnumber( L, p->GetChoiceInRowWithFocus(Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1)) ); return 1; }
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetLayoutType, GetHandler()->m_Def.m_layoutType )
-	static int GetName( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushstring( L, p->GetHandler()->m_Def.m_sName ); return 1; }
+	static int GetName( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushstring( L, p->GetHandler()->m_Def.m_sName.c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetNumChoices( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushnumber( L, p->GetHandler()->m_Def.m_vsChoices.size() ); return 1; }
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetSelectType, GetHandler()->m_Def.m_selectType )
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetRowTitle, GetRowTitle() )
diff --git a/src/PaneDisplay.cpp b/src/PaneDisplay.cpp
index 918cbda56b..a19b488e22 100644
--- a/src/PaneDisplay.cpp
+++ b/src/PaneDisplay.cpp
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ void PaneDisplay::GetPaneTextAndLevel( PaneCategory c, RString & sTextOut, float
 				case PaneCategory_Hands:
 				case PaneCategory_Lifts:
 				case PaneCategory_Fakes:
-					sTextOut = ssprintf( COUNT_FORMAT.GetValue(), fLevelOut );
+					sTextOut = ssprintf( COUNT_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), fLevelOut );
 					break;
 				default: break;
 			}
diff --git a/src/PercentageDisplay.cpp b/src/PercentageDisplay.cpp
index ae0f2950cd..8dc85d4b5a 100644
--- a/src/PercentageDisplay.cpp
+++ b/src/PercentageDisplay.cpp
@@ -167,8 +167,8 @@ void PercentageDisplay::Refresh()
 		{
 			int iPercentWhole = int(fPercentDancePoints*100);
 			int iPercentRemainder = int( (fPercentDancePoints*100 - int(fPercentDancePoints*100)) * 10 );
-			sNumToDisplay = ssprintf( m_sPercentFormat, iPercentWhole );
-			m_textPercentRemainder.SetText( ssprintf(m_sRemainderFormat, iPercentRemainder) );
+			sNumToDisplay = ssprintf( m_sPercentFormat.c_str(), iPercentWhole );
+			m_textPercentRemainder.SetText( ssprintf(m_sRemainderFormat.c_str(), iPercentRemainder) );
 		}
 		else
 		{
diff --git a/src/PlayerOptions.cpp b/src/PlayerOptions.cpp
index 3fe943613c..e84d666731 100644
--- a/src/PlayerOptions.cpp
+++ b/src/PlayerOptions.cpp
@@ -691,7 +691,7 @@ bool PlayerOptions::FromOneModString( const RString &sOneMod, RString &sErrorOut
 		}
 		else if( s[0]=='*' )
 		{
-			sscanf( s, "*%f", &speed );
+			sscanf( s.c_str(), "*%f", &speed );
 			if( !std::isfinite(speed) )
 				speed = 1.0f;
 		}
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ bool PlayerOptions::FromOneModString( const RString &sOneMod, RString &sErrorOut
 		m_fTimeSpacing = 0;
 		m_fMaxScrollBPM = 0;
 	}
-	else if( sscanf( sBit, "c%f", &level ) == 1 )
+	else if( sscanf( sBit.c_str(), "c%f", &level ) == 1 )
 	{
 		if( !std::isfinite(level) || level <= 0.0f )
 			level = CMOD_DEFAULT;
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ bool PlayerOptions::FromOneModString( const RString &sOneMod, RString &sErrorOut
 		m_fMaxScrollBPM = 0;
 	}
 	// oITG's m-mods
-	else if( sscanf( sBit, "m%f", &level ) == 1 )
+	else if( sscanf( sBit.c_str(), "m%f", &level ) == 1 )
 	{
 		// OpenITG doesn't have this block:
 		/*
@@ -1481,7 +1481,7 @@ bool PlayerOptions::operator==( const PlayerOptions &other ) const
 	// manager forces lowercase, but some obscure part of PlayerOptions
 	// uppercases the first letter.  The previous code that used != probably
 	// relied on RString::operator!= misbehaving. -Kyz
-	if(strcasecmp(m_sNoteSkin, other.m_sNoteSkin) != 0)
+	if(strcasecmp(m_sNoteSkin.c_str(), other.m_sNoteSkin.c_str()) != 0)
 	{
 		return false;
 	}
@@ -2133,11 +2133,11 @@ public:
 		int original_top= lua_gettop(L);
 		if( p->m_sNoteSkin.empty()  )
 		{
-			lua_pushstring( L, CommonMetrics::DEFAULT_NOTESKIN_NAME.GetValue() );
+			lua_pushstring( L, CommonMetrics::DEFAULT_NOTESKIN_NAME.GetValue().c_str() );
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			lua_pushstring( L, p->m_sNoteSkin );
+			lua_pushstring( L, p->m_sNoteSkin.c_str() );
 		}
 		if(original_top >= 1 && lua_isstring(L, 1))
 		{
diff --git a/src/Profile.cpp b/src/Profile.cpp
index ffafc2d42c..f48ee528ea 100644
--- a/src/Profile.cpp
+++ b/src/Profile.cpp
@@ -2581,13 +2581,13 @@ public:
 	DEFINE_METHOD(GetType, m_Type);
 	DEFINE_METHOD(GetPriority, m_ListPriority);
 
-	static int GetDisplayName( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sDisplayName ); return 1; }
+	static int GetDisplayName( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sDisplayName.c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int SetDisplayName( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		p->m_sDisplayName= SArg(1);
 		COMMON_RETURN_SELF;
 	}
-	static int GetLastUsedHighScoreName( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sLastUsedHighScoreName ); return 1; }
+	static int GetLastUsedHighScoreName( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sLastUsedHighScoreName.c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int SetLastUsedHighScoreName( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		p->m_sLastUsedHighScoreName= SArg(1);
@@ -2737,7 +2737,7 @@ public:
 	static int GetTotalGameplaySeconds( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->m_iTotalGameplaySeconds ); return 1; }
 	static int GetSongsAndCoursesPercentCompleteAllDifficulties( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetSongsAndCoursesPercentCompleteAllDifficulties(Enum::Check<StepsType>(L, 1)) ); return 1; }
 	static int GetTotalCaloriesBurned( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->m_fTotalCaloriesBurned ); return 1; }
-	static int GetDisplayTotalCaloriesBurned( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayTotalCaloriesBurned() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetDisplayTotalCaloriesBurned( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayTotalCaloriesBurned().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetMostPopularSong( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		Song *p2 = p->GetMostPopularSong();
diff --git a/src/ProfileManager.cpp b/src/ProfileManager.cpp
index b230d3275f..e07c0fd2fc 100644
--- a/src/ProfileManager.cpp
+++ b/src/ProfileManager.cpp
@@ -1348,21 +1348,21 @@ public:
 		{
 			luaL_error(L, "Profile index %d out of range.", index);
 		}
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetLocalProfileIDFromIndex(index) );
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetLocalProfileIDFromIndex(index).c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetLocalProfileIndexFromID( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetLocalProfileIndexFromID(SArg(1)) ); return 1; }
 	static int GetNumLocalProfiles( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->GetNumLocalProfiles() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetProfileDir( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushstring(L, p->GetProfileDir(Enum::Check<ProfileSlot>(L, 1)) ); return 1; }
+	static int GetProfileDir( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushstring(L, p->GetProfileDir(Enum::Check<ProfileSlot>(L, 1)).c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int IsSongNew( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushboolean(L, p->IsSongNew(Luna<Song>::check(L,1)) ); return 1; }
 	static int ProfileWasLoadedFromMemoryCard( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushboolean(L, p->ProfileWasLoadedFromMemoryCard(Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1)) ); return 1; }
 	static int LastLoadWasTamperedOrCorrupt( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushboolean(L, p->LastLoadWasTamperedOrCorrupt(Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1)) ); return 1; }
-	static int GetPlayerName( T* p, lua_State *L )				{ PlayerNumber pn = Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1); lua_pushstring(L, p->GetPlayerName(pn)); return 1; }
+	static int GetPlayerName( T* p, lua_State *L )				{ PlayerNumber pn = Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1); lua_pushstring(L, p->GetPlayerName(pn).c_str()); return 1; }
 
 	static int LocalProfileIDToDir( T* , lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString dir = USER_PROFILES_DIR + SArg(1) + "/";
-		lua_pushstring( L, dir );
+		lua_pushstring( L, dir.c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int SaveProfile( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushboolean( L, p->SaveProfile(Enum::Check<PlayerNumber>(L, 1)) ); return 1; }
diff --git a/src/RageException.cpp b/src/RageException.cpp
index 297babdeda..40d607629c 100644
--- a/src/RageException.cpp
+++ b/src/RageException.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ void RageException::Throw( const char *sFmt, ... )
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		puts( msg );
+		puts( msg.c_str() );
 		fflush( stdout );
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/RageFile.cpp b/src/RageFile.cpp
index 9dbc2f5414..1b746f3f9d 100644
--- a/src/RageFile.cpp
+++ b/src/RageFile.cpp
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ public:
 		can_safely_read(p, L);
 		RString string;
 		p->Read(string);
-		lua_pushstring( L, string );
+		lua_pushstring( L, string.c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -402,7 +402,7 @@ public:
 		can_safely_read(p, L);
 		RString string;
 		p->Read( string, IArg(1) );
-		lua_pushstring( L, string );
+		lua_pushstring( L, string.c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ public:
 		can_safely_read(p, L);
 		RString string;
 		p->GetLine(string);
-		lua_pushstring( L, string );
+		lua_pushstring( L, string.c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		RString error;
 		error = p->GetError();
-		lua_pushstring( L, error );
+		lua_pushstring( L, error.c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/RageFileDriverDirect.cpp b/src/RageFileDriverDirect.cpp
index 79ff243cc1..6536116754 100644
--- a/src/RageFileDriverDirect.cpp
+++ b/src/RageFileDriverDirect.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ static RageFileObjDirect *MakeFileObjDirect( RString sPath, int iMode, int &iErr
 	int iFD;
 	if( iMode & RageFile::READ )
 	{
-		iFD = DoOpen( sPath, O_BINARY|O_RDONLY, 0666 );
+		iFD = DoOpen( sPath.c_str(), O_BINARY|O_RDONLY, 0666 );
 
 		/* XXX: Windows returns EACCES if we try to open a file on a CDROM that isn't
 		 * ready, instead of something like ENODEV.  We want to return that case as
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ static RageFileObjDirect *MakeFileObjDirect( RString sPath, int iMode, int &iErr
 			sOut = MakeTempFilename(sPath);
 
 		/* Open a temporary file for writing. */
-		iFD = DoOpen( sOut, O_BINARY|O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_TRUNC, 0666 );
+		iFD = DoOpen( sOut.c_str(), O_BINARY|O_WRONLY|O_CREAT|O_TRUNC, 0666 );
 	}
 
 	if( iFD == -1 )
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ bool RageFileDriverDirect::Move( const RString &sOldPath_, const RString &sNewPa
 	int size = FDB->GetFileSize( sOldPath );
 	int hash = FDB->GetFileHash( sOldPath );
 	TRACE( ssprintf("rename \"%s\" -> \"%s\"", (m_sRoot + sOldPath).c_str(), (m_sRoot + sNewPath).c_str()) );
-	if( DoRename(m_sRoot + sOldPath, m_sRoot + sNewPath) == -1 )
+	if( DoRename((m_sRoot + sOldPath).c_str(), (m_sRoot + sNewPath).c_str()) == -1 )
 	{
 		WARN( ssprintf("rename(%s,%s) failed: %s", (m_sRoot + sOldPath).c_str(), (m_sRoot + sNewPath).c_str(), strerror(errno)) );
 		return false;
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ bool RageFileDriverDirect::Remove( const RString &sPath_ )
 	switch( type )
 	{
 	case RageFileManager::TYPE_FILE:
-		if( DoRemove(m_sRoot + sPath) == -1 )
+		if( DoRemove((m_sRoot + sPath).c_str()) == -1 )
 		{
 			WARN("remove failed: " + sPath);
 			return false;
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ bool RageFileDriverDirect::Remove( const RString &sPath_ )
 		return true;
 
 	case RageFileManager::TYPE_DIR:
-		if( DoRmdir(m_sRoot + sPath) == -1 )
+		if( DoRmdir((m_sRoot + sPath).c_str()) == -1 )
 		{
 			WARN("rmdir failed: " + sPath);
 			return false;
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ namespace
 	bool FlushDir( RString sPath, RString &sError )
 	{
 		/* Wait for the directory to be flushed. */
-		int dirfd = open( sPath, O_RDONLY );
+		int dirfd = open( sPath.c_str(), O_RDONLY );
 		if( dirfd == -1 )
 		{
 			sError = strerror(errno);
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ RageFileObjDirect::~RageFileObjDirect()
 		SetError( error );
 		break;
 #else
-		if( rename( sOldPath, sNewPath ) == -1 )
+		if( rename( sOldPath.c_str(), sNewPath.c_str() ) == -1 )
 		{
 			WARN( ssprintf("Error renaming \"%s\" to \"%s\": %s",
 					sOldPath.c_str(), sNewPath.c_str(), strerror(errno)) );
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ RageFileObjDirect::~RageFileObjDirect()
 	} while(0);
 
 	// The write or the rename failed. Delete the incomplete temporary file.
-	DoRemove( MakeTempFilename(m_sPath) );
+	DoRemove( MakeTempFilename(m_sPath).c_str() );
 }
 
 int RageFileObjDirect::ReadInternal( void *pBuf, size_t iBytes )
diff --git a/src/RageFileDriverDirectHelpers.cpp b/src/RageFileDriverDirectHelpers.cpp
index 5f6c8f1dd6..645e42e75a 100644
--- a/src/RageFileDriverDirectHelpers.cpp
+++ b/src/RageFileDriverDirectHelpers.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ RString DoPathReplace(const RString &sPath)
 #if defined(_WIN32)
 static bool WinMoveFileInternal( const RString &sOldPath, const RString &sNewPath )
 {
-	if( MoveFileEx( sOldPath, sNewPath, MOVEFILE_REPLACE_EXISTING ) )
+	if( MoveFileEx( sOldPath.c_str(), sNewPath.c_str(), MOVEFILE_REPLACE_EXISTING ) )
 		return true;
 
 	DWORD err = GetLastError();
@@ -62,10 +62,10 @@ static bool WinMoveFileInternal( const RString &sOldPath, const RString &sNewPat
 		}
 	}
 
-	if( !DeleteFile( sNewPath ) )
+	if( !DeleteFile( sNewPath.c_str() ) )
 		return false;
 
-	return !!MoveFile( sOldPath, sNewPath );
+	return !!MoveFile( sOldPath.c_str(), sNewPath.c_str() );
 }
 
 bool WinMoveFile( RString sOldPath, RString sNewPath )
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ bool WinMoveFile( RString sOldPath, RString sNewPath )
 	if( GetLastError() != ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED )
 		return false;
 	/* Try turning off the read-only bit on the file we're overwriting. */
-	SetFileAttributes( DoPathReplace(sNewPath), FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL );
+	SetFileAttributes( DoPathReplace(sNewPath).c_str(), FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL );
 
 	return WinMoveFileInternal( DoPathReplace(sOldPath), DoPathReplace(sNewPath) );
 }
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ bool CreateDirectories( RString Path )
 		}
 #endif
 
-		if( DoMkdir(curpath, 0777) == 0 )
+		if( DoMkdir(curpath.c_str(), 0777) == 0 )
 			continue;
 
 #if defined(_WIN32)
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ bool CreateDirectories( RString Path )
 		{
 			/* Make sure it's a directory. */
 			struct stat st;
-			if( DoStat(curpath, &st) != -1 && !(st.st_mode & S_IFDIR) )
+			if( DoStat(curpath.c_str(), &st) != -1 && !(st.st_mode & S_IFDIR) )
 			{
 				WARN( ssprintf("Couldn't create %s: path exists and is not a directory", curpath.c_str()) );
 				return false;
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ void DirectFilenameDB::CacheFile( const RString &sPath )
 
 #if defined(_WIN32)
 	WIN32_FIND_DATA fd;
-	HANDLE hFind = DoFindFirstFile( root+sPath, &fd );
+	HANDLE hFind = DoFindFirstFile( (root+sPath).c_str(), &fd );
 	if( hFind == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE )
 	{
 		m_Mutex.Unlock(); // Locked by GetFileSet()
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ void DirectFilenameDB::CacheFile( const RString &sPath )
 	File f( Basename(sPath) );
 
 	struct stat st;
-	if( DoStat(root+sPath, &st) == -1 )
+	if( DoStat((root+sPath).c_str(), &st) == -1 )
 	{
 		WARN(ssprintf("File '%s' is gone! (%s)", sPath.c_str(), strerror(errno)));
 	}
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ void DirectFilenameDB::PopulateFileSet( FileSet &fs, const RString &path )
 	if ( sPath.size() > 0  && sPath.Right(1) == "/" )
 		sPath.erase( sPath.size() - 1 );
 
-	HANDLE hFind = DoFindFirstFile( root+sPath+"/*", &fd );
+	HANDLE hFind = DoFindFirstFile( (root+sPath+"/*").c_str(), &fd );
 	CHECKPOINT_M( root+sPath+"/*" );
 
 	if( hFind == INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE )
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ void DirectFilenameDB::PopulateFileSet( FileSet &fs, const RString &path )
 	 * for each file.  This isn't a major issue, since most large directory
 	 * scans are I/O-bound. */
 
-	DIR *pDir = opendir(root+sPath);
+	DIR *pDir = opendir((root+sPath).c_str());
 	if( pDir == nullptr )
 		return;
 
@@ -271,11 +271,11 @@ void DirectFilenameDB::PopulateFileSet( FileSet &fs, const RString &path )
 		File f( pEnt->d_name );
 
 		struct stat st;
-		if( DoStat(root+sPath + "/" + pEnt->d_name, &st) == -1 )
+		if( DoStat((root+sPath + "/" + pEnt->d_name).c_str(), &st) == -1 )
 		{
 			int iError = errno;
 			/* If it's a broken symlink, ignore it.  Otherwise, warn. */
-			if( lstat(root+sPath + "/" + pEnt->d_name, &st) == 0 )
+			if( lstat((root+sPath + "/" + pEnt->d_name).c_str(), &st) == 0 )
 				continue;
 
 			/* Huh? */
diff --git a/src/RageFileManager.cpp b/src/RageFileManager.cpp
index db0da65921..0f2116b6d9 100644
--- a/src/RageFileManager.cpp
+++ b/src/RageFileManager.cpp
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ static RString ReadlinkRecursive( RString sPath )
 	{
 		sPath = dereferenced;
 		char derefPath[512];
-		ssize_t linkSize = readlink(sPath, derefPath, sizeof(derefPath));
+		ssize_t linkSize = readlink(sPath.c_str(), derefPath, sizeof(derefPath));
 		if ( linkSize != -1 && linkSize != sizeof(derefPath) )
 		{
 			dereferenced = RString( derefPath, linkSize );
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ static RString GetDirOfExecutable( RString argv0 )
 			split( path, ":", vPath );
 			for (RString &i : vPath)
 			{
-				if( access(i + "/" + argv0, X_OK|R_OK) )
+				if( access((i + "/" + argv0).c_str(), X_OK|R_OK) )
 					continue;
 				sPath = ExtractDirectory(ReadlinkRecursive(i + "/" + argv0));
 				break;
@@ -406,9 +406,9 @@ static void ChangeToDirOfExecutable( const RString &argv0 )
 	/* Set the CWD.  Any effects of this is platform-specific; most files are read and
 	 * written through RageFile.  See also RageFileManager::RageFileManager. */
 #if defined(_WINDOWS)
-	if( _chdir( RageFileManagerUtil::sDirOfExecutable + "/.." ) )
+	if( _chdir( (RageFileManagerUtil::sDirOfExecutable + "/..").c_str() ) )
 #elif defined(UNIX)
-	if( chdir( RageFileManagerUtil::sDirOfExecutable + "/" ) )
+	if( chdir( (RageFileManagerUtil::sDirOfExecutable + "/").c_str() ) )
 #elif defined(MACOSX)
 	/* If the basename is not MacOS, then we've likely been launched via the command line
 	 * through a symlink. Assume this is the case and change to the dir of the symlink. */
@@ -706,7 +706,7 @@ bool RageFileManager::Mount( const RString &sType, const RString &sRoot_, const
 	const RString &sPaths = ssprintf( "\"%s\", \"%s\", \"%s\"", sType.c_str(), sRoot.c_str(), sMountPoint.c_str() );
 	CHECKPOINT_M( sPaths );
 #if defined(DEBUG)
-	puts( sPaths );
+	puts( sPaths.c_str() );
 #endif
 
 	// Unmount anything that was previously mounted here.
@@ -987,7 +987,7 @@ static bool PathUsesSlowFlush( const RString &sPath )
 	};
 
 	for( unsigned i = 0; i < ARRAYLEN(FlushPaths); ++i )
-		if( !strncmp( sPath, FlushPaths[i], strlen(FlushPaths[i]) ) )
+		if( !strncmp( sPath.c_str(), FlushPaths[i], strlen(FlushPaths[i]) ) )
 			return true;
 	return false;
 }
diff --git a/src/RageInputDevice.cpp b/src/RageInputDevice.cpp
index bf8d9030dc..f96f673ae0 100644
--- a/src/RageInputDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/RageInputDevice.cpp
@@ -176,16 +176,16 @@ DeviceButton StringToDeviceButton( const RString& s )
 		return (DeviceButton) s[0];
 
 	int i;
-	if( sscanf(s, "unk %i", &i) == 1 )
+	if( sscanf(s.c_str(), "unk %i", &i) == 1 )
 		return enum_add2( KEY_OTHER_0, i );
 
-	if( sscanf(s, "B%i", &i) == 1 )
+	if( sscanf(s.c_str(), "B%i", &i) == 1 )
 		return enum_add2( JOY_BUTTON_1, i-1 );
 
-	if( sscanf(s, "Midi %i", &i) == 1 )
+	if( sscanf(s.c_str(), "Midi %i", &i) == 1 )
 		return enum_add2( MIDI_FIRST, i );
 
-	if( sscanf(s, "Mouse %i", &i) == 1 )
+	if( sscanf(s.c_str(), "Mouse %i", &i) == 1 )
 		return enum_add2( MOUSE_LEFT, i );
 
 	std::map<RString, DeviceButton>::const_iterator it = g_mapStringToNames.find( s );
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ bool DeviceInput::FromString( const RString &s )
 	char szDevice[32] = "";
 	char szButton[32] = "";
 
-	if( 2 != sscanf( s, "%31[^_]_%31[^_]", szDevice, szButton ) )
+	if( 2 != sscanf( s.c_str(), "%31[^_]_%31[^_]", szDevice, szButton ) )
 	{
 		device = InputDevice_Invalid;
 		return false;
diff --git a/src/RageLog.cpp b/src/RageLog.cpp
index 40fb4627c2..53b9a24054 100644
--- a/src/RageLog.cpp
+++ b/src/RageLog.cpp
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ void RageLog::Write( int where, const RString &sLine )
 			sStr.insert( 0, sWarning );
 
 		if( m_bShowLogOutput || (where&WRITE_TO_INFO) )
-			puts(sStr); //fputws( (const wchar_t *)sStr.c_str(), stdout );
+			puts(sStr.c_str()); //fputws( (const wchar_t *)sStr.c_str(), stdout );
 		if( where & WRITE_TO_INFO )
 			AddToInfo( sStr );
 		if( m_bLogToDisk && (where&WRITE_TO_INFO) && g_fileInfo->IsOpen() )
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ void RageLog::AddToRecentLogs( const RString &str )
 	if( len > sizeof(backlog[backlog_start])-1 )
 		len = sizeof(backlog[backlog_start])-1;
 
-	strncpy( backlog[backlog_start], str, len );
+	strncpy( backlog[backlog_start], str.c_str(), len );
 	backlog[backlog_start] [ len ] = 0;
 
 	backlog_start++;
@@ -431,6 +431,11 @@ void RageLog::UnmapLog( const RString &key )
 	UpdateMappedLog();
 }
 
+void ShowWarningOrTrace( const char *file, int line, const RString& message, bool bWarning )
+{
+	ShowWarningOrTrace(file, line, message.c_str(), bWarning);
+}
+
 void ShowWarningOrTrace( const char *file, int line, const char *message, bool bWarning )
 {
 	/* Ignore everything up to and including the first "src/". */
diff --git a/src/RageModelGeometry.cpp b/src/RageModelGeometry.cpp
index 0754f96042..1ea599ffee 100644
--- a/src/RageModelGeometry.cpp
+++ b/src/RageModelGeometry.cpp
@@ -114,23 +114,23 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( const RString& _sPath, bool bNeedsNo
 	{
 		iLineNum++;
 
-		if( !strncmp(sLine, "//", 2) )
+		if( !strncmp(sLine.c_str(), "//", 2) )
 			continue;
 
 		int nFrame;
-		if( sscanf(sLine, "Frames: %d", &nFrame) == 1 )
+		if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "Frames: %d", &nFrame) == 1 )
 		{
 			// ignore
 			// m_pRageModelGeometry->nTotalFrames = nFrame;
 		}
-		if( sscanf(sLine, "Frame: %d", &nFrame) == 1 )
+		if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "Frame: %d", &nFrame) == 1 )
 		{
 			// ignore
 			// m_pRageModelGeometry->nFrame = nFrame;
 		}
 
 		int nNumMeshes = 0;
-		if( sscanf(sLine, "Meshes: %d", &nNumMeshes) == 1 )
+		if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "Meshes: %d", &nNumMeshes) == 1 )
 		{
 			ASSERT( m_Meshes.empty() );
 			m_Meshes.resize( nNumMeshes );
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( const RString& _sPath, bool bNeedsNo
 					THROW;
 
 				// mesh: name, flags, material index
-				if( sscanf (sLine, "\"%31[^\"]\" %d %d",szName, &nFlags, &nIndex) != 3 )
+				if( sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "\"%31[^\"]\" %d %d",szName, &nFlags, &nIndex) != 3 )
 					THROW;
 
 				mesh.sName = szName;
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( const RString& _sPath, bool bNeedsNo
 					THROW;
 
 				int nNumVertices = 0;
-				if( sscanf (sLine, "%d", &nNumVertices) != 1 )
+				if( sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "%d", &nNumVertices) != 1 )
 					THROW;
 
 				Vertices.resize( nNumVertices );
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( const RString& _sPath, bool bNeedsNo
 					if( f.GetLine( sLine ) <= 0 )
 						THROW;
 
-					if( sscanf(sLine, "%d %f %f %f %f %f %d",
+					if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "%d %f %f %f %f %f %d",
 								&nFlags,
 								&v.p[0], &v.p[1], &v.p[2],
 								&v.t[0], &v.t[1],
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( const RString& _sPath, bool bNeedsNo
 					THROW;
 
 				int nNumNormals = 0;
-				if( sscanf(sLine, "%d", &nNumNormals) != 1 )
+				if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "%d", &nNumNormals) != 1 )
 					THROW;
 
 				std::vector<RageVector3> Normals;
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( const RString& _sPath, bool bNeedsNo
 						THROW;
 
 					RageVector3 Normal;
-					if( sscanf(sLine, "%f %f %f", &Normal[0], &Normal[1], &Normal[2]) != 3 )
+					if( sscanf(sLine.c_str(), "%f %f %f", &Normal[0], &Normal[1], &Normal[2]) != 3 )
 						THROW;
 
 					RageVec3Normalize( (RageVector3*)&Normal, (RageVector3*)&Normal );
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( const RString& _sPath, bool bNeedsNo
 					THROW;
 
 				int nNumTriangles = 0;
-				if( sscanf (sLine, "%d", &nNumTriangles) != 1 )
+				if( sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "%d", &nNumTriangles) != 1 )
 					THROW;
 
 				Triangles.resize( nNumTriangles );
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ void RageModelGeometry::LoadMilkshapeAscii( const RString& _sPath, bool bNeedsNo
 
 					uint16_t nIndices[3];
 					uint16_t nNormalIndices[3];
-					if( sscanf (sLine, "%d %hu %hu %hu %hu %hu %hu %d",
+					if( sscanf (sLine.c_str(), "%d %hu %hu %hu %hu %hu %hu %d",
 								&nFlags,
 								&nIndices[0], &nIndices[1], &nIndices[2],
 								&nNormalIndices[0], &nNormalIndices[1], &nNormalIndices[2],
diff --git a/src/RageSurface_Load_JPEG.cpp b/src/RageSurface_Load_JPEG.cpp
index 2f7e387c7e..843dbe36b5 100644
--- a/src/RageSurface_Load_JPEG.cpp
+++ b/src/RageSurface_Load_JPEG.cpp
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ RageSurfaceUtils::OpenResult RageSurface_Load_JPEG( const RString &sPath, RageSu
 	}
 
 	char errorbuf[1024];
-	ret = RageSurface_Load_JPEG( &f, sPath, errorbuf );
+	ret = RageSurface_Load_JPEG( &f, sPath.c_str(), errorbuf );
 	if( ret == nullptr )
 	{
 		error = errorbuf;
diff --git a/src/RageSurface_Load_PNG.cpp b/src/RageSurface_Load_PNG.cpp
index f3a267eafe..1d1771dcc5 100644
--- a/src/RageSurface_Load_PNG.cpp
+++ b/src/RageSurface_Load_PNG.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ void RageFile_png_read( png_struct *png, png_byte *p, png_size_t size )
 		 * GetError().c_str() to it, a temporary may be created; since control
 		 * never returns here, it may never be destructed and we could leak. */
 		static char error[256];
-		strncpy( error, f->GetError(), sizeof(error) );
+		strncpy( error, f->GetError().c_str(), sizeof(error) );
 		error[sizeof(error)-1] = 0;
 		png_error( png, error );
 	}
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ RageSurfaceUtils::OpenResult RageSurface_Load_PNG( const RString &sPath, RageSur
 	}
 
 	char errorbuf[1024];
-	ret = RageSurface_Load_PNG( &f, sPath, errorbuf, bHeaderOnly );
+	ret = RageSurface_Load_PNG( &f, sPath.c_str(), errorbuf, bHeaderOnly );
 	if( ret == nullptr )
 	{
 		error = errorbuf;
diff --git a/src/RageSurface_Load_XPM.cpp b/src/RageSurface_Load_XPM.cpp
index 03f36c3b0b..17663a8331 100644
--- a/src/RageSurface_Load_XPM.cpp
+++ b/src/RageSurface_Load_XPM.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ RageSurface *RageSurface_Load_XPM( char * const *xpm, RString &error )
 
 		RString clr = color.substr( color_length+4 );
 		unsigned int r, g, b;
-		if( sscanf( clr, "%2x%2x%2x", &r, &g, &b ) != 3 )
+		if( sscanf( clr.c_str(), "%2x%2x%2x", &r, &g, &b ) != 3 )
 			continue;
 		RageSurfaceColor colorval;
 		colorval.r = (uint8_t) r;
diff --git a/src/RageSurface_Save_PNG.cpp b/src/RageSurface_Save_PNG.cpp
index d7925cf64e..b8e0eec7b3 100644
--- a/src/RageSurface_Save_PNG.cpp
+++ b/src/RageSurface_Save_PNG.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ static void SafePngError( png_struct *pPng, const RString &sStr )
 	 * GetError().c_str() to it, a temporary may be created; since control
 	 * never returns, it may never be destructed and leak. */
 	static char error[256];
-	strncpy( error, sStr, sizeof(error) );
+	strncpy( error, sStr.c_str(), sizeof(error) );
 	error[sizeof(error)-1] = 0;
 	png_error( pPng, error );
 }
diff --git a/src/RageThreads.cpp b/src/RageThreads.cpp
index f83ae7b711..b0e84459b8 100644
--- a/src/RageThreads.cpp
+++ b/src/RageThreads.cpp
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ RageThreadRegister::RageThreadRegister( const RString &sName )
 
 	m_pSlot = &g_ThreadSlots[iSlot];
 
-	strcpy( m_pSlot->m_szName, sName );
+	strcpy( m_pSlot->m_szName, sName.c_str() );
 	sprintf( m_pSlot->m_szThreadFormattedOutput, "Thread: %s", sName.c_str() );
 
 	m_pSlot->m_iID = GetThisThreadId();
@@ -380,6 +380,11 @@ void Checkpoints::LogCheckpoints( bool on )
 	g_LogCheckpoints = on;
 }
 
+void Checkpoints::SetCheckpoint( const char *file, int line, const RString& message )
+{
+	SetCheckpoint(file, line, message.c_str());
+}
+
 void Checkpoints::SetCheckpoint( const char *file, int line, const char *message )
 {
 	ThreadSlot *slot = GetCurThreadSlot();
diff --git a/src/RageTypes.h b/src/RageTypes.h
index 6e678fb7a8..e890715b5a 100644
--- a/src/RageTypes.h
+++ b/src/RageTypes.h
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ public:
 
 	bool FromString( const RString &str )
 	{
-		int result = sscanf( str, "%f,%f,%f,%f", &r, &g, &b, &a );
+		int result = sscanf( str.c_str(), "%f,%f,%f,%f", &r, &g, &b, &a );
 		if( result == 3 )
 		{
 			a = 1;
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ public:
 			return true;
 
 		unsigned int ir=255, ib=255, ig=255, ia=255;
-		result = sscanf( str, "#%2x%2x%2x%2x", &ir, &ig, &ib, &ia );
+		result = sscanf( str.c_str(), "#%2x%2x%2x%2x", &ir, &ig, &ib, &ia );
 		if( result >= 3 )
 		{
 			r = ir / 255.0f; g = ig / 255.0f; b = ib / 255.0f;
diff --git a/src/RageUtil.cpp b/src/RageUtil.cpp
index d19647a5b6..b060a54686 100644
--- a/src/RageUtil.cpp
+++ b/src/RageUtil.cpp
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ bool HexToBinary( const RString &s, unsigned char *stringOut )
 		RString sByte = s.substr( i*2, 2 );
 
 		uint8_t val = 0;
-		if( sscanf( sByte, "%hhx", &val ) != 1 )
+		if( sscanf( sByte.c_str(), "%hhx", &val ) != 1 )
 			return false;
 		stringOut[i] = val;
 	}
@@ -635,7 +635,7 @@ RString serialize(const std::vector<float> & sSource, const RString &sDelimitor,
 	RString precisionStr = ssprintf("%%.%df", precision);
 	for(float s : sSource)
 	{
-		values.push_back(ssprintf(precisionStr, s));
+		values.push_back(ssprintf(precisionStr.c_str(), s));
 	}
 	return join(sDelimitor, values);
 }
@@ -1815,7 +1815,7 @@ void MakeLower( wchar_t *p, size_t iLen )
 
 float StringToFloat( const RString &sString )
 {
-	float fOut = std::strtof(sString, nullptr);
+	float fOut = std::strtof(sString.c_str(), nullptr);
 	if (!std::isfinite(fOut))
 	{
 		fOut = 0.0f;
@@ -1827,7 +1827,7 @@ bool StringToFloat( const RString &sString, float &fOut )
 {
 	char *endPtr = nullptr;
 
-	fOut = std::strtof(sString, &endPtr);
+	fOut = std::strtof(sString.c_str(), &endPtr);
 	return sString.size() && *endPtr == '\0' && std::isfinite(fOut);
 }
 
@@ -2292,7 +2292,7 @@ namespace StringConversion
 	template<> bool FromString<float>( const RString &sValue, float &out )
 	{
 		const char *endptr = sValue.data() + sValue.size();
-		out = strtof( sValue, (char **) &endptr );
+		out = strtof( sValue.c_str(), (char **) &endptr );
 		if( endptr != sValue.data() && std::isfinite( out ) )
 			return true;
 		out = 0;
diff --git a/src/RollingNumbers.cpp b/src/RollingNumbers.cpp
index f8507f6240..6bc5e2d1b9 100644
--- a/src/RollingNumbers.cpp
+++ b/src/RollingNumbers.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ void RollingNumbers::UpdateText()
 	{
 		return;
 	}
-	RString s = ssprintf( TEXT_FORMAT.GetValue(), m_fCurrentNumber );
+	RString s = ssprintf( TEXT_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), m_fCurrentNumber );
 	if(COMMIFY)
 	{
 		s = Commify( s );
diff --git a/src/Screen.cpp b/src/Screen.cpp
index 9f60bf74e3..cb5e85ae6f 100644
--- a/src/Screen.cpp
+++ b/src/Screen.cpp
@@ -422,9 +422,9 @@ void Screen::InternalRemoveCallback(callback_key_t key)
 class LunaScreen: public Luna<Screen>
 {
 public:
-	static int GetNextScreenName( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushstring(L, p->GetNextScreenName() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetNextScreenName( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushstring(L, p->GetNextScreenName().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int SetNextScreenName( T* p, lua_State *L ) { p->SetNextScreenName(SArg(1)); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
-	static int GetPrevScreenName( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushstring(L, p->GetPrevScreen() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetPrevScreenName( T* p, lua_State *L ) { lua_pushstring(L, p->GetPrevScreen().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int SetPrevScreenName( T* p, lua_State *L ) { p->SetPrevScreenName(SArg(1)); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	static int lockinput( T* p, lua_State *L ) { p->SetLockInputSecs(FArg(1)); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetScreenType,	GetScreenType() )
diff --git a/src/ScreenBookkeeping.cpp b/src/ScreenBookkeeping.cpp
index 18d4048c0f..6fc41454d4 100644
--- a/src/ScreenBookkeeping.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenBookkeeping.cpp
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ void ScreenBookkeeping::UpdateView()
 				iCount += pProfile->GetSongNumTimesPlayed( pSong );
 				vpSongs.push_back( pSong );
 			}
-			m_textTitle.SetText( ssprintf(SONG_PLAYS.GetValue(), iCount) );
+			m_textTitle.SetText( ssprintf(SONG_PLAYS.GetValue().c_str(), iCount) );
 			SongUtil::SortSongPointerArrayByNumPlays( vpSongs, pProfile, true );
 
 			const int iSongPerCol = 15;
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ void ScreenBookkeeping::UpdateView()
 		break;
 	case BookkeepingView_LastDays:
 		{
-			m_textTitle.SetText( ssprintf(LAST_DAYS.GetValue(), NUM_LAST_DAYS) );
+			m_textTitle.SetText( ssprintf(LAST_DAYS.GetValue().c_str(), NUM_LAST_DAYS) );
 
 			int coins[NUM_LAST_DAYS];
 			BOOKKEEPER->GetCoinsLastDays( coins );
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ void ScreenBookkeeping::UpdateView()
 		break;
 	case BookkeepingView_LastWeeks:
 		{
-			m_textTitle.SetText( ssprintf(LAST_WEEKS.GetValue(), NUM_LAST_WEEKS) );
+			m_textTitle.SetText( ssprintf(LAST_WEEKS.GetValue().c_str(), NUM_LAST_WEEKS) );
 
 			int coins[NUM_LAST_WEEKS];
 			BOOKKEEPER->GetCoinsLastWeeks( coins );
diff --git a/src/ScreenDebugOverlay.cpp b/src/ScreenDebugOverlay.cpp
index 4efbf9c426..122a783ca9 100644
--- a/src/ScreenDebugOverlay.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenDebugOverlay.cpp
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ static RString GetDebugButtonName( const IDebugLine *pLine )
 	case IDebugLine::all_screens:
 		return s;
 	case IDebugLine::gameplay_only:
-		return ssprintf( IN_GAMEPLAY.GetValue(), s.c_str() );
+		return ssprintf( IN_GAMEPLAY.GetValue().c_str(), s.c_str() );
 	default:
 		FAIL_M(ssprintf("Invalid debug line type: %i", type));
 	}
diff --git a/src/ScreenEdit.cpp b/src/ScreenEdit.cpp
index ed4bf49d7e..91c4462187 100644
--- a/src/ScreenEdit.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenEdit.cpp
@@ -1890,12 +1890,12 @@ void ScreenEdit::UpdateTextInfo()
 
 	m_bTextInfoNeedsUpdate = false;
 
-	RString sNoteType = ssprintf( NOTES.GetValue(), NoteTypeToLocalizedString(m_SnapDisplay.GetNoteType()).c_str() );
+	RString sNoteType = ssprintf( NOTES.GetValue().c_str(), NoteTypeToLocalizedString(m_SnapDisplay.GetNoteType()).c_str() );
 
 	RString sText;
-	sText += ssprintf( CURRENT_BEAT_FORMAT.GetValue(), CURRENT_BEAT.GetValue().c_str(), GetBeat() );
+	sText += ssprintf( CURRENT_BEAT_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), CURRENT_BEAT.GetValue().c_str(), GetBeat() );
 	float second= GetAppropriateTiming().GetElapsedTimeFromBeatNoOffset(GetBeat());
-	sText += ssprintf( CURRENT_SECOND_FORMAT.GetValue(), CURRENT_SECOND.GetValue().c_str(), second );
+	sText += ssprintf( CURRENT_SECOND_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), CURRENT_SECOND.GetValue().c_str(), second );
 	switch( EDIT_MODE.GetValue() )
 	{
 	DEFAULT_FAIL( EDIT_MODE.GetValue() );
@@ -1904,35 +1904,35 @@ void ScreenEdit::UpdateTextInfo()
 	case EditMode_CourseMods:
 	case EditMode_Home:
 	case EditMode_Full:
-		sText += ssprintf( SNAP_TO_FORMAT.GetValue(), SNAP_TO.GetValue().c_str(), sNoteType.c_str() );
+		sText += ssprintf( SNAP_TO_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), SNAP_TO.GetValue().c_str(), sNoteType.c_str() );
 		break;
 	}
 
 	if( m_NoteFieldEdit.m_iBeginMarker != -1 )
 	{
-		sText += ssprintf( SELECTION_BEAT_BEGIN_FORMAT.GetValue(), SELECTION_BEAT.GetValue().c_str(), NoteRowToBeat(m_NoteFieldEdit.m_iBeginMarker) );
+		sText += ssprintf( SELECTION_BEAT_BEGIN_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), SELECTION_BEAT.GetValue().c_str(), NoteRowToBeat(m_NoteFieldEdit.m_iBeginMarker) );
 
 		if( m_NoteFieldEdit.m_iEndMarker != -1 )
-			sText += ssprintf( SELECTION_BEAT_END_FORMAT.GetValue(), NoteRowToBeat(m_NoteFieldEdit.m_iEndMarker) );
+			sText += ssprintf( SELECTION_BEAT_END_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), NoteRowToBeat(m_NoteFieldEdit.m_iEndMarker) );
 		else
 			sText += SELECTION_BEAT_UNFINISHED_FORMAT;
 	}
 
 	if (EDIT_MODE.GetValue() == EditMode_Full)
 	{
-		sText += ssprintf( DIFFICULTY_FORMAT.GetValue(), DIFFICULTY.GetValue().c_str(), DifficultyToString( m_pSteps->GetDifficulty() ).c_str() );
+		sText += ssprintf( DIFFICULTY_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), DIFFICULTY.GetValue().c_str(), DifficultyToString( m_pSteps->GetDifficulty() ).c_str() );
 		if ( m_InputPlayerNumber != PLAYER_INVALID )
-			sText += ssprintf( ROUTINE_PLAYER_FORMAT.GetValue(), ROUTINE_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(), m_InputPlayerNumber + 1 );
+			sText += ssprintf( ROUTINE_PLAYER_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), ROUTINE_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(), m_InputPlayerNumber + 1 );
 		//sText += ssprintf( DESCRIPTION_FORMAT.GetValue(), DESCRIPTION.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSteps->GetDescription().c_str() );
-		sText += ssprintf( CHART_NAME_FORMAT.GetValue(), CHART_NAME.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSteps->GetChartName().c_str() );
-		sText += ssprintf( STEP_AUTHOR_FORMAT.GetValue(), STEP_AUTHOR.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSteps->GetCredit().c_str() );
+		sText += ssprintf( CHART_NAME_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), CHART_NAME.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSteps->GetChartName().c_str() );
+		sText += ssprintf( STEP_AUTHOR_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), STEP_AUTHOR.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSteps->GetCredit().c_str() );
 		//sText += ssprintf( CHART_STYLE_FORMAT.GetValue(), CHART_STYLE.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSteps->GetChartStyle().c_str() );
-		sText += ssprintf( MAIN_TITLE_FORMAT.GetValue(), MAIN_TITLE.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSong->m_sMainTitle.c_str() );
+		sText += ssprintf( MAIN_TITLE_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), MAIN_TITLE.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSong->m_sMainTitle.c_str() );
 		if( m_pSong->m_sSubTitle.size() )
-			sText += ssprintf( SUBTITLE_FORMAT.GetValue(), SUBTITLE.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSong->m_sSubTitle.c_str() );
-		sText += ssprintf( SEGMENT_TYPE_FORMAT.GetValue(), SEGMENT_TYPE.GetValue().c_str(), TimingSegmentTypeToString(currentCycleSegment).c_str() );
+			sText += ssprintf( SUBTITLE_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), SUBTITLE.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSong->m_sSubTitle.c_str() );
+		sText += ssprintf( SEGMENT_TYPE_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), SEGMENT_TYPE.GetValue().c_str(), TimingSegmentTypeToString(currentCycleSegment).c_str() );
         const RString tapnoteType = TapNoteTypeToString( m_selectedTap.type );
-		sText += ssprintf( TAP_NOTE_TYPE_FORMAT.GetValue(), TAP_NOTE_TYPE.GetValue().c_str(), tapnoteType.c_str() );
+		sText += ssprintf( TAP_NOTE_TYPE_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), TAP_NOTE_TYPE.GetValue().c_str(), tapnoteType.c_str() );
 
 		AttackArray &attacks =
 			(GAMESTATE->m_bIsUsingStepTiming ? m_pSteps->m_Attacks : m_pSong->m_Attacks);
@@ -1945,48 +1945,48 @@ void ScreenEdit::UpdateTextInfo()
 	if (cat == StepsTypeCategory_Couple || cat == StepsTypeCategory_Routine)
 	{
 		std::pair<int, int> tmp = m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumTapNotesTwoPlayer();
-		sText += ssprintf(NUM_STEPS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf(NUM_STEPS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  TAP_STEPS.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  tmp.first, tmp.second);
 		tmp = m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumJumpsTwoPlayer();
-		sText += ssprintf(NUM_JUMPS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf(NUM_JUMPS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  JUMPS.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  tmp.first, tmp.second);
 		tmp = m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumHandsTwoPlayer();
-		sText += ssprintf(NUM_HANDS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf(NUM_HANDS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  HANDS.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  tmp.first, tmp.second);
 		tmp = m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumHoldNotesTwoPlayer();
-		sText += ssprintf(NUM_HOLDS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf(NUM_HOLDS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  HOLDS.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  tmp.first, tmp.second);
 		tmp = m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumMinesTwoPlayer();
-		sText += ssprintf(NUM_MINES_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf(NUM_MINES_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  MINES.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  tmp.first, tmp.second);
 		tmp = m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumRollsTwoPlayer();
-		sText += ssprintf(NUM_ROLLS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf(NUM_ROLLS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  ROLLS.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  tmp.first, tmp.second);
 		tmp = m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumLiftsTwoPlayer();
-		sText += ssprintf(NUM_LIFTS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf(NUM_LIFTS_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  LIFTS.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  tmp.first, tmp.second);
 		tmp = m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumFakesTwoPlayer();
-		sText += ssprintf(NUM_FAKES_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf(NUM_FAKES_FORMAT_TWO_PLAYER.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  FAKES.GetValue().c_str(),
 						  tmp.first, tmp.second);
 	}
 	else
 	{
-		sText += ssprintf( NUM_STEPS_FORMAT.GetValue(), TAP_STEPS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumTapNotes() );
-		sText += ssprintf( NUM_JUMPS_FORMAT.GetValue(), JUMPS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumJumps() );
-		sText += ssprintf( NUM_HANDS_FORMAT.GetValue(), HANDS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumHands() );
-		sText += ssprintf( NUM_HOLDS_FORMAT.GetValue(), HOLDS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumHoldNotes() );
-		sText += ssprintf( NUM_MINES_FORMAT.GetValue(), MINES.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumMines() );
-		sText += ssprintf( NUM_ROLLS_FORMAT.GetValue(), ROLLS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumRolls() );
-		sText += ssprintf( NUM_LIFTS_FORMAT.GetValue(), LIFTS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumLifts() );
-		sText += ssprintf( NUM_FAKES_FORMAT.GetValue(), FAKES.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumFakes() );
+		sText += ssprintf( NUM_STEPS_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), TAP_STEPS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumTapNotes() );
+		sText += ssprintf( NUM_JUMPS_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), JUMPS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumJumps() );
+		sText += ssprintf( NUM_HANDS_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), HANDS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumHands() );
+		sText += ssprintf( NUM_HOLDS_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), HOLDS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumHoldNotes() );
+		sText += ssprintf( NUM_MINES_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), MINES.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumMines() );
+		sText += ssprintf( NUM_ROLLS_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), ROLLS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumRolls() );
+		sText += ssprintf( NUM_LIFTS_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), LIFTS.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumLifts() );
+		sText += ssprintf( NUM_FAKES_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), FAKES.GetValue().c_str(), m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumFakes() );
 	}
 	switch( EDIT_MODE.GetValue() )
 	{
@@ -1996,20 +1996,20 @@ void ScreenEdit::UpdateTextInfo()
 	case EditMode_Home:
 		break;
 	case EditMode_Full:
-		sText += ssprintf( TIMING_MODE_FORMAT.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf( TIMING_MODE_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(),
 				  TIMING_MODE.GetValue().c_str(),
 				  ( GAMESTATE->m_bIsUsingStepTiming ?
 				   STEP_TIMING.GetValue().c_str() :
 				   SONG_TIMING.GetValue().c_str() ) );
-		sText += ssprintf( BEAT_0_OFFSET_FORMAT.GetValue(),
+		sText += ssprintf( BEAT_0_OFFSET_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(),
 				  BEAT_0_OFFSET.GetValue().c_str(),
 				  GetAppropriateTiming().m_fBeat0OffsetInSeconds );
-		sText += ssprintf( PREVIEW_START_FORMAT.GetValue(), PREVIEW_START.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSong->m_fMusicSampleStartSeconds );
-		sText += ssprintf( PREVIEW_LENGTH_FORMAT.GetValue(), PREVIEW_LENGTH.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSong->m_fMusicSampleLengthSeconds );
+		sText += ssprintf( PREVIEW_START_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), PREVIEW_START.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSong->m_fMusicSampleStartSeconds );
+		sText += ssprintf( PREVIEW_LENGTH_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), PREVIEW_LENGTH.GetValue().c_str(), m_pSong->m_fMusicSampleLengthSeconds );
 		if(record_hold_seconds < record_hold_default - .001f ||
 			record_hold_seconds > record_hold_default + .001f)
 		{
-			sText += ssprintf(RECORD_HOLD_TIME_FORMAT.GetValue(), RECORD_HOLD_TIME.GetValue().c_str(), record_hold_seconds);
+			sText += ssprintf(RECORD_HOLD_TIME_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), RECORD_HOLD_TIME.GetValue().c_str(), record_hold_seconds);
 		}
 		break;
 	}
@@ -2495,7 +2495,7 @@ bool ScreenEdit::InputEdit( const InputEventPlus &input, EditButton EditB )
 			pSteps->GetNoteData( m_NoteDataEdit );
 
 			RString s = ssprintf(
-				SWITCHED_TO.GetValue() + " %s %s '%s' (%d of %d)",
+				(SWITCHED_TO.GetValue() + " %s %s '%s' (%d of %d)").c_str(),
 				GAMEMAN->GetStepsTypeInfo( st ).szName,
 				DifficultyToString( pSteps->GetDifficulty() ).c_str(),
 				pSteps->GetChartName().c_str(),
@@ -5023,12 +5023,12 @@ static bool ConvertMappingInputToMapping(RString const& mapstr, int* mapping, RS
 		}
 		else if(!(mapping_input[track] >> mapping[track]))
 		{
-			error= ssprintf(NOT_A_TRACK.GetValue(), mapping_input[track].c_str());
+			error= ssprintf(NOT_A_TRACK.GetValue().c_str(), mapping_input[track].c_str());
 			return false;
 		}
 		if(mapping[track] < 1 || mapping[track] > static_cast<int>(tracks_for_type))
 		{
-			error= ssprintf(OUT_OF_RANGE_ID.GetValue(), track+1, mapping[track], tracks_for_type);
+			error= ssprintf(OUT_OF_RANGE_ID.GetValue().c_str(), track+1, mapping[track], tracks_for_type);
 			return false;
 		}
 		// Simpler for the user if they input track ids starting at 1.
@@ -5114,7 +5114,7 @@ void ScreenEdit::HandleAlterMenuChoice(AlterMenuChoice c, const std::vector<int>
 				m_NoteFieldEdit.m_iBeginMarker, m_NoteFieldEdit.m_iEndMarker);
 			if(note_count >= PREFSMAN->m_EditClearPromptThreshold && prompt_clear)
 			{
-				ScreenPrompt::Prompt(SM_ConfirmClearArea, ssprintf(CONFIRM_CLEAR.GetValue(), note_count), PROMPT_YES_NO);
+				ScreenPrompt::Prompt(SM_ConfirmClearArea, ssprintf(CONFIRM_CLEAR.GetValue().c_str(), note_count), PROMPT_YES_NO);
 			}
 			else
 			{
@@ -6497,7 +6497,7 @@ void ScreenEdit::DoKeyboardTrackMenu()
 			++foundKeysounds;
 		}
 
-		g_KeysoundTrack.rows.push_back(MenuRowDef(i, ssprintf(TRACK_NUM.GetValue(), i + 1),
+		g_KeysoundTrack.rows.push_back(MenuRowDef(i, ssprintf(TRACK_NUM.GetValue().c_str(), i + 1),
 												  true, EditMode_Full, false, false, keyIndex, choices));
 	}
 	g_KeysoundTrack.rows.push_back(MenuRowDef(m_NoteDataEdit.GetNumTracks(), "Remove Keysound",
@@ -6526,7 +6526,7 @@ void ScreenEdit::DoHelp()
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		g_EditHelp.rows.push_back( MenuRowDef( -1, sDescription, false, EditMode_Practice, false, false, 0, sButtons ) );
+		g_EditHelp.rows.push_back( MenuRowDef( -1, sDescription, false, EditMode_Practice, false, false, 0, sButtons.c_str() ) );
 	}
 
 	EditMiniMenu( &g_EditHelp );
diff --git a/src/ScreenEvaluation.cpp b/src/ScreenEvaluation.cpp
index 5b8299b899..e56c1bac39 100644
--- a/src/ScreenEvaluation.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenEvaluation.cpp
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ void ScreenEvaluation::Init()
 
 				// todo: check if format string is valid
 				// (two integer values in DETAILLINE_FORMAT) -aj
-				m_textDetailText[l][p].SetText( ssprintf(DETAILLINE_FORMAT,iActual,iPossible) );
+				m_textDetailText[l][p].SetText( ssprintf(DETAILLINE_FORMAT.c_str(),iActual,iPossible) );
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp b/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
index 91434e4d85..f0a105ad5b 100644
--- a/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenGameplay.cpp
@@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@ void ScreenGameplay::LoadNextSong()
 	{
 		pi->GetPlayerStageStats()->m_iSongsPlayed++;
 		if( pi->m_ptextCourseSongNumber )
-			pi->m_ptextCourseSongNumber->SetText( ssprintf(SONG_NUMBER_FORMAT.GetValue(), pi->GetPlayerStageStats()->m_iSongsPassed+1) );
+			pi->m_ptextCourseSongNumber->SetText( ssprintf(SONG_NUMBER_FORMAT.GetValue().c_str(), pi->GetPlayerStageStats()->m_iSongsPassed+1) );
 	}
 
 	if( GAMESTATE->m_bMultiplayer )
@@ -2924,7 +2924,7 @@ void ScreenGameplay::HandleScreenMessage( const ScreenMessage SM )
 	}
 	else if( SM >= SM_BattleTrickLevel1 && SM <= SM_BattleTrickLevel3 )
 	{
-		int iTrickLevel = SM-SM_BattleTrickLevel1+1;
+		int iTrickLevel = SM.c_str()-SM_BattleTrickLevel1.c_str()+1;
 		PlayAnnouncer( ssprintf("gameplay battle trick level%d",iTrickLevel), 3 );
 		if( SM == SM_BattleTrickLevel1 ) m_soundBattleTrickLevel1.Play(false);
 		else if( SM == SM_BattleTrickLevel2 ) m_soundBattleTrickLevel2.Play(false);
@@ -2932,7 +2932,7 @@ void ScreenGameplay::HandleScreenMessage( const ScreenMessage SM )
 	}
 	else if( SM >= SM_BattleDamageLevel1 && SM <= SM_BattleDamageLevel3 )
 	{
-		int iDamageLevel = SM-SM_BattleDamageLevel1+1;
+		int iDamageLevel = SM.c_str()-SM_BattleDamageLevel1.c_str()+1;
 		PlayAnnouncer( ssprintf("gameplay battle damage level%d",iDamageLevel), 3 );
 	}
 	else if( SM == SM_DoPrevScreen )
diff --git a/src/ScreenHighScores.cpp b/src/ScreenHighScores.cpp
index ce8178b9b1..23eb725514 100644
--- a/src/ScreenHighScores.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenHighScores.cpp
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ void ScoreScroller::ConfigureActor( Actor *pActor, int iItem )
 		}
 		// Because pSteps or pTrail can be nullptr, what we're creating in Lua is not an array.
 		// It must be iterated using pairs(), not ipairs().
-		lua_setfield( L, -2, ssprintf("%d",i+1) );
+		lua_setfield( L, -2, ssprintf("%d",i+1).c_str() );
 	}
 	lua_pop( L, 1 );
 	LUA->Release( L );
diff --git a/src/ScreenMapControllers.cpp b/src/ScreenMapControllers.cpp
index 842cd9af0d..2200f98de6 100644
--- a/src/ScreenMapControllers.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenMapControllers.cpp
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ void ScreenMapControllers::Init()
 			text.LoadFromFont( THEME->GetPathF(m_sName,"title") );
 			PlayerNumber pn = (PlayerNumber)c;
 			text.SetName( "Label"+PlayerNumberToString(pn) );
-			RString sText = ssprintf(PLAYER_SLOTS.GetValue(), PlayerNumberToLocalizedString(pn).c_str());
+			RString sText = ssprintf(PLAYER_SLOTS.GetValue().c_str(), PlayerNumberToLocalizedString(pn).c_str());
 			text.SetText( sText );
 			ActorUtil::LoadAllCommands( text, m_sName );
 			m_Line.back()->AddChild( &m_textLabel[c] );
diff --git a/src/ScreenOptionsCourseOverview.cpp b/src/ScreenOptionsCourseOverview.cpp
index a5a665e129..356fab90be 100644
--- a/src/ScreenOptionsCourseOverview.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenOptionsCourseOverview.cpp
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ void ScreenOptionsCourseOverview::HandleScreenMessage( const ScreenMessage SM )
 		{
 			if( !EditCourseUtil::RemoveAndDeleteFile(GAMESTATE->m_pCurCourse) )
 			{
-				ScreenPrompt::Prompt( SM_None, ssprintf(ERROR_DELETING_FILE.GetValue(), GAMESTATE->m_pCurCourse->m_sPath.c_str()) );
+				ScreenPrompt::Prompt( SM_None, ssprintf(ERROR_DELETING_FILE.GetValue().c_str(), GAMESTATE->m_pCurCourse->m_sPath.c_str()) );
 				return;
 			}
 
diff --git a/src/ScreenOptionsEditCourse.cpp b/src/ScreenOptionsEditCourse.cpp
index 62a94ba632..22a5a088ae 100644
--- a/src/ScreenOptionsEditCourse.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenOptionsEditCourse.cpp
@@ -203,10 +203,10 @@ void ScreenOptionsEditCourse::BeginScreen()
 	for( int i=0; i<NUM_SONG_ROWS; i++ )
 	{
 		{
-			MenuRowDef mrd = MenuRowDef( -1, "---", true, EditMode_Practice, true, false, 0, EMPTY.GetValue() );
+			MenuRowDef mrd = MenuRowDef( -1, "---", true, EditMode_Practice, true, false, 0, EMPTY.GetValue().c_str() );
 			for (Song const *s : m_vpSongs)
 				mrd.choices.push_back( s->GetDisplayFullTitle() );
-			mrd.sName = ssprintf(SONG.GetValue() + " %d",i+1);
+			mrd.sName = ssprintf((SONG.GetValue() + " %d").c_str(),i+1);
 			OptionRowHandler *pHand = OptionRowHandlerUtil::MakeSimple( mrd );
 			pHand->m_Def.m_bAllowThemeTitle = false;	// already themed
 			pHand->m_Def.m_sExplanationName = "Choose Song";
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ void ScreenOptionsEditCourse::BeginScreen()
 			EditCourseOptionRowHandlerSteps *pHand = new EditCourseOptionRowHandlerSteps;
 			pHand->Load( i );
 			pHand->m_Def.m_vsChoices.push_back( "n/a" );
-			pHand->m_Def.m_sName = ssprintf(STEPS.GetValue() + " %d",i+1);
+			pHand->m_Def.m_sName = ssprintf((STEPS.GetValue() + " %d").c_str(),i+1);
 			pHand->m_Def.m_bAllowThemeTitle = false;	// already themed
 			pHand->m_Def.m_bAllowThemeItems = false;	// already themed
 			pHand->m_Def.m_sExplanationName = "Choose Steps";
@@ -313,7 +313,7 @@ void ScreenOptionsEditCourse::ExportOptions( int iRow, const std::vector<PlayerN
 		case EditCourseRow_Minutes:
 			GAMESTATE->m_pCurCourse->m_fGoalSeconds = 0;
 			int mins;
-			if( sscanf( sValue, "%d", &mins ) == 1 )
+			if( sscanf( sValue.c_str(), "%d", &mins ) == 1 )
 				GAMESTATE->m_pCurCourse->m_fGoalSeconds = float(mins * 60);
 			break;
 		}
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ void ScreenOptionsEditCourse::ProcessMenuStart( const InputEventPlus &input )
 
 	if( m_pRows[iRow]->GetRowType() == OptionRow::RowType_Exit  &&  iSongCount < unsigned(MIN_ENABLED_SONGS) )
 	{
-		ScreenPrompt::Prompt( SM_None, ssprintf(MUST_ENABLE_AT_LEAST.GetValue(),MIN_ENABLED_SONGS) );
+		ScreenPrompt::Prompt( SM_None, ssprintf(MUST_ENABLE_AT_LEAST.GetValue().c_str(),MIN_ENABLED_SONGS) );
 		return;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/ScreenOptionsManageCourses.cpp b/src/ScreenOptionsManageCourses.cpp
index 0127c8411a..6d8189e904 100644
--- a/src/ScreenOptionsManageCourses.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenOptionsManageCourses.cpp
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ void ScreenOptionsManageCourses::ProcessMenuStart( const InputEventPlus & )
 		EditCourseUtil::GetAllEditCourses( vpCourses );
 		if( vpCourses.size() >= (size_t)EditCourseUtil::MAX_PER_PROFILE )
 		{
-			RString s = ssprintf( YOU_HAVE_MAX.GetValue()+"\n\n"+YOU_MUST_DELETE.GetValue(), EditCourseUtil::MAX_PER_PROFILE );
+			RString s = ssprintf( (YOU_HAVE_MAX.GetValue()+"\n\n"+YOU_MUST_DELETE.GetValue()).c_str(), EditCourseUtil::MAX_PER_PROFILE );
 			ScreenPrompt::Prompt( SM_None, s );
 			return;
 		}
diff --git a/src/ScreenOptionsManageEditSteps.cpp b/src/ScreenOptionsManageEditSteps.cpp
index 7f0fa155b2..8e7c0f87ad 100644
--- a/src/ScreenOptionsManageEditSteps.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenOptionsManageEditSteps.cpp
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ void ScreenOptionsManageEditSteps::ProcessMenuStart( const InputEventPlus & )
 		SONGMAN->GetStepsLoadedFromProfile( v, ProfileSlot_Machine );
 		if( v.size() >= size_t(MAX_EDIT_STEPS_PER_PROFILE) )
 		{
-			RString s = ssprintf( YOU_HAVE_MAX_STEP_EDITS.GetValue()+"\n\n"+YOU_MUST_DELETE.GetValue(), MAX_EDIT_STEPS_PER_PROFILE );
+			RString s = ssprintf( (YOU_HAVE_MAX_STEP_EDITS.GetValue()+"\n\n"+YOU_MUST_DELETE.GetValue()).c_str(), MAX_EDIT_STEPS_PER_PROFILE );
 			ScreenPrompt::Prompt( SM_None, s );
 			return;
 		}
diff --git a/src/ScreenOptionsManageProfiles.cpp b/src/ScreenOptionsManageProfiles.cpp
index 0b666f6c99..fc87c75fc3 100644
--- a/src/ScreenOptionsManageProfiles.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenOptionsManageProfiles.cpp
@@ -326,14 +326,14 @@ void ScreenOptionsManageProfiles::HandleScreenMessage( const ScreenMessage SM )
 			case ProfileAction_Delete:
 				{
 					RString sTitle = pProfile->m_sDisplayName;
-					RString sMessage = ssprintf( CONFIRM_DELETE_PROFILE.GetValue(), sTitle.c_str() );
+					RString sMessage = ssprintf( CONFIRM_DELETE_PROFILE.GetValue().c_str(), sTitle.c_str() );
 					ScreenPrompt::Prompt( SM_BackFromDeleteConfirm, sMessage, PROMPT_YES_NO );
 				}
 				break;
 			case ProfileAction_Clear:
 				{
 					RString sTitle = pProfile->m_sDisplayName;
-					RString sMessage = ssprintf( CONFIRM_CLEAR_PROFILE.GetValue(), sTitle.c_str() );
+					RString sMessage = ssprintf( CONFIRM_CLEAR_PROFILE.GetValue().c_str(), sTitle.c_str() );
 					ScreenPrompt::Prompt( SM_BackFromClearConfirm, sMessage, PROMPT_YES_NO );
 				}
 				break;
diff --git a/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp b/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
index ff4ff525b8..60c09277b1 100644
--- a/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.cpp
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ static void GameSel( int &sel, bool ToSel, const ConfOption *pConfOption )
 
 		sel = 0;
 		for(unsigned i = 0; i < choices.size(); ++i)
-			if( !strcasecmp(choices[i], sCurGameName) )
+			if( !strcasecmp(choices[i].c_str(), sCurGameName.c_str()) )
 				sel = i;
 	} else {
 		std::vector<const Game*> aGames;
@@ -227,12 +227,12 @@ static void Language( int &sel, bool ToSel, const ConfOption *pConfOption )
 	{
 		sel = -1;
 		for( unsigned i=0; sel == -1 && i < vs.size(); ++i )
-			if( !strcasecmp(vs[i], THEME->GetCurLanguage()) )
+			if( !strcasecmp(vs[i].c_str(), THEME->GetCurLanguage().c_str()) )
 				sel = i;
 
 		// If the current language doesn't exist, we'll show BASE_LANGUAGE, so select that.
 		for( unsigned i=0; sel == -1 && i < vs.size(); ++i )
-			if( !strcasecmp(vs[i], SpecialFiles::BASE_LANGUAGE) )
+			if( !strcasecmp(vs[i].c_str(), SpecialFiles::BASE_LANGUAGE.c_str()) )
 				sel = i;
 
 		if( sel == -1 )
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ static void RequestedTheme( int &sel, bool ToSel, const ConfOption *pConfOption
 	{
 		sel = 0;
 		for( unsigned i=1; i<vsThemeNames.size(); i++ )
-			if( !strcasecmp(vsThemeNames[i], PREFSMAN->m_sTheme.Get()) )
+			if( !strcasecmp(vsThemeNames[i].c_str(), PREFSMAN->m_sTheme.Get().c_str()) )
 				sel = i;
 	}
 	else
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ static void Announcer( int &sel, bool ToSel, const ConfOption *pConfOption )
 	{
 		sel = 0;
 		for( unsigned i=1; i<choices.size(); i++ )
-			if( !strcasecmp(choices[i], ANNOUNCER->GetCurAnnouncerName()) )
+			if( !strcasecmp(choices[i].c_str(), ANNOUNCER->GetCurAnnouncerName().c_str()) )
 				sel = i;
 	}
 	else
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ static void DefaultNoteSkin( int &sel, bool ToSel, const ConfOption *pConfOption
 		po.FromString( PREFSMAN->m_sDefaultModifiers );
 		sel = 0;
 		for( unsigned i=0; i < choices.size(); i++ )
-			if( !strcasecmp(choices[i], po.m_sNoteSkin) )
+			if( !strcasecmp(choices[i].c_str(), po.m_sNoteSkin.c_str()) )
 				sel = i;
 	}
 	else
diff --git a/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.h b/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.h
index 3b87fdd324..1e29cfe36a 100644
--- a/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.h
+++ b/src/ScreenOptionsMasterPrefs.h
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ struct ConfOption
 #define PUSH( c )	if(c) names.push_back(c);
 		PUSH(c0);PUSH(c1);PUSH(c2);PUSH(c3);PUSH(c4);PUSH(c5);PUSH(c6);PUSH(c7);PUSH(c8);PUSH(c9);PUSH(c10);PUSH(c11);PUSH(c12);PUSH(c13);PUSH(c14);PUSH(c15);PUSH(c16);PUSH(c17);PUSH(c18);PUSH(c19);
 	}
-	void AddOption( const RString &sName ) { PUSH(sName); }
+	void AddOption( const RString &sName ) { PUSH(sName.c_str()); }
 #undef PUSH
 
 	ConfOption( const char *n, MoveData_t m,
diff --git a/src/ScreenOptionsMemoryCard.cpp b/src/ScreenOptionsMemoryCard.cpp
index 9001d6cc25..b198efbda8 100644
--- a/src/ScreenOptionsMemoryCard.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenOptionsMemoryCard.cpp
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ void ScreenOptionsMemoryCard::ProcessMenuStart( const InputEventPlus & )
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			RString s = ssprintf(ERROR_MOUNTING_CARD.GetValue(), MEMCARDMAN->GetCardError(PLAYER_1).c_str() );
+			RString s = ssprintf(ERROR_MOUNTING_CARD.GetValue().c_str(), MEMCARDMAN->GetCardError(PLAYER_1).c_str() );
 			ScreenPrompt::Prompt( SM_None, s );
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/ScreenSaveSync.cpp b/src/ScreenSaveSync.cpp
index 483c8c1518..18c93d2316 100644
--- a/src/ScreenSaveSync.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenSaveSync.cpp
@@ -29,9 +29,9 @@ static RString GetPromptText()
 		if( !vs.empty() )
 		{
 			s += ssprintf(
-				CHANGED_TIMING_OF.GetValue()+"\n"
+				(CHANGED_TIMING_OF.GetValue()+"\n"
 				"%s:\n"
-				"\n",
+				"\n").c_str(),
 				GAMESTATE->m_pCurSong->GetDisplayFullTitle().c_str() );
 
 			s += join( "\n", vs ) + "\n\n";
diff --git a/src/ScreenSelect.cpp b/src/ScreenSelect.cpp
index ad9aec3376..c1ea8f0885 100644
--- a/src/ScreenSelect.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenSelect.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ void ScreenSelect::Init()
 					lua_rawgeti(L, 1, i);
 					if(!lua_isstring(L, -1))
 					{
-						LuaHelpers::ReportScriptErrorFmt(m_sName + "::ChoiceNames element %zu is not a string.", i);
+						LuaHelpers::ReportScriptErrorFmt((m_sName + "::ChoiceNames element %zu is not a string.").c_str(), i);
 					}
 					else
 					{
diff --git a/src/ScreenSelectMaster.cpp b/src/ScreenSelectMaster.cpp
index fa0cb4c3c4..29062fc920 100644
--- a/src/ScreenSelectMaster.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenSelectMaster.cpp
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ void ScreenSelectMaster::Init()
 		for( unsigned part = 0; part < parts.size(); ++part )
 		{
 			int from, to;
-			if( sscanf( parts[part], "%d:%d", &from, &to ) != 2 )
+			if( sscanf( parts[part].c_str(), "%d:%d", &from, &to ) != 2 )
 			{
 				LuaHelpers::ReportScriptErrorFmt( "%s::OptionOrder%s parse error", m_sName.c_str(), MenuDirToString(dir).c_str() );
 				continue;
diff --git a/src/ScreenSelectMusic.cpp b/src/ScreenSelectMusic.cpp
index a9d4474e6f..f598094f8b 100644
--- a/src/ScreenSelectMusic.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenSelectMusic.cpp
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ bool ScreenSelectMusic::Input( const InputEventPlus &input )
 			if ( songToDelete && PREFSMAN->m_bAllowSongDeletion.Get() )
 			{
 				m_pSongAwaitingDeletionConfirmation = songToDelete;
-				ScreenPrompt::Prompt(SM_ConfirmDeleteSong, ssprintf(PERMANENTLY_DELETE.GetValue(), songToDelete->m_sMainTitle.c_str(), songToDelete->GetSongDir().c_str()), PROMPT_YES_NO);
+				ScreenPrompt::Prompt(SM_ConfirmDeleteSong, ssprintf(PERMANENTLY_DELETE.GetValue().c_str(), songToDelete->m_sMainTitle.c_str(), songToDelete->GetSongDir().c_str()), PROMPT_YES_NO);
 				return true;
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/ScreenServiceAction.cpp b/src/ScreenServiceAction.cpp
index bee474052c..db1f849bf6 100644
--- a/src/ScreenServiceAction.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenServiceAction.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ static RString ClearMachineEdits()
 	PROFILEMAN->LoadMachineProfile();
 
 	int errorCount = editCount - removedCount;
-	return ssprintf(MACHINE_EDITS_CLEARED.GetValue(), editCount, errorCount);
+	return ssprintf(MACHINE_EDITS_CLEARED.GetValue().c_str(), editCount, errorCount);
 }
 
 static PlayerNumber GetFirstReadyMemoryCard()
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ static RString ClearMemoryCardEdits()
 
 	MEMCARDMAN->UnmountCard(pn);
 
-	return ssprintf(EDITS_CLEARED.GetValue(), editCount, editCount - removedCount);
+	return ssprintf(EDITS_CLEARED.GetValue().c_str(), editCount, editCount - removedCount);
 }
 
 
@@ -114,9 +114,9 @@ static RString TransferStatsMachineToMemoryCard()
 	MEMCARDMAN->UnmountCard(pn);
 
 	if( bSaved )
-		return ssprintf(MACHINE_STATS_SAVED.GetValue(),pn+1);
+		return ssprintf(MACHINE_STATS_SAVED.GetValue().c_str(),pn+1);
 	else
-		return ssprintf(ERROR_SAVING_MACHINE_STATS.GetValue(),pn+1);
+		return ssprintf(ERROR_SAVING_MACHINE_STATS.GetValue().c_str(),pn+1);
 }
 
 static LocalizedString STATS_NOT_LOADED		( "ScreenServiceAction", "Stats not loaded - No memory cards ready." );
@@ -142,15 +142,15 @@ static RString TransferStatsMemoryCardToMachine()
 	switch( lr )
 	{
 	case ProfileLoadResult_Success:
-		s = ssprintf(MACHINE_STATS_LOADED.GetValue(),pn+1);
+		s = ssprintf(MACHINE_STATS_LOADED.GetValue().c_str(),pn+1);
 		break;
 	case ProfileLoadResult_FailedNoProfile:
 		*PROFILEMAN->GetMachineProfile() = backup;
-		s = ssprintf(THERE_IS_NO_PROFILE.GetValue(),pn+1);
+		s = ssprintf(THERE_IS_NO_PROFILE.GetValue().c_str(),pn+1);
 		break;
 	case ProfileLoadResult_FailedTampered:
 		*PROFILEMAN->GetMachineProfile() = backup;
-		s = ssprintf(PROFILE_CORRUPT.GetValue(),pn+1);
+		s = ssprintf(PROFILE_CORRUPT.GetValue().c_str(),pn+1);
 		break;
 	default:
 		FAIL_M(ssprintf("Invalid profile load result: %i", lr));
@@ -235,11 +235,11 @@ static RString CopyEdits( const RString &sFromProfileDir, const RString &sToProf
 
 	std::vector<RString> vs;
 	vs.push_back( sDisplayDir );
-	vs.push_back( ssprintf( COPIED.GetValue(), iNumSucceeded ) + ", " + ssprintf( OVERWRITTEN.GetValue(), iNumOverwritten ) );
+	vs.push_back( ssprintf( COPIED.GetValue().c_str(), iNumSucceeded ) + ", " + ssprintf( OVERWRITTEN.GetValue().c_str(), iNumOverwritten ) );
 	if( iNumIgnored )
-		vs.push_back( ssprintf( IGNORED.GetValue(), iNumIgnored ) );
+		vs.push_back( ssprintf( IGNORED.GetValue().c_str(), iNumIgnored ) );
 	if( iNumErrored )
-		vs.push_back( ssprintf( FAILED.GetValue(), iNumErrored ) );
+		vs.push_back( ssprintf( FAILED.GetValue().c_str(), iNumErrored ) );
 	return join( "\n", vs );
 }
 
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ static RString CopyEditsMachineToMemoryCard()
 	RString sToDir = MEM_CARD_MOUNT_POINT[pn] + (RString)PREFSMAN->m_sMemoryCardProfileSubdir + "/";
 
 	std::vector<RString> vs;
-	vs.push_back( ssprintf( COPIED_TO_CARD.GetValue(), pn+1 ) );
+	vs.push_back( ssprintf( COPIED_TO_CARD.GetValue().c_str(), pn+1 ) );
 	RString s = CopyEdits( sFromDir, sToDir, PREFSMAN->m_sMemoryCardProfileSubdir );
 	vs.push_back( s );
 
@@ -338,12 +338,12 @@ static RString SyncEditsMachineToMemoryCard()
 
 	MEMCARDMAN->UnmountCard(pn);
 
-	RString sRet = ssprintf( COPIED_TO_CARD.GetValue(), pn+1 ) + " ";
-	sRet += ssprintf( ADDED.GetValue(), iNumAdded ) + ", " + ssprintf( OVERWRITTEN.GetValue(), iNumOverwritten );
+	RString sRet = ssprintf( COPIED_TO_CARD.GetValue().c_str(), pn+1 ) + " ";
+	sRet += ssprintf( ADDED.GetValue().c_str(), iNumAdded ) + ", " + ssprintf( OVERWRITTEN.GetValue().c_str(), iNumOverwritten );
 	if( iNumDeleted )
-		sRet += RString(" ") + ssprintf( DELETED.GetValue(), iNumDeleted );
+		sRet += RString(" ") + ssprintf( DELETED.GetValue().c_str(), iNumDeleted );
 	if( iNumFailed )
-		sRet += RString("; ") + ssprintf( FAILED.GetValue(), iNumFailed );
+		sRet += RString("; ") + ssprintf( FAILED.GetValue().c_str(), iNumFailed );
 	return sRet;
 }
 
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ static RString CopyEditsMemoryCardToMachine()
 	ProfileManager::GetMemoryCardProfileDirectoriesToTry( vsSubDirs );
 
 	std::vector<RString> vs;
-	vs.push_back( ssprintf( COPIED_FROM_CARD.GetValue(), pn+1 ) );
+	vs.push_back( ssprintf( COPIED_FROM_CARD.GetValue().c_str(), pn+1 ) );
 
 	for (RString const &sSubDir : vsSubDirs)
 	{
diff --git a/src/ScreenTextEntry.cpp b/src/ScreenTextEntry.cpp
index b9e25146ee..3267cc3f28 100644
--- a/src/ScreenTextEntry.cpp
+++ b/src/ScreenTextEntry.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ bool ScreenTextEntry::FloatValidate( const RString &sAnswer, RString &sErrorOut
 	float f;
 	if( StringToFloat(sAnswer, f) )
 		return true;
-	sErrorOut = ssprintf( INVALID_FLOAT.GetValue(), sAnswer.c_str() );
+	sErrorOut = ssprintf( INVALID_FLOAT.GetValue().c_str(), sAnswer.c_str() );
 	return false;
 }
 
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ bool ScreenTextEntry::IntValidate( const RString &sAnswer, RString &sErrorOut )
 	int f;
 	if(sAnswer >> f)
 		return true;
-	sErrorOut = ssprintf( INVALID_INT.GetValue(), sAnswer.c_str() );
+	sErrorOut = ssprintf( INVALID_INT.GetValue().c_str(), sAnswer.c_str() );
 	return false;
 }
 
@@ -453,10 +453,10 @@ static bool ValidateFromLua( const RString &sAnswer, RString &sErrorOut )
 	g_ValidateFunc.PushSelf( L );
 
 	// Argument 1 (answer):
-	lua_pushstring( L, sAnswer );
+	lua_pushstring( L, sAnswer.c_str() );
 
 	// Argument 2 (error out):
-	lua_pushstring( L, sErrorOut );
+	lua_pushstring( L, sErrorOut.c_str() );
 
 	bool valid= false;
 
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ static void OnOKFromLua( const RString &sAnswer )
 
 	g_OnOKFunc.PushSelf( L );
 	// Argument 1 (answer):
-	lua_pushstring( L, sAnswer );
+	lua_pushstring( L, sAnswer.c_str() );
 	RString error= "Lua error in ScreenTextEntry OnOK: ";
 	LuaHelpers::RunScriptOnStack(L, error, 1, 0, true);
 
@@ -526,10 +526,10 @@ static bool ValidateAppendFromLua( const RString &sAnswerBeforeChar, RString &sA
 	g_ValidateAppendFunc.PushSelf( L );
 
 	// Argument 1 (AnswerBeforeChar):
-	lua_pushstring( L, sAnswerBeforeChar );
+	lua_pushstring( L, sAnswerBeforeChar.c_str() );
 
 	// Argument 2 (Append):
-	lua_pushstring( L, sAppend );
+	lua_pushstring( L, sAppend.c_str() );
 
 	bool append= false;
 
@@ -560,7 +560,7 @@ static RString FormatAnswerForDisplayFromLua( const RString &sAnswer )
 
 	g_FormatAnswerForDisplayFunc.PushSelf( L );
 	// Argument 1 (Answer):
-	lua_pushstring( L, sAnswer );
+	lua_pushstring( L, sAnswer.c_str() );
 
 	RString answer;
 	RString error= "Lua error in ScreenTextEntry FormatAnswerForDisplay: ";
diff --git a/src/Song.cpp b/src/Song.cpp
index 34378c7dba..9df847cf5a 100644
--- a/src/Song.cpp
+++ b/src/Song.cpp
@@ -1711,7 +1711,7 @@ RString Song::GetCacheFile(RString sType)
 	PreDefs["Disc"] = GetDiscPath();
 
 	// Check if Predefined images exist, And return function if they do.
-	if(PreDefs[sType.c_str()])
+	if(PreDefs[sType.c_str()].c_str())
 		return PreDefs[sType.c_str()];
 
 	// Get all image files and put them into a vector.
@@ -2136,47 +2136,47 @@ class LunaSong: public Luna<Song>
 public:
 	static int GetDisplayFullTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayFullTitle() ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayFullTitle().c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetTranslitFullTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitFullTitle() ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitFullTitle().c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetDisplayMainTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayMainTitle() ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayMainTitle().c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetMainTitle(T* p, lua_State* L)
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetMainTitle()); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetMainTitle().c_str()); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetTranslitMainTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitMainTitle() ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitMainTitle().c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetDisplaySubTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplaySubTitle() ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplaySubTitle().c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetTranslitSubTitle( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitSubTitle() ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitSubTitle().c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetDisplayArtist( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayArtist() ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDisplayArtist().c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetTranslitArtist( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitArtist() ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetTranslitArtist().c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetGenre( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sGenre ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sGenre.c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetOrigin( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sOrigin ); return 1;
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sOrigin.c_str() ); return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetAllSteps( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
@@ -2193,14 +2193,14 @@ public:
 	}
 	static int GetSongDir( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSongDir() );
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSongDir().c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetMusicPath( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString s = p->GetMusicPath();
 		if( !s.empty() )
-			lua_pushstring(L, s);
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		else
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 		return 1;
@@ -2209,7 +2209,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		RString s = p->GetBannerPath();
 		if( !s.empty() )
-			lua_pushstring(L, s);
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		else
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 		return 1;
@@ -2218,7 +2218,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		RString s = p->GetBackgroundPath();
 		if( !s.empty() )
-			lua_pushstring(L, s);
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		else
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 		return 1;
@@ -2227,7 +2227,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		RString s = p->GetPreviewVidPath();
 		if( !s.empty() )
-			lua_pushstring(L, s);
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		else
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 		return 1;
@@ -2235,14 +2235,14 @@ public:
 	static int GetPreviewMusicPath(T* p, lua_State* L)
 	{
 		RString s= p->GetPreviewMusicPath();
-		lua_pushstring(L, s);
+		lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetJacketPath( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		RString s = p->GetJacketPath();
 		if( !s.empty() )
-			lua_pushstring(L, s);
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		else
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 		return 1;
@@ -2251,7 +2251,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		RString s = p->GetCDImagePath();
 		if( !s.empty() )
-			lua_pushstring(L, s);
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		else
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 		return 1;
@@ -2260,7 +2260,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		RString s = p->GetDiscPath();
 		if( !s.empty() )
-			lua_pushstring(L, s);
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		else
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 		return 1;
@@ -2269,7 +2269,7 @@ public:
 	{
 		RString s = p->GetCDTitlePath();
 		if( !s.empty() )
-			lua_pushstring(L, s);
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		else
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 		return 1;
@@ -2278,14 +2278,14 @@ public:
 	{
 		RString s = p->GetLyricsPath();
 		if( !s.empty() )
-			lua_pushstring(L, s);
+			lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str());
 		else
 			lua_pushnil(L);
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetSongFilePath(  T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSongFilePath() );
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetSongFilePath().c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int IsTutorial( T* p, lua_State *L )
@@ -2305,7 +2305,7 @@ public:
 	}
 	static int GetGroupName( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sGroupName);
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->m_sGroupName.c_str());
 		return 1;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/SongManager.cpp b/src/SongManager.cpp
index eb32457f8d..f3a2f486d5 100644
--- a/src/SongManager.cpp
+++ b/src/SongManager.cpp
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ bool SongManager::SanityCheckGroupDir( RString sDir ) const
 		{
 			if(ext == aud)
 			{
-				LOG->Warn(FOLDER_CONTAINS_MUSIC_FILES.GetValue(), sDir.c_str());
+				LOG->Warn(FOLDER_CONTAINS_MUSIC_FILES.GetValue().c_str(), sDir.c_str());
 				return false;
 			}
 		}
@@ -2395,7 +2395,7 @@ public:
 	static int SongToPreferredSortSectionName( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		const Song* pSong = Luna<Song>::check(L,1);
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->SongToPreferredSortSectionName(pSong));
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->SongToPreferredSortSectionName(pSong).c_str());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetPreferredSortSongsBySectionName( T* p, lua_State *L )
diff --git a/src/SongUtil.cpp b/src/SongUtil.cpp
index 5a1d3b6687..a8c3045a40 100644
--- a/src/SongUtil.cpp
+++ b/src/SongUtil.cpp
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ static bool CompareSongPointersByTitle( const Song *pSong1, const Song *pSong2 )
 	s1 = SongUtil::MakeSortString(s1);
 	s2 = SongUtil::MakeSortString(s2);
 
-	int ret = strcmp( s1, s2 );
+	int ret = strcmp( s1.c_str(), s2.c_str() );
 	if(ret < 0) return true;
 	if(ret > 0) return false;
 
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ int SongUtil::CompareSongPointersByGroup(const Song *pSong1, const Song *pSong2)
 	s1 = SongUtil::MakeSortString(s1);
 	s2 = SongUtil::MakeSortString(s2);
 
-	int ret = strcmp( s1, s2 );
+	int ret = strcmp( s1.c_str(), s2.c_str() );
 	return ret < 0;
 }
 
@@ -654,7 +654,7 @@ static int CompareSongPointersByGroupAndTitle( const Song *pSong1, const Song *p
 	s1 = SongUtil::MakeSortString(s1);
 	s2 = SongUtil::MakeSortString(s2);
 
-	int ret = strcmp( s1, s2 );
+	int ret = strcmp( s1.c_str(), s2.c_str() );
 	return ret < 0;
 }
 
@@ -970,9 +970,9 @@ bool SongUtil::ValidateCurrentEditStepsDescription( const RString &sAnswer, RStr
 	}
 
 	static const RString sInvalidChars = "\\/:*?\"<>|";
-	if( strpbrk(sAnswer, sInvalidChars) != nullptr )
+	if( strpbrk(sAnswer.c_str(), sInvalidChars.c_str()) != nullptr )
 	{
-		sErrorOut = ssprintf( EDIT_NAME_CANNOT_CONTAIN.GetValue(), sInvalidChars.c_str() );
+		sErrorOut = ssprintf( EDIT_NAME_CANNOT_CONTAIN.GetValue().c_str(), sInvalidChars.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -1020,9 +1020,9 @@ bool SongUtil::ValidateCurrentStepsChartName(const RString &answer, RString &err
 	if (answer.empty()) return true;
 
 	static const RString sInvalidChars = "\\/:*?\"<>|";
-	if( strpbrk(answer, sInvalidChars) != nullptr )
+	if( strpbrk(answer.c_str(), sInvalidChars.c_str()) != nullptr )
 	{
-		error = ssprintf( CHART_NAME_CANNOT_CONTAIN.GetValue(), sInvalidChars.c_str() );
+		error = ssprintf( CHART_NAME_CANNOT_CONTAIN.GetValue().c_str(), sInvalidChars.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -1054,9 +1054,9 @@ bool SongUtil::ValidateCurrentStepsCredit( const RString &sAnswer, RString &sErr
 
 	// Borrow from EditDescription testing. Perhaps this should be abstracted? -Wolfman2000
 	static const RString sInvalidChars = "\\/:*?\"<>|";
-	if( strpbrk(sAnswer, sInvalidChars) != nullptr )
+	if( strpbrk(sAnswer.c_str(), sInvalidChars.c_str()) != nullptr )
 	{
-		sErrorOut = ssprintf( AUTHOR_NAME_CANNOT_CONTAIN.GetValue(), sInvalidChars.c_str() );
+		sErrorOut = ssprintf( AUTHOR_NAME_CANNOT_CONTAIN.GetValue().c_str(), sInvalidChars.c_str() );
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -1076,7 +1076,7 @@ bool SongUtil::ValidateCurrentSongPreview(const RString& answer, RString& error)
 	song->m_PreviewFile= real_file;
 	if(!valid)
 	{
-		error= ssprintf(PREVIEW_DOES_NOT_EXIST.GetValue(), answer.c_str());
+		error= ssprintf(PREVIEW_DOES_NOT_EXIST.GetValue().c_str(), answer.c_str());
 	}
 	return valid;
 }
@@ -1094,7 +1094,7 @@ bool SongUtil::ValidateCurrentStepsMusic(const RString &answer, RString &error)
 	pSteps->SetMusicFile(real_file);
 	if(!valid)
 	{
-		error= ssprintf(MUSIC_DOES_NOT_EXIST.GetValue(), answer.c_str());
+		error= ssprintf(MUSIC_DOES_NOT_EXIST.GetValue().c_str(), answer.c_str());
 	}
 	return valid;
 }
diff --git a/src/Sprite.cpp b/src/Sprite.cpp
index 2ae20a279f..8278360223 100644
--- a/src/Sprite.cpp
+++ b/src/Sprite.cpp
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ void Sprite::LoadFromCached( const RString &sDir, const RString &sPath )
 {
 	if( sPath.empty() )
 	{
-		Load( THEME->GetPathG("Common","fallback %s", sDir) );
+		Load( THEME->GetPathG("Common","fallback %s", sDir.c_str()) );
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ void Sprite::LoadFromCached( const RString &sDir, const RString &sPath )
 	else if( IsAFile(sPath) )
 		Load( sPath );
 	else
-		Load( THEME->GetPathG("Common","fallback %s", sDir) );
+		Load( THEME->GetPathG("Common","fallback %s", sDir.c_str()) );
 }
 
 void Sprite::LoadStatesFromTexture()
diff --git a/src/StdString.h b/src/StdString.h
index e5be29228f..b88075d2c7 100644
--- a/src/StdString.h
+++ b/src/StdString.h
@@ -499,11 +499,19 @@ public:
 	{
 		return ssicmp(this->c_str(), szThat);
 	}
+	int CompareNoCase(const MYTYPE& other)	const
+	{
+		return ssicmp(this->c_str(), other.c_str());
+	}
 
 	bool EqualsNoCase(PCMYSTR szThat)	const
 	{
 		return CompareNoCase(szThat) == 0;
 	}
+	bool EqualsNoCase(const MYTYPE& other)	const
+	{
+		return CompareNoCase(other.c_str()) == 0;
+	}
 
 	MYTYPE Left(int nCount) const
 	{
@@ -548,6 +556,11 @@ public:
 		return nReplaced;
 	}
 
+	int Replace(const MYTYPE& szOld, const MYTYPE& szNew)
+	{
+		return Replace(szOld.c_str(), szNew.c_str());
+	}
+
 	MYTYPE Right(int nCount) const
 	{
 		// Range check the count.
diff --git a/src/StepMania.cpp b/src/StepMania.cpp
index 7b2a56b206..7d6090a970 100644
--- a/src/StepMania.cpp
+++ b/src/StepMania.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ static RString GetActualGraphicOptionsString()
 {
 	const VideoModeParams &params = DISPLAY->GetActualVideoModeParams();
 	RString sFormat = "%s %s %dx%d %d "+COLOR.GetValue()+" %d "+TEXTURE.GetValue()+" %dHz %s %s";
-	RString sLog = ssprintf( sFormat,
+	RString sLog = ssprintf( sFormat.c_str(),
 		DISPLAY->GetApiDescription().c_str(),
 		(params.windowed? WINDOWED : FULLSCREEN).GetValue().c_str(),
 		(int)params.width,
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ RageDisplay *CreateDisplay()
 	RString error = ERROR_INITIALIZING_CARD.GetValue()+"\n\n"+
 		ERROR_DONT_FILE_BUG.GetValue()+"\n\n"
 		VIDEO_TROUBLESHOOTING_URL "\n\n"+
-		ssprintf(ERROR_VIDEO_DRIVER.GetValue(), GetVideoDriverName().c_str())+"\n\n";
+		ssprintf(ERROR_VIDEO_DRIVER.GetValue().c_str(), GetVideoDriverName().c_str())+"\n\n";
 
 	std::vector<RString> asRenderers;
 	split( PREFSMAN->m_sVideoRenderers, ",", asRenderers, true );
@@ -614,7 +614,7 @@ RageDisplay *CreateDisplay()
 		}
 		else
 		{
-			RageException::Throw( ERROR_UNKNOWN_VIDEO_RENDERER.GetValue(), sRenderer.c_str() );
+			RageException::Throw( ERROR_UNKNOWN_VIDEO_RENDERER.GetValue().c_str(), sRenderer.c_str() );
 		}
 
 		if( pRet == nullptr )
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ RageDisplay *CreateDisplay()
 		RString sError = pRet->Init( params, PREFSMAN->m_bAllowUnacceleratedRenderer );
 		if( !sError.empty() )
 		{
-			error += ssprintf(ERROR_INITIALIZING.GetValue(), sRenderer.c_str())+"\n" + sError;
+			error += ssprintf(ERROR_INITIALIZING.GetValue().c_str(), sRenderer.c_str())+"\n" + sError;
 			RageUtil::SafeDelete( pRet );
 			error += "\n\n\n";
 			continue;
@@ -1433,7 +1433,7 @@ int LuaFunc_SaveScreenshot(lua_State *L)
 	}
 	RString path= dir + filename;
 	lua_pushboolean(L, !filename.empty());
-	lua_pushstring(L, path);
+	lua_pushstring(L, path.c_str());
 	return 2;
 }
 void LuaFunc_Register_SaveScreenshot(lua_State *L);
diff --git a/src/Steps.cpp b/src/Steps.cpp
index 20f59c7c17..3ad7c7af38 100644
--- a/src/Steps.cpp
+++ b/src/Steps.cpp
@@ -1183,7 +1183,7 @@ public:
 
 	static int GetGrooveStatsHash(T *p, lua_State *L)
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetGrooveStatsHash());
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetGrooveStatsHash().c_str());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	
@@ -1195,7 +1195,7 @@ public:
 	
 	static int GetChartName(T *p, lua_State *L)
 	{
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetChartName());
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetChartName().c_str());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetDisplayBpms( T* p, lua_State *L )
diff --git a/src/Style.cpp b/src/Style.cpp
index 85fb6fbf38..5f62213341 100644
--- a/src/Style.cpp
+++ b/src/Style.cpp
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ public:
 		ret.Set( L, "Track" );
 		lua_pushnumber( L, p->m_ColumnInfo[pn][iCol].fXOffset );
 		ret.Set( L,  "XOffset" );
-		lua_pushstring( L, p->ColToButtonName(iCol) );
+		lua_pushstring( L, p->ColToButtonName(iCol).c_str() );
 		ret.Set( L, "Name" );
 
 		ret.PushSelf(L);
diff --git a/src/ThemeManager.cpp b/src/ThemeManager.cpp
index ccc35eb748..ef170e1593 100644
--- a/src/ThemeManager.cpp
+++ b/src/ThemeManager.cpp
@@ -1351,16 +1351,16 @@ public:
 		{
 			luaL_error(L, "Cannot fetch string with empty group name or empty value name.");
 		}
-		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetString(group, name));
+		lua_pushstring(L, p->GetString(group, name).c_str());
 		return 1;
 	}
 	static int GetPathInfoB( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
 		ThemeManager::PathInfo pi;
 		p->GetPathInfo( pi, EC_BGANIMATIONS, SArg(1), SArg(2) );
-		lua_pushstring(L, pi.sResolvedPath);
-		lua_pushstring(L, pi.sMatchingMetricsGroup);
-		lua_pushstring(L, pi.sMatchingElement);
+		lua_pushstring(L, pi.sResolvedPath.c_str());
+		lua_pushstring(L, pi.sMatchingMetricsGroup.c_str());
+		lua_pushstring(L, pi.sMatchingElement.c_str());
 		return 3;
 	}
 	// GENERAL_GET_PATH uses lua_toboolean instead of BArg because that makes
@@ -1369,7 +1369,7 @@ public:
 	static int get_path_name(T* p, lua_State* L) \
 	{ \
 		lua_pushstring(L, p->get_path_name( \
-				SArg(1), SArg(2), lua_toboolean(L, 3))); \
+				SArg(1), SArg(2), lua_toboolean(L, 3)).c_str()); \
 		return 1; \
 	}
 	GENERAL_GET_PATH(GetPathF);
@@ -1395,8 +1395,8 @@ public:
 
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetCurrentThemeDirectory, GetCurThemeDir() );
 	DEFINE_METHOD( GetCurLanguage, GetCurLanguage() );
-	static int GetThemeDisplayName( T* p, lua_State *L )			{  lua_pushstring(L, p->GetThemeDisplayName(p->GetCurThemeName())); return 1; }
-	static int GetThemeAuthor( T* p, lua_State *L )			{  lua_pushstring(L, p->GetThemeAuthor(p->GetCurThemeName())); return 1; }
+	static int GetThemeDisplayName( T* p, lua_State *L )			{  lua_pushstring(L, p->GetThemeDisplayName(p->GetCurThemeName()).c_str()); return 1; }
+	static int GetThemeAuthor( T* p, lua_State *L )			{  lua_pushstring(L, p->GetThemeAuthor(p->GetCurThemeName()).c_str()); return 1; }
 	DEFINE_METHOD( DoesThemeExist, DoesThemeExist(SArg(1)) );
 	DEFINE_METHOD( IsThemeSelectable, IsThemeSelectable(SArg(1)) );
 	DEFINE_METHOD( DoesLanguageExist, DoesLanguageExist(SArg(1)) );
diff --git a/src/UnlockManager.cpp b/src/UnlockManager.cpp
index d58002aaaa..91f2adcd0f 100644
--- a/src/UnlockManager.cpp
+++ b/src/UnlockManager.cpp
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ class LunaUnlockEntry: public Luna<UnlockEntry>
 {
 public:
 	static int IsLocked( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushboolean(L, p->IsLocked() ); return 1; }
-	static int GetDescription( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDescription() ); return 1; }
+	static int GetDescription( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ lua_pushstring(L, p->GetDescription().c_str() ); return 1; }
 	static int GetUnlockRewardType( T* p, lua_State *L )	{ lua_pushnumber(L, p->m_Type ); return 1; }
 	static int GetRequirement( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ UnlockRequirement i = Enum::Check<UnlockRequirement>( L, 1 ); lua_pushnumber(L, p->m_fRequirement[i] ); return 1; }
 	static int GetRequirePassHardSteps( T* p, lua_State *L ){ lua_pushboolean(L, p->m_bRequirePassHardSteps); return 1; }
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ public:
 	}
 	static int GetCode( T* p, lua_State *L )
 	{
-		lua_pushstring( L, p->m_sEntryID );
+		lua_pushstring( L, p->m_sEntryID.c_str() );
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ public:
 		lua_pushnumber( L, p->PointsUntilNextUnlock(ut) );
 		return 1;
 	}
-	static int FindEntryID( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ RString sName = SArg(1); RString s = p->FindEntryID(sName); if( s.empty() ) lua_pushnil(L); else lua_pushstring(L, s); return 1; }
+	static int FindEntryID( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ RString sName = SArg(1); RString s = p->FindEntryID(sName); if( s.empty() ) lua_pushnil(L); else lua_pushstring(L, s.c_str()); return 1; }
 	static int UnlockEntryID( T* p, lua_State *L )			{ RString sUnlockEntryID = SArg(1); p->UnlockEntryID(sUnlockEntryID); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	static int UnlockEntryIndex( T* p, lua_State *L )		{ int iUnlockEntryID = IArg(1); p->UnlockEntryIndex(iUnlockEntryID); COMMON_RETURN_SELF; }
 	static int LockEntryID( T * p, lua_State * L)
diff --git a/src/XmlFile.cpp b/src/XmlFile.cpp
index 026ec52e36..f6d09e1295 100644
--- a/src/XmlFile.cpp
+++ b/src/XmlFile.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ void XNodeStringValue::GetValue( RString &out ) const		{ out = m_sValue; }
 void XNodeStringValue::GetValue( int &out ) const		{ out = StringToInt(m_sValue); }
 void XNodeStringValue::GetValue( float &out ) const		{ out = StringToFloat(m_sValue); }
 void XNodeStringValue::GetValue( bool &out ) const		{ out = StringToInt(m_sValue) != 0; }
-void XNodeStringValue::GetValue( unsigned &out ) const		{ out = strtoul(m_sValue,nullptr,0); }
+void XNodeStringValue::GetValue( unsigned &out ) const		{ out = strtoul(m_sValue.c_str(),nullptr,0); }
 void XNodeStringValue::PushValue( lua_State *L ) const
 {
 	LuaHelpers::Push( L, m_sValue );
diff --git a/src/XmlToLua.cpp b/src/XmlToLua.cpp
index b7668e7da1..0cb6a73043 100644
--- a/src/XmlToLua.cpp
+++ b/src/XmlToLua.cpp
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ void convert_lua_chunk(RString& chunk_text)
 	for(std::map<RString, RString>::iterator chunk= chunks_to_replace.begin();
 			chunk != chunks_to_replace.end(); ++chunk)
 	{
-		chunk_text.Replace(chunk->first, chunk->second);
+		chunk_text.Replace(chunk->first.c_str(), chunk->second.c_str());
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/arch/ArchHooks/ArchHooks_MacOSX.mm b/src/arch/ArchHooks/ArchHooks_MacOSX.mm
index 8804079246..90825d9d52 100644
--- a/src/arch/ArchHooks/ArchHooks_MacOSX.mm
+++ b/src/arch/ArchHooks/ArchHooks_MacOSX.mm
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ void ArchHooks::MountInitialFilesystems( const RString &sDirOfExecutable )
 		CFStringRef dataPath = CFURLCopyFileSystemPath( dataUrl, kCFURLPOSIXPathStyle );
 		CFStringGetCString( dataPath, dir, PATH_MAX, kCFStringEncodingUTF8 );
 
-		if( strncmp(sDirOfExecutable, dir, sDirOfExecutable.length()) == 0 )
+		if( strncmp(sDirOfExecutable.c_str(), dir, sDirOfExecutable.length()) == 0 )
 			FILEMAN->Mount( "zip", dir + sDirOfExecutable.length(), "/" );
 		CFRelease( dataPath );
 		CFRelease( dataUrl );
diff --git a/src/arch/ArchHooks/ArchHooks_Unix.cpp b/src/arch/ArchHooks/ArchHooks_Unix.cpp
index 9700a85d90..eac733ad09 100644
--- a/src/arch/ArchHooks/ArchHooks_Unix.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/ArchHooks/ArchHooks_Unix.cpp
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ void ArchHooks_Unix::SetTime( tm newtime )
 		newtime.tm_sec );
 
 	LOG->Trace( "executing '%s'", sCommand.c_str() );
-	int ret = system( sCommand );
+	int ret = system( sCommand.c_str() );
 	if( ret == -1 || ret == 127 || !WIFEXITED(ret) || WEXITSTATUS(ret) )
 		LOG->Trace( "'%s' failed", sCommand.c_str() );
 
diff --git a/src/arch/Dialog/DialogDriver.cpp b/src/arch/Dialog/DialogDriver.cpp
index f8a7d32554..5eb446b2f2 100644
--- a/src/arch/Dialog/DialogDriver.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/Dialog/DialogDriver.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ DialogDriver *DialogDriver::Create()
 
 	for (RString const &Driver : asDriversToTry)
 	{
-		std::map<istring, CreateDialogDriverFn>::const_iterator iter = RegisterDialogDriver::g_pRegistrees->find( istring(Driver) );
+		std::map<istring, CreateDialogDriverFn>::const_iterator iter = RegisterDialogDriver::g_pRegistrees->find( istring(Driver.c_str()) );
 
 		if( iter == RegisterDialogDriver::g_pRegistrees->end() )
 			continue;
diff --git a/src/arch/Dialog/DialogDriver_MacOSX.cpp b/src/arch/Dialog/DialogDriver_MacOSX.cpp
index a15d7a83c0..b227f83e47 100644
--- a/src/arch/Dialog/DialogDriver_MacOSX.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/Dialog/DialogDriver_MacOSX.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ static CFOptionFlags ShowAlert( CFOptionFlags flags, const RString& sMessage, CF
 				CFStringRef alt = nullptr, CFStringRef other = nullptr)
 {
 	CFOptionFlags result;
-	CFStringRef text = CFStringCreateWithCString( nullptr, sMessage, kCFStringEncodingUTF8 );
+	CFStringRef text = CFStringCreateWithCString( nullptr, sMessage.c_str(), kCFStringEncodingUTF8 );
 
 	if( text == nullptr )
 	{
diff --git a/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_Linux_Event.cpp b/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_Linux_Event.cpp
index 1f1607b817..7e006afe35 100644
--- a/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_Linux_Event.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_Linux_Event.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ bool EventDevice::Open( RString sFile, InputDevice dev )
 {
 	m_sPath = sFile;
 	m_Dev = dev;
-	m_iFD = open( sFile, O_RDWR );
+	m_iFD = open( sFile.c_str(), O_RDWR );
 	if( m_iFD == -1 )
 	{
 		// HACK: Let the caller handle errno.
diff --git a/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_Linux_Joystick.cpp b/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_Linux_Joystick.cpp
index 62f67c7f51..c7a1325caf 100644
--- a/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_Linux_Joystick.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/InputHandler/InputHandler_Linux_Joystick.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ void InputHandler_Linux_Joystick::StopThread()
 bool InputHandler_Linux_Joystick::TryDevice(RString dev)
 {
 	struct stat st;
-	if( stat( dev, &st ) == -1 )
+	if( stat( dev.c_str(), &st ) == -1 )
 		{ LOG->Warn( "LinuxJoystick: Couldn't stat %s: %s", dev.c_str(), strerror(errno) ); return false; }
 
 	if( !S_ISCHR( st.st_mode ) )
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ bool InputHandler_Linux_Joystick::TryDevice(RString dev)
 	/* Thread is stopped! DO NOT RETURN */
 	{
 		FileDescriptor f;
-		f.fd = open( dev, O_RDONLY );
+		f.fd = open( dev.c_str(), O_RDONLY );
 		if(f.fd != -1)
 		{
 			char szName[1024];
diff --git a/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_Gtk.cpp b/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_Gtk.cpp
index 1f581e9e3f..ac4cdfac01 100644
--- a/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_Gtk.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_Gtk.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ LoadingWindow_Gtk::~LoadingWindow_Gtk()
 
 void LoadingWindow_Gtk::SetText( RString s )
 {
-	gtk_label_set_text(GTK_LABEL(label), s);
+	gtk_label_set_text(GTK_LABEL(label), s.c_str());
 	gtk_widget_show(label);
 	gtk_main_iteration_do(FALSE);
 }
diff --git a/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_MacOSX.mm b/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_MacOSX.mm
index a926285aee..854652e6af 100644
--- a/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_MacOSX.mm
+++ b/src/arch/LoadingWindow/LoadingWindow_MacOSX.mm
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ void LoadingWindow_MacOSX::SetText( RString str )
 {
 	if( !g_Helper )
 		return;
-	NSString *s = [[NSString alloc] initWithUTF8String:str];
+	NSString *s = [[NSString alloc] initWithUTF8String:(str.c_str())];
 	[g_Helper->m_Text performSelectorOnMainThread:@selector(setString:) withObject:(s ? s : @"") waitUntilDone:NO];
 	[s release];
 }
diff --git a/src/arch/LowLevelWindow/LowLevelWindow_MacOSX.mm b/src/arch/LowLevelWindow/LowLevelWindow_MacOSX.mm
index e36bdd56f6..35c990fdb4 100644
--- a/src/arch/LowLevelWindow/LowLevelWindow_MacOSX.mm
+++ b/src/arch/LowLevelWindow/LowLevelWindow_MacOSX.mm
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ void *LowLevelWindow_MacOSX::GetProcAddress( RString s )
 	const uint32_t options = NSLOOKUPSYMBOLINIMAGE_OPTION_RETURN_ON_ERROR;
 
 	for( uint32_t i = 0; i < count && !symbol; ++i )
-		symbol = NSLookupSymbolInImage( _dyld_get_image_header(i), symbolName, options );
+		symbol = NSLookupSymbolInImage( _dyld_get_image_header(i), symbolName.c_str(), options );
 	return symbol ? NSAddressOfSymbol( symbol ) : nil;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.cpp b/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.cpp
index 3db3e5b7f8..db4372d4b7 100644
--- a/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/MemoryCard/MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux.cpp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 
 bool MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::TestWrite( UsbStorageDevice* pDevice )
 {
-	if( access(pDevice->sOsMountDir, W_OK) == -1 )
+	if( access(pDevice->sOsMountDir.c_str(), W_OK) == -1 )
 	{
 		pDevice->SetError( "TestFailed" );
 		return false;
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ bool MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::TestWrite( UsbStorageDevice* pDevice )
 static bool ExecuteCommand( const RString &sCommand )
 {
 	LOG->Trace( "executing '%s'", sCommand.c_str() );
-	int ret = system(sCommand);
+	int ret = system(sCommand.c_str());
 	LOG->Trace( "done executing '%s'", sCommand.c_str() );
 	if( ret != 0 )
 	{
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static bool ReadFile( const RString &sPath, RString &sBuf )
 {
 	sBuf.clear();
 
-	int fd = open( sPath, O_RDONLY );
+	int fd = open( sPath.c_str(), O_RDONLY );
 	if( fd == -1 )
 	{
 		// "No such file or directory" is understandable
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ static void GetFileList( const RString &sPath, std::vector<RString> &out )
 {
 	out.clear();
 
-	DIR *dp = opendir( sPath );
+	DIR *dp = opendir( sPath.c_str() );
 	if( dp == nullptr )
 		return; // false; // XXX warn
 
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ bool MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::USBStorageDevicesChanged()
 	for( unsigned i = 0; i < asDevices.size(); ++i )
 	{
 		struct stat buf;
-		if( stat( sDevicePath + asDevices[i], &buf ) == -1 )
+		if( stat( (sDevicePath + asDevices[i]).c_str(), &buf ) == -1 )
 			continue; // XXX warn
 
 		sThisDevices += ssprintf( "%i,", (int) buf.st_ino );
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ void MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::GetUSBStorageDevices( std::vector<UsbStorag
 			RString sBuf;
 			if( !ReadFile( sPath + "removable", sBuf ) )
 				continue; // already warned
-			if( atoi(sBuf) != 1 )
+			if( atoi(sBuf.c_str()) != 1 )
 				continue;
 
 			/*
@@ -168,14 +168,14 @@ void MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::GetUSBStorageDevices( std::vector<UsbStorag
 					break;
 				}
 
-				if( access(usbd.sSysPath, F_OK) == -1 )
+				if( access(usbd.sSysPath.c_str(), F_OK) == -1 )
 				{
 					LOG->Warn( "Block directory %s went away while we were waiting for %s",
 							usbd.sSysPath.c_str(), sQueueFilePath.c_str() );
 					break;
 				}
 
-				if( access(sQueueFilePath, F_OK) != -1 )
+				if( access(sQueueFilePath.c_str(), F_OK) != -1 )
 					break;
 
 				usleep(10000);
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ void MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::GetUSBStorageDevices( std::vector<UsbStorag
 			ExecuteCommand( "udevadm settle" );
 
 			/* If the first partition device exists, eg. /sys/block/uba/uba1, use it. */
-			if( access(usbd.sSysPath + sDevice + "1", F_OK) != -1 )
+			if( access((usbd.sSysPath + sDevice + "1").c_str(), F_OK) != -1 )
 			{
 				LOG->Trace("OK");
 				usbd.sDevice = "/dev/" + sDevice + "1";
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ void MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::GetUSBStorageDevices( std::vector<UsbStorag
 			 * "2-1" is "bus-port".
 			 */
 			char szLink[256];
-			ssize_t iRet = readlink( sPath + "device", szLink, sizeof(szLink) );
+			ssize_t iRet = readlink( (sPath + "device").c_str(), szLink, sizeof(szLink) );
 			if( iRet == -1 )
 			{
 				LOG->Warn( "readlink(\"%s\"): %s", (sPath + "device").c_str(), strerror(errno) );
@@ -249,18 +249,18 @@ void MemoryCardDriverThreaded_Linux::GetUSBStorageDevices( std::vector<UsbStorag
 					split( sHostPort, ".", asBits );
 					if( asBits.size() > 1 )
 					{
-						usbd.iBus = atoi( asBits[0] );
-						usbd.iPort = atoi( asBits[asBits.size()-1] );
+						usbd.iBus = atoi( asBits[0].c_str() );
+						usbd.iPort = atoi( asBits[asBits.size()-1].c_str() );
 						usbd.iLevel = asBits.size() - 1;
 					}
 				}
 			}
 
 			if( ReadFile( sPath + "device/../idVendor", sBuf ) )
-				sscanf( sBuf, "%x", &usbd.idVendor );
+				sscanf( sBuf.c_str(), "%x", &usbd.idVendor );
 
 			if( ReadFile( sPath + "device/../idProduct", sBuf ) )
-				sscanf( sBuf, "%x", &usbd.idProduct );
+				sscanf( sBuf.c_str(), "%x", &usbd.idProduct );
 
 			if( ReadFile( sPath + "device/../serial", sBuf ) )
 			{
diff --git a/src/arch/RageDriver.cpp b/src/arch/RageDriver.cpp
index 4cd6ccf5e3..3253dc8657 100644
--- a/src/arch/RageDriver.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/RageDriver.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ RageDriver *DriverList::Create( const RString &sDriverName )
 	if( m_pRegistrees == nullptr )
 		return nullptr;
 
-	std::map<istring, CreateRageDriverFn>::const_iterator iter = m_pRegistrees->find( istring(sDriverName) );
+	std::map<istring, CreateRageDriverFn>::const_iterator iter = m_pRegistrees->find( istring(sDriverName.c_str()) );
 	if( iter == m_pRegistrees->end() )
 		return nullptr;
 	return (iter->second)();
diff --git a/src/arch/Sound/ALSA9Dynamic.cpp b/src/arch/Sound/ALSA9Dynamic.cpp
index 40c68cd43c..ec01fb645f 100644
--- a/src/arch/Sound/ALSA9Dynamic.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/Sound/ALSA9Dynamic.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ RString LoadALSA()
 
 	ASSERT( Handle == nullptr );
 
-	Handle = dlopen( lib, RTLD_NOW );
+	Handle = dlopen( lib.c_str(), RTLD_NOW );
 	if( Handle == nullptr )
 		return ssprintf("dlopen(%s): %s", lib.c_str(), dlerror());
 
diff --git a/src/arch/Sound/ALSA9Helpers.cpp b/src/arch/Sound/ALSA9Helpers.cpp
index 68bd468a95..9fc6fc7c1e 100644
--- a/src/arch/Sound/ALSA9Helpers.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/Sound/ALSA9Helpers.cpp
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ void Alsa9Buf::GetSoundCardDebugInfo()
 		const RString id = ssprintf( "hw:%d", card );
 		snd_ctl_t *handle;
 		int err;
-		err = dsnd_ctl_open( &handle, id, 0 );
+		err = dsnd_ctl_open( &handle, id.c_str(), 0 );
 		if ( err < 0 )
 		{
 			LOG->Info( "Couldn't open card #%i (\"%s\") to probe: %s", card, id.c_str(), dsnd_strerror(err) );
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ RString Alsa9Buf::Init( int channels_,
 
 	/* Open the device. */
 	int err;
-	err = dsnd_pcm_open( &pcm, DeviceName(), SND_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK, SND_PCM_NONBLOCK );
+	err = dsnd_pcm_open( &pcm, DeviceName().c_str(), SND_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK, SND_PCM_NONBLOCK );
 	if( err < 0 )
 		return ssprintf( "dsnd_pcm_open(%s): %s", DeviceName().c_str(), dsnd_strerror(err) );
 
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ RString Alsa9Buf::GetHardwareID( RString name )
 
 	snd_ctl_t *handle;
 	int err;
-	err = dsnd_ctl_open( &handle, name, 0 );
+	err = dsnd_ctl_open( &handle, name.c_str(), 0 );
 	if ( err < 0 )
 	{
 		LOG->Info( "Couldn't open card \"%s\" to get ID: %s", name.c_str(), dsnd_strerror(err) );
diff --git a/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_JACK.cpp b/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_JACK.cpp
index 0dd0522834..81ab59c274 100644
--- a/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_JACK.cpp
+++ b/src/arch/Sound/RageSoundDriver_JACK.cpp
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ RString RageSoundDriver_JACK::ConnectPorts()
 		// "aliases" in the docs.)
 		for ( RString const &portName : portNames )
 		{
-			jack_port_t *out = jack_port_by_name( client, portName );
+			jack_port_t *out = jack_port_by_name( client, portName.c_str() );
 			// Make sure the port is a sink.
 			if( ! ( jack_port_flags( out ) & JackPortIsInput ) )
 				continue;
diff --git a/src/archutils/Unix/CrashHandler.cpp b/src/archutils/Unix/CrashHandler.cpp
index 3c9aa1cebb..23d9409805 100644
--- a/src/archutils/Unix/CrashHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/archutils/Unix/CrashHandler.cpp
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ void CrashHandler::ForceDeadlock( RString reason, uint64_t iID )
 
 	strncpy( crash.m_ThreadName[0], RageThread::GetCurrentThreadName(), sizeof(crash.m_ThreadName[0])-1 );
 
-	strncpy( crash.reason, reason, std::min(sizeof(crash.reason) - 1, reason.length()) );
+	strncpy( crash.reason, reason.c_str(), std::min(sizeof(crash.reason) - 1, reason.length()) );
 	crash.reason[ sizeof(crash.reason)-1 ] = 0;
 
 	RunCrashHandler( &crash );
diff --git a/src/archutils/Unix/CrashHandlerChild.cpp b/src/archutils/Unix/CrashHandlerChild.cpp
index 36bd5094e5..49ea05e8ca 100644
--- a/src/archutils/Unix/CrashHandlerChild.cpp
+++ b/src/archutils/Unix/CrashHandlerChild.cpp
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ static void child_process()
 #endif
 	sCrashInfoPath += "/crashinfo.txt";
 
-	FILE *CrashDump = fopen( sCrashInfoPath, "w+" );
+	FILE *CrashDump = fopen( sCrashInfoPath.c_str(), "w+" );
 	if(CrashDump == nullptr)
 	{
 		fprintf( stderr, "Couldn't open %s: %s\n", sCrashInfoPath.c_str(), strerror(errno) );
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ static void child_process()
 
 	fprintf(CrashDump, "Checkpoints:\n");
 	for( unsigned i=0; i<Checkpoints.size(); ++i )
-		fputs( Checkpoints[i], CrashDump );
+		fputs( Checkpoints[i].c_str(), CrashDump );
 	fprintf( CrashDump, "\n" );
 
 	for( int i = 0; i < CrashData::MAX_BACKTRACE_THREADS; ++i )
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ static void child_process()
 	if( tty == nullptr )
 		tty = stderr;
 
-	fputs( 	"\n"
+	fputs(( 	"\n"
 		 PRODUCT_ID " has crashed.  Debug information has been output to\n"
 		 "\n"
 		 "    " + sCrashInfoPath + "\n"
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ static void child_process()
 		 "Please report a bug at:\n"
 		 "\n"
 		 "    " REPORT_BUG_URL "\n"
-		 "\n", tty );
+		 "\n").c_str(), tty );
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/src/global.cpp b/src/global.cpp
index 766dfe97c8..af5f620420 100644
--- a/src/global.cpp
+++ b/src/global.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@
     #include "archutils/Unix/CrashHandler.h"
 #endif
 
+void sm_crash(const RString& s)
+{
+    sm_crash(s.c_str());
+}
+
 void sm_crash( const char *reason )
 {
 #if ( defined(_WIN32) && defined(CRASH_HANDLER) ) || defined(MACOSX) || defined(_XDBG)
diff --git a/src/global.h b/src/global.h
index 08433918b1..4484201799 100644
--- a/src/global.h
+++ b/src/global.h
@@ -37,10 +37,15 @@
 #undef ASSERT
 #endif
 
+#include "StdString.h"
+/** @brief Use RStrings throughout the program. */
+typedef StdString::CStdString RString;
+
 /** @brief RageThreads defines (don't pull in all of RageThreads.h here) */
 namespace Checkpoints
 {
 	void SetCheckpoint( const char *file, int line, const char *message );
+	void SetCheckpoint( const char *file, int line, const RString& message );
 }
 /** @brief Set a checkpoint with no message. */
 #define CHECKPOINT (Checkpoints::SetCheckpoint(__FILE__, __LINE__, nullptr))
@@ -58,6 +63,8 @@ namespace Checkpoints
  * @return nothing: there is no escape without quitting the program.
  */
 [[noreturn]]
+void sm_crash(const RString& reason);
+[[noreturn]]
 void sm_crash( const char *reason = "Internal error" );
 
 /**
@@ -78,6 +85,7 @@ void sm_crash( const char *reason = "Internal error" );
 /** @brief Use this to catch switching on invalid values */
 #define DEFAULT_FAIL(i) 	default: FAIL_M( ssprintf("%s = %i", #i, (i)) )
 
+void ShowWarningOrTrace( const char *file, int line, const RString& message, bool bWarning );
 void ShowWarningOrTrace( const char *file, int line, const char *message, bool bWarning ); // don't pull in LOG here
 #define WARN(MESSAGE) (ShowWarningOrTrace(__FILE__, __LINE__, MESSAGE, true))
 #if !defined(CO_EXIST_WITH_MFC)
@@ -102,10 +110,6 @@ void ShowWarningOrTrace( const char *file, int line, const char *message, bool b
 #define SM_UNIQUE_NAME2(x,line) SM_UNIQUE_NAME3(x, line)
 #define SM_UNIQUE_NAME(x) SM_UNIQUE_NAME2(x, __LINE__)
 
-#include "StdString.h"
-/** @brief Use RStrings throughout the program. */
-typedef StdString::CStdString RString;
-
 #include "RageException.h"
 
 // Call a function every `n` frames.