std::filesystem::path::generic_string, std::filesystem::path::generic_wstring, std::filesystem::path::generic_u8string, std::filesystem::path::generic_u16string, std::filesystem::path::generic_u32string

From cppreference.com
< cpplrm; | filesystemlrm; | path
template< class CharT, class Traits = std::char_traits<CharT>,

class Alloc = std::allocator<CharT> >
std::basic_string<CharT,Traits,Alloc>

generic_string( const Alloc& a = Alloc() ) const;
(1) (since C++17)
(2) (since C++17)
std::string generic_string() const;
std::wstring generic_wstring() const;
std::string generic_u8string() const;
std::u16string generic_u16string() const;
std::u32string generic_u32string() const;

Returns the internal pathname in generic pathname format, converted to specific string type. Conversion, if any, is specified as follows:

  • If path::value_type is char, conversion, if any, is system-dependent. This is the case on typical POSIX systems (such as Linux), where native encoding is UTF-8 and string() performs no conversion.
  • Otherwise, if path::value_type is wchar_t, conversion, if any, is unspecified. This is the case on Windows, where wchar_t is 16 bit and the native encoding is UTF-16.
  • Otherwise, if path::value_type is char16_t, native encoding is UTF-16 and the conversion method is unspecified.
  • Otherwise, if path::value_type is char32_t, native encoding is UTF-32 and the conversion method is unspecified.

The / character is used as the directory separator.

1) All memory allocations are performed by a.
2) The result encoding in the case of u8string() is always UTF-8.

Parameters

a - allocator to construct the string with
Type requirements
-
CharT must be one of the encoded character types (char, wchar_t, char16_t and char32_t)

Return value

The internal pathname in generic pathname format, converted to specified string type.

Exceptions

(none)

See also

returns the path in native pathname format converted to a string
(public member function)