VarToWideStr

VarToWideStr converts a variant type variable or field V, into a widestring.

If the variant is null (has a vartype of 1), then it will return a blank string.

Whereas a widestring variable containing text returns a vartype of 8, a variant that contains text returns a vartype of 256, so the two variable types are considered to be different and unique.

Unicode characters are handled with ease in both widestring and variant data types.

Please also review TVarType for more information.

This function is more commonly used with variant type variables, rather than with fields. However when accessing fields, you can achieve the same thing by using the Field Class object FieldAsString property.

Please also review VarToStr for an alternative function.

Declaration: Function VarToWideStr(const V : Variant) : WideString;

An example.

procedure OnMapEvent(var Value:Variant);
begin
  Value := VarToWideStr(Field.Value);
end;

The function can also be responsible for changing the VarType as illustrated in the sample code that follows - from 256 to 8.

procedure ScriptEvent (var Value : variant);
var
  aVar, dVar : variant;
  aWVar, cWVar : widestring;
begin
  LogInfo('');
 
  //aVar = variant type
  aVar := 'Hello there βÆ£€èç';
  LogInfo('Text in a VARIANT variable (V) ........ '+ aVar);
  //Vartype is 256
  LogInfo('Data Type for VARIANT variable with TEXT = '+IntToStr(VarType(aVar)));
  LogInfo('');
 
  //aWVar = widestring type
  aWVar := 'What is up? βÆ£€èç';
  LogInfo('Text in a WIDESTRING variable (V) ........ '+ aWVar);
  //VarType is 8
  LogInfo('Data Type for WIDESTRING variable with TEXT = '+IntToStr(VarType(aWVar)));
  LogInfo('');
 
  //cWVar = widestring type
  cWVar := VarToWideStr(aVar);
  LogInfo('Result is ................ ' + cWVar);
  //VarType is 8
  LogInfo('Data Type for converted VAR->WIDESTRING variable with TEXT into WIDESTRING variable = '+IntToStr(VarType(cWVar)));
  LogInfo('');
 
  dVar := VarToWideStr(aVar);
  LogInfo('Result is ................ ' + dVar);
  //VarType is 8
  LogInfo('Data Type for converted VAR->WIDESTRING variable with TEXT into VARIANT variable = '+IntToStr(VarType(dVar)));
  LogInfo('');
 
  //fVar = variant type
  fVar := null;
  fWVar := VarToWideStr(fVar);
  LogInfo('Result is ................ *' + fWVar + '*');
  //VarType is 8
  LogInfo('Data Type for Null VARIANT variable converted into WIDESTRING = '+IntToStr(VarType(fWVar)));
  LogInfo('');
 
 end;