refactor(WideChar): centralize project wide-character type by CryoTheRenegade · Pull Request #3321 · TheSuperHackers/GeneralsGameCode

CryoTheRenegade · 2026-09-19T16:29:40Z

As requested here

Centralize the existing WideChar typedef in Lib/WideChar.h and replace direct project uses of wchar_t with it. Standard wide strings now use std::basic_string<WideChar>.

This prepares for later ICU work while preserving the current representation and behavior. WideChar still aliases wchar_t, and existing string containers remain in place. Changing the representation later will also require adapting wide literals, character traits, and CRT/platform APIs.

AI assistance was used to validate this refactor

coderabbitai · 2026-09-19T16:29:54Z

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⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: Organization UI

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Run ID: e0d59b72-62d6-4f56-bb7c-149074dd2c77

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between 02d13e7 and 84ec924.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

Dependencies/Utility/CMakeLists.txt

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Walkthrough

The change adds shared WideChar, stl::string, and stl::wstring aliases. Wide-character APIs, buffers, and string storage across WWLib, GameSpy, Autorun, and game tools now use these project-defined types.

Changes

WideChar type migration

Layer / File(s)	Summary
Shared WideChar contract `Dependencies/Utility/*`, `Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/BaseType.h`, `Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/WWCommon.h`, `Core/Tools/Launcher/Toolkit/Support/UTypes.h`	Adds the shared `WideChar` and `stl` string aliases. Utility targets include the new headers and force-include `WideChar.h`.
WWLib wide-character APIs `Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/PathUtil.h`, `Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/*`	Updates path, INI, line-reading, string, trimming, and UTF-8 interfaces from `wchar_t` to `WideChar`. Existing processing behavior remains unchanged.
GameSpy and language handling `Core/GameEngine/Include/GameNetwork/GameSpy/`, `Core/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GameSpy/`, `Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/LanguageFilter.cpp`	Uses `stl::wstring` for GameSpy text values and conversion results. Uses `WideChar` for language-filter buffers and variables.
Autorun text and utility APIs `Core/Tools/Autorun/*`	Updates text, locale, font, path, message, and buffer APIs to use `WideChar`. Replaces direct wide-string storage with `stl::wstring` where applicable.
Game and tool consumers `Core/Tools/Babylon/transcs.cpp`, `Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/`, `GeneralsMD/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/playerlistdlg.cpp`	Updates translation, save-game, replay, and WorldBuilder wide-character buffers and parameters to use `WideChar`.

Priority: ⬇️ Low

Estimated code review effort: 3 (Moderate) | ~25 minutes

Change: Refactor

Merge Risk: 🟠 High · up to 84ec9

The Autorun error-message path may fail to compile or format messages after the string migration, leaving a serious merge-blocking compatibility risk.

🚥 Pre-merge checks | ✅ 4

✅ Passed checks (4 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Title check	✅ Passed	The title clearly and concisely describes the main change: centralizing the project-wide WideChar type.
Description check	✅ Passed	The description accurately explains the WideChar centralization, wchar_t replacements, string changes, preserved behavior, and future ICU preparation.
Linked Issues check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.
Out of Scope Changes check	✅ Passed	Check skipped because no linked issues were found for this pull request.

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greptile-apps · 2026-09-19T16:32:07Z

Confidence Score: 5/5

[High risk] Replaces wide-character type across 46 files.

The PR appears safe to merge based on the reviewed changes.

Summary

The PR centralizes the native wide-character alias and introduces stl::wstring as std::basic_string<unichar>. Changes since the previous review are formatting-only.

Updates project wide-character declarations and string uses across engine, library, and tool code.
Keeps the underlying representation as wchar_t.

Diagram

%%{init: {'theme': 'neutral'}}%%
flowchart LR
  A["wchar_t"] --> B["unichar"]
  B --> C["WideChar"]
  B --> D["stl::wstring"]
  C --> E["Project wide-character APIs"]
  D --> F["Wide string uses"]

_{Reviews (7) · Last reviewed commit: "style: preserve original formatting in w..."}

coderabbitai

Actionable comments posted: 1

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⚙️ Run configuration

Configuration used: Organization UI

Review profile: CHILL

Plan: Advanced

Run ID: 718733c9-df83-434c-8c04-9d8f36bf2e55

📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between afb9d15 and 02d13e7.

📒 Files selected for processing (44)

Core/GameEngine/Include/GameNetwork/GameSpy/PeerThread.h
Core/GameEngine/Include/GameNetwork/GameSpy/ThreadUtils.h
Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/LanguageFilter.cpp
Core/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GameSpy/Thread/BuddyThread.cpp
Core/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GameSpy/Thread/PeerThread.cpp
Core/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GameSpy/Thread/ThreadUtils.cpp
Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/BaseType.h
Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/PathUtil.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/INI.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/WWCommon.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/ini.cpp
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/readline.cpp
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/readline.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/stringex.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/trim.cpp
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/trim.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/utf8.cpp
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/utf8.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/DrawButton.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/DrawButton.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/GameText.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/GameText.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/Locale_API.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/Locale_API.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/TTFont.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/TTFont.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/Utils.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/Utils.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/Wnd_File.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/Wnd_file.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/autorun.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/locale.cpp
Core/Tools/Babylon/transcs.cpp
Core/Tools/Launcher/Toolkit/Support/UTypes.h
Dependencies/Utility/CMakeLists.txt
Dependencies/Utility/Utility/WideChar.h
Dependencies/Utility/Utility/string_adapter.h
Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp
Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/PopupReplay.cpp
Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp
GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/PopupReplay.cpp
GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
GeneralsMD/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/playerlistdlg.cpp

💤 Files with no reviewable changes (33)

Dependencies/Utility/Utility/WideChar.h
GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp
Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/Common/System/SaveGame/GameState.cpp
Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
Core/Tools/Babylon/transcs.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/DrawButton.cpp
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/readline.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/TTFont.h
Core/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/LanguageFilter.cpp
GeneralsMD/Code/Tools/WorldBuilder/src/playerlistdlg.cpp
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/trim.h
GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/PopupReplay.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/Utils.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/ini.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/GameText.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/Wnd_File.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/locale.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/DrawButton.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/utf8.cpp
Generals/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/PopupReplay.cpp
GeneralsMD/Code/GameEngine/Source/GameClient/GUI/GUICallbacks/Menus/ReplayMenu.cpp
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/INI.h
Core/Libraries/Include/Lib/PathUtil.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/trim.cpp
Core/Tools/Launcher/Toolkit/Support/UTypes.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/Utils.cpp
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/stringex.h
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/readline.cpp
Core/Libraries/Source/WWVegas/WWLib/utf8.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/Wnd_file.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/Locale_API.h
Core/Tools/Autorun/Locale_API.cpp
Core/Tools/Autorun/TTFont.cpp

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xezon

Needs to desloppify more.

xezon

There are still several unrelated refactors made. Probably autoformat by the IDE (try disable it)

xezon · 2026-10-04T08:14:27Z

The change description is outdated.

xezon · 2026-10-04T08:16:34Z

 /****************************************************************************/
 int				Locale_Init						( int language, char *file );
 void			Locale_Restore					();
-const wchar_t* Locale_GetString( const char *id, wchar_t *buffer = nullptr, int size = _MAX_PATH );


Autorun, same as WWVegas, currently does not use game base types. Therefore it should refer to unichar for now.

xezon · 2026-10-04T08:19:34Z

-	wchar_t wc;
-	wchar_t mb;
+	WideChar wc;
+	WideChar mb;


coderabbitai Bot requested a review from bobtista September 19, 2026 16:30

CryoTheRenegade mentioned this pull request Sep 19, 2026

feat(icu4c): Add ICU4C support to UTF8 string operations #3187

Open

xezon reviewed Sep 20, 2026

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Comment thread Dependencies/Utility/Utility/WideChar.h Outdated

Comment thread Core/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GameSpy/Thread/ThreadUtils.cpp Outdated

Comment thread Core/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GameSpy/Thread/BuddyThread.cpp Outdated

coderabbitai Bot reviewed Sep 20, 2026

View reviewed changes

Comment thread Core/Tools/Autorun/autorun.cpp

CryoTheRenegade force-pushed the refactor/wide-char-type branch from 02d13e7 to 84ec924 Compare September 22, 2026 15:05

CryoTheRenegade added 2 commits September 27, 2026 10:33

refactor: centralize project wide-character type

c38d1f3

refactor: share wide-character types through utility headers

4e3ceae

CryoTheRenegade force-pushed the refactor/wide-char-type branch from 84ec924 to 4e3ceae Compare September 27, 2026 16:45

xezon reviewed Oct 2, 2026

View reviewed changes

xezon added the Refactor Edits the code with insignificant behavior changes, is never user facing label Oct 2, 2026

xezon mentioned this pull request Oct 2, 2026

feat(text): Add Unicode paragraph base direction detection #3291

Open

refactor: separate game WideChar from shared unichar

48c9992

xezon reviewed Oct 3, 2026

View reviewed changes

refactor: use unichar in WWLib and support C headers

844fa69

xezon reviewed Oct 3, 2026

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Comment thread Core/Tools/Autorun/Wnd_File.h Outdated

Comment thread Core/Tools/Autorun/DrawButton.h Outdated

Comment thread Core/GameEngine/Source/GameNetwork/GameSpy/Thread/PeerThread.cpp Outdated

style: preserve original formatting in wide-character migration

a3f1e2c

xezon reviewed Oct 4, 2026

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CryoTheRenegade commented Sep 19, 2026

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Confidence Score: 5/5

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xezon commented Oct 4, 2026

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coderabbitai Bot commented Sep 19, 2026 •

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