How to: Convert System::String to Standard String

You can convert a String to std::string or std::wstring, without using PtrToStringChars in Vcclr.h.

// convert_system_string.cpp
// compile with: /clr
#include <string>
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
using namespace System;

void MarshalString ( String ^ s, string& os ) {
   using namespace Runtime::InteropServices;
   const char* chars =
      (const char*)(Marshal::StringToHGlobalAnsi(s)).ToPointer();
   os = chars;
   Marshal::FreeHGlobal(IntPtr((void*)chars));
}

void MarshalString ( String ^ s, wstring& os ) {
   using namespace Runtime::InteropServices;
   const wchar_t* chars =
      (const wchar_t*)(Marshal::StringToHGlobalUni(s)).ToPointer();
   os = chars;
   Marshal::FreeHGlobal(IntPtr((void*)chars));
}

int main() {
   string a = "test";
   wstring b = L"test2";
   String ^ c = gcnew String("abcd");

   cout << a << endl;
   MarshalString(c, a);
   c = "efgh";
   MarshalString(c, b);
   cout << a << endl;
   wcout << b << endl;
}

test
abcd
efgh

Using C++ Interop (Implicit PInvoke)