diff --git a/UnitTest/CppUnitTestAssert.cpp b/UnitTest/CppUnitTestAssert.cpp
index 9b2594ac58..73fadd0f0e 100644
--- a/UnitTest/CppUnitTestAssert.cpp
+++ b/UnitTest/CppUnitTestAssert.cpp
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include "pch.h"
 #include "TestCase.h"
 
-#include "str/EncodedStringView.h"
+#include "str/Encoding.h"
 
 using namespace Microsoft::VisualStudio::CppUnitTestFramework;
 
@@ -37,7 +37,5 @@ void test::Assert::FailOnCondition(bool condition, const unsigned short* message
 std::wstring GetAssertMessage(bool equality, const std::wstring& expected, const std::wstring& actual, const wchar_t *message); // declare caller
 std::wstring test::Assert::GetAssertMessage(bool equality, const std::string& expected, const std::string& actual, const wchar_t *message)
 {
-    const str::EncodedStringView vExpected(expected);
-    const str::EncodedStringView vActual(actual);
-    return ::GetAssertMessage(equality, vExpected.wstring(), vActual.wstring(), message); // and call!
+    return ::GetAssertMessage(equality, str::toWString(expected), str::toWString(actual), message); // and call!
 }
diff --git a/UnitTest/TestCase.h b/UnitTest/TestCase.h
index 70666e5fce..f7e260bc51 100644
--- a/UnitTest/TestCase.h
+++ b/UnitTest/TestCase.h
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 #include "CppUnitTest.h"
 #include <include/TestCase.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 
 #undef TEST_CHECK
 #undef TEST_ASSERT
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ inline void assert_almost_eq(const std::string& testName, long double X1, long d
 #define TEST_ASSERT_EQ_MSG(msg, X1, X2) testName, Microsoft::VisualStudio::CppUnitTestFramework::Logger::WriteMessage(msg.c_str()); TEST_ASSERT_EQ(X1, X2)
 
 #undef TEST_FAIL
-#define TEST_FAIL(msg) { (void)testName; const str::EncodedStringView vw(msg); Microsoft::VisualStudio::CppUnitTestFramework::Assert::Fail(vw.wstring().c_str()); }
+#define TEST_FAIL(msg) { (void)testName; const auto vw(str::toWString(msg)); Microsoft::VisualStudio::CppUnitTestFramework::Assert::Fail(vw.c_str()); }
 
 #undef TEST_EXCEPTION
 #undef TEST_THROWS
diff --git a/UnitTest/pch.h b/UnitTest/pch.h
index 2cb2d03796..0925dea43a 100644
--- a/UnitTest/pch.h
+++ b/UnitTest/pch.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 5219) // implicit conversion from '...' to '...', possible loss of data
 #pragma warning(disable: 4514) //	'...': unreferenced inline function has been removed
 #pragma warning(disable: 5039) // '...' : pointer or reference to potentially throwing function passed to 'extern "C"' function under -EHc. Undefined behavior may occur if this function throws an exception.
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
 // TODO: get rid of these someday? ... from Visual Studio code-analysis
 #pragma warning(disable: 26495) // Variable '...' is uninitialized. Always initialize a member variable(type.6).
@@ -63,7 +64,6 @@
 #include <import/mt.h>
 #pragma warning(pop)
 #include <import/str.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
 #include <import/logging.h>
 #include <math/Utilities.h>
 #include <xml/lite/Element.h>
diff --git a/externals/nitro/modules/c++/nitf/include/nitf/Enum.hpp b/externals/nitro/modules/c++/nitf/include/nitf/Enum.hpp
index aa6e0c8e3b..564b1b5252 100644
--- a/externals/nitro/modules/c++/nitf/include/nitf/Enum.hpp
+++ b/externals/nitro/modules/c++/nitf/include/nitf/Enum.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@
 #include <new> // std::nothrow
 
 #include "str/Manip.h"
-#include "str/EncodedStringView.h"
 
 namespace nitf
 {
diff --git a/externals/nitro/modules/c++/pch.h b/externals/nitro/modules/c++/pch.h
index e2236fd36e..03085c4ac3 100644
--- a/externals/nitro/modules/c++/pch.h
+++ b/externals/nitro/modules/c++/pch.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ CODA_OSS_disable_warning_pop
 #pragma warning(disable: 26458) // Prefer to use gsl::at() instead of unchecked subscript operator (bounds.4).
 #pragma warning(disable: 26486) // Don't pass a pointer that may be invalid to a function. Parameter '...' in call to '...' may be invalid (lifetime.3).
 #pragma warning(disable: 26487) // Don't return a pointer '...' that may be invalid(lifetime.4).
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
 // Yes, these are our files ... but they don't change very often, and if they do
 // change we want to rebuild everything anyway.
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/cphd/framework.h b/six/modules/c++/cphd/framework.h
index de8d19e1eb..c8d501e901 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/cphd/framework.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/cphd/framework.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 4514) //	'...': unreferenced inline function has been removed
 #pragma warning(disable: 4127) // conditional expression is constant
 #pragma warning(disable: 5039) // '...' : pointer or reference to potentially throwing function passed to 'extern "C"' function under -EHc. Undefined behavior may occur if this function throws an exception.
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
 // TODO: get rid of these someday? ... from Visual Studio code-analysis
 #pragma warning(disable: 26451) // Arithmetic overflow : Using operator '...' on a 4 byte value and then casting the result to a 8 byte value. Cast the value to the wider type before calling operator '*' to avoid overflow(io.2).
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/cphd/source/CPHDXMLControl.cpp b/six/modules/c++/cphd/source/CPHDXMLControl.cpp
index a6cc2628e7..34fcd42c87 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/cphd/source/CPHDXMLControl.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/cphd/source/CPHDXMLControl.cpp
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <iterator>
 #include <stdexcept>
+#include <std/string>
 
 #include <io/StringStream.h>
 #include <logging/NullLogger.h>
 #include <xml/lite/MinidomParser.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 
 #include <six/XMLControl.h>
 #include <six/XmlLite.h>
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ std::string CPHDXMLControl::toXMLString_(
     bool prettyPrint)
 {
     const auto result = toXMLString(metadata, schemaPaths, prettyPrint);
-    return str::EncodedStringView(result).native();
+    return str::toString(result);
 }
 
 std::unique_ptr<xml::lite::Document> CPHDXMLControl::toXML(
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<Metadata> CPHDXMLControl::fromXML(const std::string& xmlString,
     std::transform(schemaPaths_.begin(), schemaPaths_.end(), std::back_inserter(schemaPaths),
         [](const std::string& s) { return s; });
 
-    return fromXML(str::EncodedStringView(xmlString).u8string(), schemaPaths);
+    return fromXML(str::u8FromString(xmlString), schemaPaths);
 }
 std::unique_ptr<Metadata> CPHDXMLControl::fromXML(const std::u8string& xmlString,
     const std::vector<std::filesystem::path>& schemaPaths)
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/cphd/source/Channel.cpp b/six/modules/c++/cphd/source/Channel.cpp
index e9e6df6ad0..0fd49117f3 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/cphd/source/Channel.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/cphd/source/Channel.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,9 @@
  */
 #include <cphd/Channel.h>
 
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
+#include <std/string>
+
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 
 #include <six/Init.h>
 
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/cphd03/framework.h b/six/modules/c++/cphd03/framework.h
index 3d30b1f778..c68e0a7d83 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/cphd03/framework.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/cphd03/framework.h
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 4514) //	'...': unreferenced inline function has been removed
 #pragma warning(disable: 4127) // conditional expression is constant
 #pragma warning(disable: 5039) // '...' : pointer or reference to potentially throwing function passed to 'extern "C"' function under -EHc. Undefined behavior may occur if this function throws an exception.
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
+
 
 // TODO: get rid of these someday? ... from Visual Studio code-analysis
 #pragma warning(disable: 26495) // Variable '...' is uninitialized. Always initialize a member variable(type.6).
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/cphd03/source/CPHDXMLControl.cpp b/six/modules/c++/cphd03/source/CPHDXMLControl.cpp
index b83d441137..9b6223c8a8 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/cphd03/source/CPHDXMLControl.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/cphd03/source/CPHDXMLControl.cpp
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
  */
 #include <cphd03/CPHDXMLControl.h>
 
-#include <string>
+#include <std/string>
 #include <std/memory>
 
 #include <io/StringStream.h>
 #include <logging/NullLogger.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 #include <six/Utilities.h>
 #include <six/XmlLite.h>
 
@@ -70,11 +70,11 @@ std::u8string CPHDXMLControl::toXMLString(const Metadata& metadata)
     io::U8StringStream ss;
     doc->getRootElement()->print(ss);
 
-    return str::EncodedStringView("<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>").u8string() + ss.stream().str();
+    return str::u8FromString("<?xml version=\"1.0\"?>") + ss.stream().str();
 }
 std::string CPHDXMLControl::toXMLString_(const Metadata& metadata)
 {
-    return str::EncodedStringView(toXMLString(metadata)).native();
+    return str::toString(toXMLString(metadata));
 }
 
 size_t CPHDXMLControl::getXMLsize(const Metadata& metadata)
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ XMLElem CPHDXMLControl::areaSampleDirectionParametersToXML(
 
 std::unique_ptr<Metadata> CPHDXMLControl::fromXML(const std::string& xmlString)
 {
-    auto result = fromXML(str::EncodedStringView(xmlString).u8string());
+    auto result = fromXML(str::u8FromString(xmlString));
     return std::unique_ptr<Metadata>(result.release());
 }
 std::unique_ptr<Metadata> CPHDXMLControl::fromXML(const std::u8string& xmlString)
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/samples/check_valid_six.dir/pch.h b/six/modules/c++/samples/check_valid_six.dir/pch.h
index 9aa7d8f4d9..b058aa8b7b 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/samples/check_valid_six.dir/pch.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/samples/check_valid_six.dir/pch.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 5219) // implicit conversion from '...' to '...', possible loss of data
 #pragma warning(disable: 4514) //	'...': unreferenced inline function has been removed
 #pragma warning(disable: 5039) // '...' : pointer or reference to potentially throwing function passed to 'extern "C"' function under -EHc. Undefined behavior may occur if this function throws an exception.
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
 // TODO: get rid of these someday? ... from Visual Studio code-analysis
 #pragma warning(disable: 26495) // Variable '...' is uninitialized. Always initialize a member variable(type.6).
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/samples/crop_sicd.dir/pch.h b/six/modules/c++/samples/crop_sicd.dir/pch.h
index 6d1b8d61de..9377720f70 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/samples/crop_sicd.dir/pch.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/samples/crop_sicd.dir/pch.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 5219) // implicit conversion from '...' to '...', possible loss of data
 #pragma warning(disable: 4514) //	'...': unreferenced inline function has been removed
 #pragma warning(disable: 5039) // '...' : pointer or reference to potentially throwing function passed to 'extern "C"' function under -EHc. Undefined behavior may occur if this function throws an exception.
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
 // TODO: get rid of these someday? ... from Visual Studio code-analysis
 #pragma warning(disable: 26495) // Variable '...' is uninitialized. Always initialize a member variable(type.6).
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/scene/framework.h b/six/modules/c++/scene/framework.h
index 841b20cab8..8440b08481 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/scene/framework.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/scene/framework.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 26458) // Prefer to use gsl::at() instead of unchecked subscript operator (bounds.4).
 #pragma warning(disable: 26823) // Dereferencing a possibly null pointer '...' (lifetime.1).
 #pragma warning(disable: 26822) // Dereferencing a null pointer 'me' (lifetime.1).
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
 #include "nitro_pch.h"
 
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.convert/framework.h b/six/modules/c++/six.convert/framework.h
index 3a45780fc3..80ae27829f 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.convert/framework.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.convert/framework.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 5045) // Compiler will insert Spectre mitigation for memory load if / Qspectre switch specified
 #pragma warning(disable: 4514) // '...': unreferenced inline function has been removed
 #pragma warning(disable: 5264) // '...': '...' variable is not used
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
 #pragma warning(disable: 26812) // The enum type '...' is unscoped. Prefer '...' over '...' (Enum.3).
 
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/framework.h b/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/framework.h
index 654f5fa4b8..2e7b66b086 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/framework.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/framework.h
@@ -40,8 +40,9 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 6262) // Function uses '...' bytes of stack : exceeds analyze : stacksize '...'.Consider moving some data to heap.
 #pragma warning(disable: 26432) // If you define or delete any default operation in the type '...', define or delete them all(c.21).
 #pragma warning(disable: 26458) // Prefer to use gsl::at() instead of unchecked subscript operator (bounds.4).
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
-// too hard to get write with older C++11 compilers
+// too hard to get right with older C++11 compilers
 #pragma warning(disable: 26497) // The function '...' could be marked constexpr if compile-time evaluation is desired(f.4).
 
 
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/source/Antenna.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/source/Antenna.cpp
index 58c2ffbcc5..6c6f0bfdd8 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/source/Antenna.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/source/Antenna.cpp
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
  */
 #include <six/sicd/Antenna.h>
 
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
-
 #include <six/Utilities.h>
 
 namespace six
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/source/Utilities.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/source/Utilities.cpp
index 1d4b299c3a..9ffa49c4f3 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/source/Utilities.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/source/Utilities.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 #include <mem/ScopedAlignedArray.h>
 #include <gsl/gsl.h>
 #include <str/Manip.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 #include <sys/Conf.h>
 #include <sys/Span.h>
 #include <types/RowCol.h>
@@ -1023,7 +1023,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<ComplexData> Utilities::parseDataFromString(
         const std::vector<std::string>& schemaPaths_,
         logging::Logger& log)
 {
-    const auto xmlStr = str::EncodedStringView(xmlStr_).u8string();
+    const auto xmlStr = str::u8FromString(xmlStr_);
 
     std::vector<std::filesystem::path> schemaPaths;
     std::transform(schemaPaths_.begin(), schemaPaths_.end(), std::back_inserter(schemaPaths),
@@ -1048,7 +1048,7 @@ std::string Utilities::toXMLString(const ComplexData& data,
         [](const std::string& s) { return s; });
 
     const auto result = toXMLString(data, &schemaPaths, logger);
-    return str::EncodedStringView(result).native();
+    return str::toString(result);
 }
 std::u8string Utilities::toXMLString(const ComplexData& data,
     const std::vector<std::filesystem::path>* pSchemaPaths, logging::Logger* pLogger)
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/unittests/test_valid_six.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/unittests/test_valid_six.cpp
index 0996727fcf..c40511f7df 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/unittests/test_valid_six.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.sicd/unittests/test_valid_six.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
-#include <string>
+#include <std/string>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <string>
 #include <utility>
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 #include <io/FileInputStream.h>
 #include <logging/NullLogger.h>
 #include <import/sys.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 #include <sys/Span.h>
 
 #include <import/six.h>
@@ -152,13 +152,13 @@ TEST_CASE(valid_six_50x50)
     valid_six_50x50_(testName, &schemaPaths_); // "validate" against schema (use a default path)
 }
 
-inline static std::string classificationText_iso8859_1()
+inline static std::string classificationText_asIso8859_1()
 {
-    return std::string("NON CLASSIFI\xc9 / UNCLASSIFIED");  // ISO8859-1 "NON CLASSIFIÉ / UNCLASSIFIED"
+    return "NON CLASSIFI\xc9 / UNCLASSIFIED";  // ISO8859-1 "NON CLASSIFIÉ / UNCLASSIFIED"
 }
-inline static std::string classificationText_utf_8()
+inline static std::string classificationText_asUtf8()
 {
-    return std::string("NON CLASSIFI\xc3\x89 / UNCLASSIFIED");  // UTF-8 "NON CLASSIFIÉ / UNCLASSIFIED"
+    return "NON CLASSIFI\xc3\x89 / UNCLASSIFIED";  // UTF-8 "NON CLASSIFIÉ / UNCLASSIFIED"
 }
 
 TEST_CASE(sicd_French_xml)
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ TEST_CASE(sicd_French_xml)
     const auto image = six::sicd::readFromNITF(inputPathname, &schemaPaths_, pComplexData);
     const six::Data* pData = pComplexData.get();
 
-    const auto expectedCassificationText = sys::Platform == sys::PlatformType::Linux ? classificationText_utf_8() : classificationText_iso8859_1();
+    const auto expectedCassificationText = sys::Platform == sys::PlatformType::Linux ? classificationText_asUtf8() : classificationText_asIso8859_1();
     const auto& classification = pData->getClassification();
     const auto actual = classification.getLevel();
     TEST_ASSERT_EQ(actual, expectedCassificationText);
@@ -218,9 +218,8 @@ static bool find_string(io::FileInputStream& stream, const std::string& s)
     stream.seek(pos, io::Seekable::START);
     return false;
 }
-static void sicd_French_xml_raw_()
+TEST_CASE(sicd_French_xml_raw)
 {
-    static const std::string testName("test_valid_six");
     // This is a binary file with XML burried in it somewhere
     const auto path = six::testing::getNitfPath("sicd_French_xml.nitf");
 
@@ -234,13 +233,13 @@ static void sicd_French_xml_raw_()
     const auto& classificationXML = root.getElementByTagName("Classification", true /*recurse*/);
 
     // UTF-8 characters in sicd_French_xml.nitf
-    const auto expectedCharData = sys::Platform == sys::PlatformType::Linux ? classificationText_utf_8() : classificationText_iso8859_1();
+    const auto expectedCharData = sys::Platform == sys::PlatformType::Linux ? classificationText_asUtf8() : classificationText_asIso8859_1();
     auto expectedLength = expectedCharData.length();
     const auto characterData = classificationXML.getCharacterData();
     TEST_ASSERT_EQ(characterData.length(), expectedLength);
     TEST_ASSERT_EQ(characterData, expectedCharData);
 
-    const auto u8_expectedCharData8 = str::EncodedStringView::fromUtf8(classificationText_utf_8()).u8string();
+    const std::u8string u8_expectedCharData8 = str::c_str<std::u8string>(classificationText_asUtf8());
     expectedLength = u8_expectedCharData8.length();
 
     std::u8string u8_characterData;
@@ -248,10 +247,6 @@ static void sicd_French_xml_raw_()
     TEST_ASSERT_EQ(u8_characterData.length(), expectedLength);
     TEST_ASSERT(u8_characterData == u8_expectedCharData8);
 }
-TEST_CASE(sicd_French_xml_raw)
-{
-    sicd_French_xml_raw_();
-}
 
 static void test_assert(const six::sicd::ComplexData& complexData,
     six::PixelType expectedPixelType, size_t expectedNumBytesPerPixel)
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/framework.h b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/framework.h
index ce6097d0f7..9007df4f2a 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/framework.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/framework.h
@@ -40,9 +40,10 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 6262) // Function uses '...' bytes of stack : exceeds analyze : stacksize '...'.Consider moving some data to heap.
 #pragma warning(disable: 26432) // If you define or delete any default operation in the type '...', define or delete them all(c.21).
 #pragma warning(disable: 26458) // Prefer to use gsl::at() instead of unchecked subscript operator (bounds.4).
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
 
-// too hard to get write with older C++11 compilers
+// too hard to get right with older C++11 compilers
 #pragma warning(disable: 26497) // The function '...' could be marked constexpr if compile-time evaluation is desired(f.4).
 
 
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/GeoTIFFReadControl.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/GeoTIFFReadControl.cpp
index 7317338041..693d2d2a8c 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/GeoTIFFReadControl.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/GeoTIFFReadControl.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 #include <std/memory>
 
 #include <str/Convert.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 #include <gsl/gsl.h>
 #include <mem/ScopedArray.h>
 #include "six/sidd/GeoTIFFReadControl.h"
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ void parseXMLEntry(const tiff::IFDEntry *entry,
                     str::trim(curStr);
                     if (!curStr.empty())
                     {
-                        entries.emplace_back(str::EncodedStringView(curStr).u8string());
+                        entries.emplace_back(str::u8FromString(curStr));
                         curStr.clear();
                     }
                 }
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ void parseXMLEntry(const tiff::IFDEntry *entry,
         str::trim(curStr);
         if (!curStr.empty())
         {
-           entries.emplace_back(str::EncodedStringView(curStr).u8string());
+           entries.emplace_back(str::u8FromString(curStr));
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/GeoTIFFWriteControl.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/GeoTIFFWriteControl.cpp
index f8346884d5..b25417f69e 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/GeoTIFFWriteControl.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/GeoTIFFWriteControl.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 #include <stdexcept>
 
 #include "io/FileOutputStream.h"
-#include "str/EncodedStringView.h"
+#include "str/Encoding.h"
 #include "sys/Path.h"
 #include "gsl/gsl.h"
 #include "scene/GridECEFTransform.h"
@@ -236,12 +236,12 @@ void GeoTIFFWriteControl::setupIFD(const DerivedData* data,
     tiff::IFDEntry* const xmlEntry = (*ifd)[Constants::GT_XML_TAG];
 
     auto xml = six::toValidXMLString(data, schemaPaths, mLog);
-    xmlEntry->addValues(str::EncodedStringView(xml).native());
+    xmlEntry->addValues(str::toString(xml));
 
     for (size_t jj = 0; jj < mComplexData.size(); ++jj)
     {
         xml = six::toValidXMLString(mComplexData[jj], schemaPaths, mLog);
-        xmlEntry->addValues(str::EncodedStringView(xml).native());
+        xmlEntry->addValues(str::toString(xml));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/Utilities.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/Utilities.cpp
index e4f4f1474b..498b5e2a68 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/Utilities.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/source/Utilities.cpp
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@
 
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <set>
+#include <std/string>
 
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 
 #include "six/Utilities.h"
 #include "six/sidd/DerivedXMLControl.h"
@@ -562,7 +563,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<DerivedData> Utilities::parseDataFromFile(const std::filesystem:
 std::unique_ptr<DerivedData> Utilities::parseDataFromString(const std::string& xmlStr_,
         const std::vector<std::string>& schemaPaths_, logging::Logger& log)
 {
-    const auto xmlStr = str::EncodedStringView(xmlStr_).u8string();
+    const auto xmlStr = str::u8FromString(xmlStr_);
 
     std::vector<std::filesystem::path> schemaPaths;
     std::transform(schemaPaths_.begin(), schemaPaths_.end(), std::back_inserter(schemaPaths),
@@ -587,7 +588,7 @@ std::string Utilities::toXMLString(const DerivedData& data,
         [](const std::string& s) { return s; });
 
     const auto result = toXMLString(data, &schemaPaths, logger);
-    return str::EncodedStringView(result).native();
+    return str::toString(result);
 }
 std::u8string Utilities::toXMLString(const DerivedData& data,
     const std::vector<std::filesystem::path>* pSchemaPaths, logging::Logger* pLogger)
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/unittests/test_valid_sixsidd.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/unittests/test_valid_sixsidd.cpp
index 34a4cf8420..c92f292179 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/unittests/test_valid_sixsidd.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six.sidd/unittests/test_valid_sixsidd.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ static std::unique_ptr<six::sidd::DerivedData> test_assert_round_trip(const std:
     const auto strXML = six::sidd::Utilities::toXMLString(derivedData, pSchemaPaths);
     TEST_ASSERT_FALSE(strXML.empty());
 
-    const auto xml_ = str::EncodedStringView(strXML).native(); // for debugging
+    const auto xml_ = str::toString(strXML); // for debugging
     TEST_ASSERT_FALSE(xml_.empty());
 
     return six::sidd::Utilities::parseDataFromString(strXML, pSchemaPaths);
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six/framework.h b/six/modules/c++/six/framework.h
index af45cb1f25..6e4313cf8a 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six/framework.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six/framework.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #pragma warning(disable: 26408) // Avoid malloc() and free(), prefer the nothrow version of new with delete (r.10).
 #pragma warning(disable: 26823) // Dereferencing a possibly null pointer '...' (lifetime.1).
 #pragma warning(disable: 26822) // Dereferencing a null pointer 'me' (lifetime.1).
+#pragma warning(disable: 5267) // definition of implicit copy constructor for '...' is deprecated because it has a user-provided destructor
 
 // TODO: get rid of these someday? ... from Visual Studio code-analysis
 #pragma warning(disable: 26440) // Function '...' can be declared '...' (f.6).
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six/include/six/CollectionInformation.h b/six/modules/c++/six/include/six/CollectionInformation.h
index 720b262215..e3726a4f01 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six/include/six/CollectionInformation.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six/include/six/CollectionInformation.h
@@ -19,14 +19,14 @@
  * see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  *
  */
+#pragma once
 #ifndef SIX_six_CollectionInformation_h_INCLUDED_
 #define SIX_six_CollectionInformation_h_INCLUDED_
-#pragma once
 
 #include <std/string>
 #include <std/optional>
 
-#include <str/EncodedString.h>
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 
 #include "six/Types.h"
 #include "six/Init.h"
@@ -118,11 +118,11 @@ struct CollectionInformation
     virtual std::string getClassificationLevel() const;
     inline virtual void setClassificationLevel(const std::string& classification)
     {
-        mClassification = str::EncodedString(classification);
+        mClassification = str::u8FromString(classification);
     }
 
-    virtual void getClassificationLevel(str::EncodedString&) const;
-    virtual void setClassificationLevel(const str::EncodedString& classification);
+    virtual void getClassificationLevel(std::u8string&) const;
+    virtual void setClassificationLevel(const std::u8string& classification);
 
     //! Ostream operators for six::CollectionInformation type (utility only).
     friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const six::CollectionInformation& c);
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ struct CollectionInformation
     /*!
      *  Classification level
      */
-    str::EncodedString mClassification;
+    std::u8string mClassification;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six/include/six/XsElement.h b/six/modules/c++/six/include/six/XsElement.h
index 26f3f7fa94..28acc57640 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six/include/six/XsElement.h
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six/include/six/XsElement.h
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #include <utility>
 #include <std/optional>
 
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
 #include <xml/lite/Element.h>
 #include <xml/lite/QName.h>
 
@@ -150,7 +149,7 @@ inline std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const XsElement<T>& v)
 template <>
 inline std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const XsElement<std::u8string>& v)
 {
-    os << "\t" << v.tag() << "\t: " << str::EncodedStringView(v).native();
+    os << "\t" << v.tag() << "\t: " << str::toString(value(v));
     return os;
 }
 
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six/source/CollectionInformation.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six/source/CollectionInformation.cpp
index e79fb22c22..587b388120 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six/source/CollectionInformation.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six/source/CollectionInformation.cpp
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@
  */
 #include <six/CollectionInformation.h>
 
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
-
 namespace six
 {
 CollectionInformation::CollectionInformation()
@@ -50,13 +48,13 @@ CollectionInformation* CollectionInformation::clone() const
 
 std::string CollectionInformation::getClassificationLevel() const
 {
-    return mClassification.native();
+    return str::toString(mClassification);
 }
-void CollectionInformation::getClassificationLevel(str::EncodedString& result) const
+void CollectionInformation::getClassificationLevel(std::u8string& result) const
 {
     result = mClassification;
 }
-void CollectionInformation::setClassificationLevel(const str::EncodedString& classification)
+void CollectionInformation::setClassificationLevel(const std::u8string& classification)
 {
     mClassification = classification;
 }
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six/source/NITFWriteControl.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six/source/NITFWriteControl.cpp
index 06dd4e73f1..f3ffa98fd4 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six/source/NITFWriteControl.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six/source/NITFWriteControl.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 #include <math/Round.h>
 #include <mem/ScopedArray.h>
 #include <gsl/gsl.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
 #include <sys/Span.h>
 
 #include <six/XMLControlFactory.h>
@@ -569,7 +568,7 @@ void NITFWriteControl::addDataAndWrite(const std::vector<std::string>& schemaPat
         const Data* data = getContainer()->getData(ii);
 
         const auto xml = six::toValidXMLString(data, schemaPaths, mLog, mXMLRegistry);
-        desStrs[ii] = str::EncodedStringView(xml).native();
+        desStrs[ii] = str::toString(xml);
         nitf::SegmentWriter deWriter = mWriter.newDEWriter(gsl::narrow<int>(ii));
         nitf::SegmentMemorySource segSource(desStrs[ii], 0, 0, false);
         deWriter.attachSource(segSource);
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six/source/SICommonXMLParser.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six/source/SICommonXMLParser.cpp
index df319c8a1a..cf38b8eb9d 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six/source/SICommonXMLParser.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six/source/SICommonXMLParser.cpp
@@ -1296,7 +1296,7 @@ void SICommonXMLParser::parseCollectionInformationFromXML(
     std::u8string classification_u8;
     if (parseString(classificationXML, classification_u8))
     {
-        collInfo->setClassificationLevel(str::EncodedString(classification_u8));
+        collInfo->setClassificationLevel(classification_u8);
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six/source/Utilities.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six/source/Utilities.cpp
index 3414e62017..fd12d2838a 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six/source/Utilities.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six/source/Utilities.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 
 #include <logging/NullLogger.h>
 #include <math/Utilities.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
 #include <nitf/PluginRegistry.hpp>
 #include <sys/FileFinder.h>
 #include "six/Init.h"
@@ -718,8 +717,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<Data> six::parseDataFromString(const XMLControlRegistry& xmlReg,
     std::transform(schemaPaths_.begin(), schemaPaths_.end(), std::back_inserter(schemaPaths),
         [](const std::string& s) { return s; });
 
-    const str::EncodedStringView view(xmlStr);
-    auto result = parseDataFromString(xmlReg, view.u8string(), dataType, &schemaPaths, &log);
+    auto result = parseDataFromString(xmlReg, str::u8FromString(xmlStr), dataType, &schemaPaths, &log);
     return std::unique_ptr<Data>(result.release());
 }
 
diff --git a/six/modules/c++/six/source/XMLControlFactory.cpp b/six/modules/c++/six/source/XMLControlFactory.cpp
index b0a5c88327..2807f8e39b 100644
--- a/six/modules/c++/six/source/XMLControlFactory.cpp
+++ b/six/modules/c++/six/source/XMLControlFactory.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 #include "six/XMLControlFactory.h"
 #include <str/Convert.h>
 #include <logging/NullLogger.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
 #include "six/Data.h"
 
 using namespace six;
@@ -83,7 +82,7 @@ std::string six::toXMLString_(const Data* data,
     const six::XMLControlRegistry* xmlRegistry)
 {
     const auto result = toXMLString(data, xmlRegistry);
-    return str::EncodedStringView(result).native();
+    return str::toString(result);
 }
 
 template<typename TSchemaPaths>
diff --git a/six/projects/csm/source/SICDSensorModel.cpp b/six/projects/csm/source/SICDSensorModel.cpp
index 38746eb563..3d0d1bb9b5 100644
--- a/six/projects/csm/source/SICDSensorModel.cpp
+++ b/six/projects/csm/source/SICDSensorModel.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 #include <sys/Path.h>
 #include <io/StringStream.h>
 #include <logging/NullLogger.h>
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
+#include <str/Encoding.h>
 #include <six/XMLControlFactory.h>
 #include <six/NITFReadControl.h>
 #include <six/sicd/ComplexXMLControl.h>
diff --git a/six/projects/csm/tests/utilities.h b/six/projects/csm/tests/utilities.h
index 6c0934ee55..ce410802b9 100644
--- a/six/projects/csm/tests/utilities.h
+++ b/six/projects/csm/tests/utilities.h
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@
 #include <std/filesystem>
 #include <std/string>
 
-#include <str/EncodedStringView.h>
 #include <six/Utilities.h>
 #include <NitfIsd.h>
 
@@ -138,7 +137,7 @@ inline std::unique_ptr<csm::Nitf21Isd> constructIsd(const std::string& pathname,
 
     // The DES's data is just the XML string
     const auto xml = six::toXMLString(data, &registry);
-    des.setData(str::EncodedStringView(xml).native());
+    des.setData(str::toString(xml));
     nitfIsd->addFileDes(des);
 
     return nitfIsd;