diff --git a/AudioUnit/AudioGroupFilePresenter.hpp b/AudioUnit/AudioGroupFilePresenter.hpp
index bad2933..28970bb 100644
--- a/AudioUnit/AudioGroupFilePresenter.hpp
+++ b/AudioUnit/AudioGroupFilePresenter.hpp
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ struct AudioGroupDataCollection
     bool loadSamp(AudioGroupFilePresenter* presenter);
     bool loadMeta(AudioGroupFilePresenter* presenter);
 
-    AudioGroupDataCollection(const std::string& name, NSURL* proj, NSURL* pool, NSURL* sdir, NSURL* samp, NSURL* meta);
+    AudioGroupDataCollection(std::string_view name, NSURL* proj, NSURL* pool, NSURL* sdir, NSURL* samp, NSURL* meta);
     bool isDataComplete() const
     {
         return m_projData.size() && m_poolData.size() && m_sdirData.size() && m_sampData.size() && m_metaData;
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ struct AudioGroupCollection
     void addCollection(AudioGroupFilePresenter* presenter,
                        std::vector<std::pair<std::string, amuse::IntrusiveAudioGroupData>>&& collection);
     void update(AudioGroupFilePresenter* presenter);
-    bool doSearch(const std::string& str);
+    bool doSearch(std::string_view str);
     bool doActiveFilter();
     void addSFX(std::vector<AudioGroupSFXToken*>& vecOut);
     void addSamples(std::vector<AudioGroupSampleToken*>& vecOut);
diff --git a/AudioUnit/AudioGroupFilePresenter.mm b/AudioUnit/AudioGroupFilePresenter.mm
index 4febcc3..a75c30c 100644
--- a/AudioUnit/AudioGroupFilePresenter.mm
+++ b/AudioUnit/AudioGroupFilePresenter.mm
@@ -161,13 +161,13 @@ void AudioGroupCollection::update(AudioGroupFilePresenter* presenter)
     }
 }
 
-bool AudioGroupCollection::doSearch(const std::string& str)
+bool AudioGroupCollection::doSearch(std::string_view str)
 {
     bool ret = false;
     m_filterGroups.clear();
     m_filterGroups.reserve(m_groups.size());
     for (auto it = m_groups.begin() ; it != m_groups.end() ; ++it)
-        if (str.empty() || StrToLower(it->first).find(str) != std::string::npos)
+        if (str.empty() || StrToLower(it->first).find(str.data()) != std::string::npos)
         {
             m_filterGroups.push_back(it);
             ret = true;
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index c2e08f2..5a8d6aa 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.1.0 FATAL_ERROR) # because of CMAKE_CXX_STANDAR
 
 project(amuse)
 
-set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 14)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
 set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
 
 if(NOT MSVC)
diff --git a/VST/AudioGroupFilePresenter.cpp b/VST/AudioGroupFilePresenter.cpp
index 8fce8ad..0dd172a 100644
--- a/VST/AudioGroupFilePresenter.cpp
+++ b/VST/AudioGroupFilePresenter.cpp
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ bool AudioGroupDataCollection::loadMeta()
     return ret.operator bool();
 }
 
-AudioGroupDataCollection::AudioGroupDataCollection(const std::wstring& path, const std::wstring& name)
+AudioGroupDataCollection::AudioGroupDataCollection(std::wstring_view path, std::wstring_view name)
 : m_path(path), m_name(name)
 {
 }
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ void AudioGroupDataCollection::addToEngine(amuse::Engine& engine)
 
 void AudioGroupDataCollection::removeFromEngine(amuse::Engine& engine) const { engine.removeAudioGroup(*m_loadedData); }
 
-AudioGroupCollection::AudioGroupCollection(const std::wstring& path, const std::wstring& name)
+AudioGroupCollection::AudioGroupCollection(std::wstring_view path, std::wstring_view name)
 : m_path(path), m_name(name)
 {
 }
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ void AudioGroupFilePresenter::update()
 }
 
 void AudioGroupFilePresenter::addCollection(
-    const std::wstring& name, std::vector<std::pair<std::wstring, amuse::IntrusiveAudioGroupData>>&& collection)
+    std::wstring_view name, std::vector<std::pair<std::wstring, amuse::IntrusiveAudioGroupData>>&& collection)
 {
     std::wstring path = m_backend.getUserDir() + L'\\' + name;
     AudioGroupCollection& insert =
diff --git a/VST/AudioGroupFilePresenter.hpp b/VST/AudioGroupFilePresenter.hpp
index 2b23f6f..618adc1 100644
--- a/VST/AudioGroupFilePresenter.hpp
+++ b/VST/AudioGroupFilePresenter.hpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ struct AudioGroupDataCollection
     bool loadSamp();
     bool loadMeta();
 
-    AudioGroupDataCollection(const std::wstring& path, const std::wstring& name);
+    AudioGroupDataCollection(std::wstring_view path, std::wstring_view name);
     bool isDataComplete() const
     {
         return m_projData.size() && m_poolData.size() && m_sdirData.size() && m_sampData.size() && m_metaData;
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ struct AudioGroupCollection
     std::map<std::wstring, std::unique_ptr<AudioGroupDataCollection>> m_groups;
     std::vector<GroupIterator> m_iteratorVec;
 
-    AudioGroupCollection(const std::wstring& path, const std::wstring& name);
+    AudioGroupCollection(std::wstring_view path, std::wstring_view name);
     void addCollection(std::vector<std::pair<std::wstring, amuse::IntrusiveAudioGroupData>>&& collection);
     void update(AudioGroupFilePresenter& presenter);
     void populateFiles(VSTEditor& editor, HTREEITEM colHandle, size_t parentIdx);
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ public:
     void populateCollectionColumn(VSTEditor& editor);
     void populateGroupColumn(VSTEditor& editor, int collectionIdx, int fileIdx);
     void populatePageColumn(VSTEditor& editor, int collectionIdx, int fileIdx, int groupIdx);
-    void addCollection(const std::wstring& name,
+    void addCollection(std::wstring_view name,
                        std::vector<std::pair<std::wstring, amuse::IntrusiveAudioGroupData>>&& collection);
     void removeCollection(unsigned idx);
     VSTBackend& getBackend() { return m_backend; }
diff --git a/VST/VSTBackend.hpp b/VST/VSTBackend.hpp
index cd14e02..2db8f20 100644
--- a/VST/VSTBackend.hpp
+++ b/VST/VSTBackend.hpp
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ public:
     void setBlockSize(VstInt32 blockSize);
 
     amuse::Engine& getAmuseEngine() { return *m_engine; }
-    const std::wstring& getUserDir() const { return m_userDir; }
+    std::wstring_view getUserDir() const { return m_userDir; }
     AudioGroupFilePresenter& getFilePresenter() { return m_filePresenter; }
 
     void loadGroupFile(int collectionIdx, int fileIdx);
diff --git a/driver/amuseconv.cpp b/driver/amuseconv.cpp
index e9a899e..e8272cb 100644
--- a/driver/amuseconv.cpp
+++ b/driver/amuseconv.cpp
@@ -31,22 +31,22 @@ static void ReportConvType(ConvType tp)
     }
 }
 
-static bool BuildAudioGroup(const amuse::SystemString& groupBase, const amuse::SystemString& targetPath)
+static bool BuildAudioGroup(amuse::SystemStringView groupBase, amuse::SystemStringView targetPath)
 {
     return true;
 }
 
-static bool ExtractAudioGroup(const amuse::SystemString& inPath, const amuse::SystemString& targetPath)
+static bool ExtractAudioGroup(amuse::SystemStringView inPath, amuse::SystemStringView targetPath)
 {
     amuse::ContainerRegistry::Type type;
-    auto groups = amuse::ContainerRegistry::LoadContainer(inPath.c_str(), type);
+    auto groups = amuse::ContainerRegistry::LoadContainer(inPath.data(), type);
 
     if (groups.size())
     {
         Log.report(logvisor::Info, _S("Found '%s'"), amuse::ContainerRegistry::TypeToName(type));
 
-        amuse::Mkdir(targetPath.c_str(), 0755);
-        Log.report(logvisor::Info, _S("Established directory at %s"), targetPath.c_str());
+        amuse::Mkdir(targetPath.data(), 0755);
+        Log.report(logvisor::Info, _S("Established directory at %s"), targetPath.data());
 
         for (auto& group : groups)
         {
@@ -54,14 +54,14 @@ static bool ExtractAudioGroup(const amuse::SystemString& inPath, const amuse::Sy
         }
     }
 
-    auto songs = amuse::ContainerRegistry::LoadSongs(inPath.c_str());
+    auto songs = amuse::ContainerRegistry::LoadSongs(inPath.data());
     amuse::SystemString songsDir = targetPath + _S("/midifiles");
     bool madeDir = false;
     for (auto& pair : songs)
     {
         if (!madeDir)
         {
-            amuse::Mkdir(targetPath.c_str(), 0755);
+            amuse::Mkdir(targetPath.data(), 0755);
             amuse::Mkdir(songsDir.c_str(), 0755);
             madeDir = true;
         }
@@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ static bool ExtractAudioGroup(const amuse::SystemString& inPath, const amuse::Sy
     return true;
 }
 
-static bool BuildSNG(const amuse::SystemString& inPath, const amuse::SystemString& targetPath, int version, bool big)
+static bool BuildSNG(amuse::SystemStringView inPath, amuse::SystemStringView targetPath, int version, bool big)
 {
-    FILE* fp = amuse::FOpen(inPath.c_str(), _S("rb"));
+    FILE* fp = amuse::FOpen(inPath.data(), _S("rb"));
     if (!fp)
         return false;
 
@@ -100,16 +100,16 @@ static bool BuildSNG(const amuse::SystemString& inPath, const amuse::SystemStrin
     if (out.empty())
         return false;
 
-    fp = amuse::FOpen(targetPath.c_str(), _S("wb"));
+    fp = amuse::FOpen(targetPath.data(), _S("wb"));
     fwrite(out.data(), 1, out.size(), fp);
     fclose(fp);
 
     return true;
 }
 
-static bool ExtractSNG(const amuse::SystemString& inPath, const amuse::SystemString& targetPath)
+static bool ExtractSNG(amuse::SystemStringView inPath, amuse::SystemStringView targetPath)
 {
-    FILE* fp = amuse::FOpen(inPath.c_str(), _S("rb"));
+    FILE* fp = amuse::FOpen(inPath.data(), _S("rb"));
     if (!fp)
         return false;
 
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ static bool ExtractSNG(const amuse::SystemString& inPath, const amuse::SystemStr
     if (out.empty())
         return false;
 
-    fp = amuse::FOpen(targetPath.c_str(), _S("wb"));
+    fp = amuse::FOpen(targetPath.data(), _S("wb"));
     fwrite(out.data(), 1, out.size(), fp);
     fclose(fp);
 
diff --git a/include/amuse/Common.hpp b/include/amuse/Common.hpp
index d49738e..0bcd17e 100644
--- a/include/amuse/Common.hpp
+++ b/include/amuse/Common.hpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <string>
+#include <string_view>
 #include <cstring>
 
 #ifndef _WIN32
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ static inline int Mkdir(const wchar_t* path, int) { return _wmkdir(path); }
 static inline int Stat(const wchar_t* path, Sstat* statout) { return _wstat(path, statout); }
 #else
 using SystemString = std::string;
+using SystemStringView = std::string_view;
 using SystemChar = char;
 #ifndef _S
 #define _S(val) val
diff --git a/include/amuse/DirectoryEnumerator.hpp b/include/amuse/DirectoryEnumerator.hpp
index df82dee..af94fa0 100644
--- a/include/amuse/DirectoryEnumerator.hpp
+++ b/include/amuse/DirectoryEnumerator.hpp
@@ -9,21 +9,21 @@ namespace amuse
 
 struct CaseInsensitiveCompare
 {
-    bool operator()(const std::string& lhs, const std::string& rhs) const
+    bool operator()(std::string_view lhs, std::string_view rhs) const
     {
 #if _WIN32
-        if (_stricmp(lhs.c_str(), rhs.c_str()) < 0)
+        if (_stricmp(lhs.data(), rhs.data()) < 0)
 #else
-        if (strcasecmp(lhs.c_str(), rhs.c_str()) < 0)
+        if (strcasecmp(lhs.data(), rhs.data()) < 0)
 #endif
             return true;
         return false;
     }
 
 #if _WIN32
-    bool operator()(const std::wstring& lhs, const std::wstring& rhs) const
+    bool operator()(std::wstring_view lhs, std::wstring_view rhs) const
     {
-        if (_wcsicmp(lhs.c_str(), rhs.c_str()) < 0)
+        if (_wcsicmp(lhs.data(), rhs.data()) < 0)
             return true;
         return false;
     }
@@ -59,12 +59,7 @@ private:
     std::vector<Entry> m_entries;
 
 public:
-    DirectoryEnumerator(const SystemString& path, Mode mode = Mode::DirsThenFilesSorted, bool sizeSort = false,
-                        bool reverse = false, bool noHidden = false)
-    : DirectoryEnumerator(path.c_str(), mode, sizeSort, reverse, noHidden)
-    {
-    }
-    DirectoryEnumerator(const SystemChar* path, Mode mode = Mode::DirsThenFilesSorted, bool sizeSort = false,
+    DirectoryEnumerator(SystemStringView path, Mode mode = Mode::DirsThenFilesSorted, bool sizeSort = false,
                         bool reverse = false, bool noHidden = false);
 
     operator bool() const { return m_entries.size() != 0; }
diff --git a/lib/DirectoryEnumerator.cpp b/lib/DirectoryEnumerator.cpp
index ff6ead6..c21c8fc 100644
--- a/lib/DirectoryEnumerator.cpp
+++ b/lib/DirectoryEnumerator.cpp
@@ -22,10 +22,10 @@
 namespace amuse
 {
 
-DirectoryEnumerator::DirectoryEnumerator(const SystemChar* path, Mode mode, bool sizeSort, bool reverse, bool noHidden)
+DirectoryEnumerator::DirectoryEnumerator(SystemStringView path, Mode mode, bool sizeSort, bool reverse, bool noHidden)
 {
     Sstat theStat;
-    if (Stat(path, &theStat) || !S_ISDIR(theStat.st_mode))
+    if (Stat(path.data(), &theStat) || !S_ISDIR(theStat.st_mode))
         return;
 
 #if _WIN32
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ DirectoryEnumerator::DirectoryEnumerator(const SystemChar* path, Mode mode, bool
 
 #else
 
-    DIR* dir = opendir(path);
+    DIR* dir = opendir(path.data());
     if (!dir)
         return;
     const dirent* d;