diff --git a/include/wx/mac/private.h b/include/wx/mac/private.h
index 341d5307c7..8efe019a0a 100644
--- a/include/wx/mac/private.h
+++ b/include/wx/mac/private.h
@@ -141,5 +141,16 @@ void wxMacCreateBitmapButton( ControlButtonContentInfo*info , const wxBitmap& bi
 #define MAC_WXRECPTR(a) ((Rect*)a)
 #define MAC_WXPOINTPTR(a) ((Point*)a)
 #define MAC_WXHMENU(a) ((MenuHandle)a)
+
+#if TARGET_CARBON
+// converts this string into a carbon foundation string with optional pc 2 mac encoding
+CFStringRef wxMacCreateCFString( const wxString &str , bool pc2macEncoding ) ;
+
+// converts this string into a carbon foundation string with optional pc 2 mac encoding
+inline CFStringRef wxMacCreateCFString( const wxString &str ) 
+  { return wxMacCreateCFString( str , wxApp::s_macDefaultEncodingIsPC ) ; }
+
+#endif //TARGET_CARBON
+
 #endif
     // _WX_PRIVATE_H_
diff --git a/src/mac/carbon/utils.cpp b/src/mac/carbon/utils.cpp
index d651da7ca9..7e68c37b03 100644
--- a/src/mac/carbon/utils.cpp
+++ b/src/mac/carbon/utils.cpp
@@ -518,3 +518,18 @@ wxString wxGetOsDescription()
 #endif
 }
 
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// wxMac Specific utility functions
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#if TARGET_CARBON
+// converts this string into a carbon foundation string with optional pc 2 mac encoding
+CFStringRef wxMacCreateCFString( const wxString &str , bool pc2macEncoding ) 
+{
+	return CFStringCreateWithCString( kCFAllocatorSystemDefault , str.c_str() ,
+		pc2macEncoding ? 
+		kCFStringEncodingWindowsLatin1 : CFStringGetSystemEncoding() ) ;
+}
+
+#endif //TARGET_CARBON
+
diff --git a/src/mac/utils.cpp b/src/mac/utils.cpp
index d651da7ca9..7e68c37b03 100644
--- a/src/mac/utils.cpp
+++ b/src/mac/utils.cpp
@@ -518,3 +518,18 @@ wxString wxGetOsDescription()
 #endif
 }
 
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// wxMac Specific utility functions
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+#if TARGET_CARBON
+// converts this string into a carbon foundation string with optional pc 2 mac encoding
+CFStringRef wxMacCreateCFString( const wxString &str , bool pc2macEncoding ) 
+{
+	return CFStringCreateWithCString( kCFAllocatorSystemDefault , str.c_str() ,
+		pc2macEncoding ? 
+		kCFStringEncodingWindowsLatin1 : CFStringGetSystemEncoding() ) ;
+}
+
+#endif //TARGET_CARBON
+