diff --git a/src/format.h b/src/format.h
index c46ef10d4..1835665d2 100644
--- a/src/format.h
+++ b/src/format.h
@@ -23,14 +23,14 @@ namespace agi {
 template<>
 struct writer<char, wxString> {
 	static void write(std::basic_ostream<char>& out, int max_len, wxString const& value) {
-		writer<char, const wxChar *>::write(out, max_len, value.wx_str());
+		writer<char, const wxStringCharType *>::write(out, max_len, value.wx_str());
 	}
 };
 
 template<>
 struct writer<wchar_t, wxString> {
 	static void write(std::basic_ostream<wchar_t>& out, int max_len, wxString const& value) {
-		writer<wchar_t, const wxChar *>::write(out, max_len, value.wx_str());
+		writer<wchar_t, const wxStringCharType *>::write(out, max_len, value.wx_str());
 	}
 };
 
@@ -43,14 +43,14 @@ std::string format(wxString const& fmt, Args&&... args) {
 
 template<typename... Args>
 wxString wxformat(wxString const& fmt, Args&&... args) {
-	boost::interprocess::basic_vectorstream<std::basic_string<wxChar>> out;
+	boost::interprocess::basic_vectorstream<std::basic_string<wxStringCharType>> out;
 	format(out, fmt.wx_str(), std::forward<Args>(args)...);
 	return out.vector();
 }
 
 template<typename... Args>
-wxString wxformat(const wxChar *fmt, Args&&... args) {
-	boost::interprocess::basic_vectorstream<std::basic_string<wxChar>> out;
+wxString wxformat(const wxStringCharType *fmt, Args&&... args) {
+	boost::interprocess::basic_vectorstream<std::basic_string<wxStringCharType>> out;
 	format(out, fmt, std::forward<Args>(args)...);
 	return out.vector();
 }
diff --git a/src/grid_column.cpp b/src/grid_column.cpp
index e720629ea..db52ce1a2 100644
--- a/src/grid_column.cpp
+++ b/src/grid_column.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@ int WidthHelper::operator()(wxString const& str) {
 	return dc.GetTextExtent(str).GetWidth();
 }
 
+int WidthHelper::operator()(const char *str) {
+	return dc.GetTextExtent(wxString::FromUTF8(str)).GetWidth();
+}
+
+int WidthHelper::operator()(const wchar_t *str) {
+	return dc.GetTextExtent(str).GetWidth();
+}
+
 void GridColumn::UpdateWidth(const agi::Context *c, WidthHelper &helper) {
 	if (!visible) {
 		width = 0;
diff --git a/src/grid_column.h b/src/grid_column.h
index f9e740155..0dc4ca4d2 100644
--- a/src/grid_column.h
+++ b/src/grid_column.h
@@ -41,6 +41,8 @@ struct WidthHelper {
 	int operator()(boost::flyweight<std::string> const& str);
 	int operator()(std::string const& str);
 	int operator()(wxString const& str);
+	int operator()(const char *str);
+	int operator()(const wchar_t *str);
 };
 
 class GridColumn {