Boost Python properties/getter functions for strings

[Shawn McGrath]

Hi, I'm trying to expose a C++ class' internals to python via
boost::python.  I can do integer/boolean functions fine, but as soon
as I do a string get/set it craps out.

boost::python::class_<Entity, std::auto_ptr<pyEntity> >("Entity")
		//publics
			.def("isActive", &Entity::isActive) //bool
			.def("activate", &Entity::activate) //bool
			.def("deactivate", &Entity::deactivate) //bool
			//...
			.add_property("name", &Entity::getName) //compile error (1)
			.def("getName", &Entity::getName,
				boost::python::return_internal_reference<>()); //runtime error(2)


Compile error (1) shows this: C:/MinGW/include/boost/python/detail/
invoke.hpp: In function `PyObject*
boost::python::detail::invoke(boost::python::detail::invoke_tag_<
false,  true>, const RC&, F&, TC&) [with RC =
boost::python::detail::specify_a_return_value_policy_to_wrap_functions_returning<const
std::string&>, F = const std::string&(rsblsb::Entity::*)() const, TC =
boost::python::arg_from_python<rsblsb::Entity&>]':
C:/MinGW/include/boost/python/detail/caller.hpp:199:   instantiated
from `PyObject* boost::python::detail::caller_arity<1u>::impl<F,
Policies, Sig>::operator()(PyObject*, PyObject*) [with F = const
std::string&(rsblsb::Entity::*)() const, Policies =
boost::python::default_call_policies, Sig = boost::mpl::vector2<const
std::string&, rsblsb::Entity&>]'
C:/MinGW/include/boost/python/object/py_function.hpp:38:
instantiated from `PyObject*
boost::python::objects::caller_py_function_impl<Caller>::operator()
(PyObject*, PyObject*) [with Caller =
boost::python::detail::caller<const std::string&(rsblsb::Entity::*)()
const, boost::python::default_call_policies, boost::mpl::vector2<const
std::string&, rsblsb::Entity&> >]'
C:\Game\svn\Platform\Framework\Python\PyModuleSetup.cc:58:
instantiated from here
C:/MinGW/include/boost/python/detail/invoke.hpp:88: error: no match
for call to `(const
boost::python::detail::specify_a_return_value_policy_to_wrap_functions_returning<const
std::string&>) (const std::basic_string<char, std::char_traits<char>,
std::allocator<char> >&)'

Runtime error 2 just crashes whenever I try:
import modulename
I = modulename.Entity()
I.getName()

Anyone have any idea what I can try? thanks a lot!

-Shawn.