sdl-setwindowtitle.cpp

// g++ -std=c++11 sdl-setwindowtitle.cpp -lSDL2

#include <SDL2/SDL.h>

int main() {
    SDL_Init(SDL_INIT_VIDEO);

    SDL_Window* w = SDL_CreateWindow(
        /* If you flip this, SDL_SetWindowTitle() below starts working */
        #if 1
        "Title without UTF-8",
        #else
        "Title — with an UTF-8 em-dash",
        #endif
        SDL_WINDOWPOS_UNDEFINED, SDL_WINDOWPOS_UNDEFINED,
        800, 600, 0);

    /* If you call this, the below stops working */
    //SDL_SetWindowTitle(w, "Another title without UTF-8");

    /* This works only if the previously set title had an em-dash as well */
    SDL_SetWindowTitle(w, "Another title — with an UTF-8 em-dash");

    SDL_Event event;
    while(SDL_WaitEvent(&event))
        if(event.type == SDL_QUIT) break;

    SDL_DestroyWindow(w);
    SDL_Quit();
}