std::string getMyString() { return <make a string>; }
...
HANDLE something = OpenSomething(getMyString().c_str(), ...);
I've read Guaranteed lifetime of temporary in C++ and I believe that the temporary string will live until the assignment has been evaluated, i.e. plenty long enough to make this work as expected.
Having once before run into an std::string
lifetime-related bug (can't remember what it was) I'd rather double-check...