function StringToVariantArray(const S: string): OleVariant;

var

  P: Pointer;

begin

  Result := NULL;

  if Length(S) > 0 then

  begin

    Result := VarArrayCreate([0, Length(S) - 1], varByte);

    P := VarArrayLock(Result);

    try

      Move(S[1], P^, Length(S));

    finally

      VarArrayUnlock(Result);

    end;

  end;

end