.NET Framework CLR Tools: How do I use the Resource File Generator?

Q: How do I use the Resource File Generator?

A: The Resource File Generator converts '.txt' files and '.resx' (XML-based resource format) files to common language runtime binary '.resources' files that can be embedded in a runtime binary executable or compiled into satellite assemblies.
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• What conversions does the 'rResGen.exe' tool perform?
  
  'Resgen.exe' performs the following conversions:
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  • Converts '.txt' files to '.resources' or '.resx' files.
  • Converts '.resources' files to text or '.resx' files.
  • Converts '.resx' files to '.txt' or '.resources' files
  
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• What classes does the resource generator use?
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  • 'ResourceReader' class
  • 'ResourceWriter' class
  • 'ResXResourceReader' class
  • 'ResXResourceWriter' class
  
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• What does the 'ResourceReader' class do?
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  • The 'ResourceReader' provides a default implementation of the 'IResourceReader' interface.
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  • You can use resource readers to read resource name and resource value pairs from '.resources' files.
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  • The resources can be enumerated by traversing the 'IDictionaryEnumerator' returned by the 'GetEnumerator()' method.
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  • The methods provided by the 'IDictionaryEnumerator' are used to advance to the next resource and read the name and value of each resource in the '.resources' file.
  
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• Can I have an example using the 'ResourceReader' class?
  
  The following code sample displays the content of 'myResources.resources' file on the console:
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  Code:

  ---

  Imports System
Imports System.Resources
Imports System.Collections

Public Class ReadResources
   
    Public Shared Sub Main()
       
        ' Opens a resource reader and get an enumerator from it.
        Dim reader As New ResourceReader("myResources.resources")
        Dim en As IDictionaryEnumerator = reader.GetEnumerator()
       
        ' Goes through the enumerator, printing out the key and value pairs.
        While en.MoveNext()
            Console.WriteLine()
            Console.WriteLine("Name: {0}", en.Key)
            Console.WriteLine("Value: {0}", en.Value)
        End While
        reader.Close()
       
    End Sub
End Class

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• What does the 'ResourceWriter' class do?
  
  Writes resources in the system-default format to an output file or an output stream.
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• Can I have an example using the 'ResourceWriter' class?
  
  The following example writes several strings into the 'myResources.resources' file:
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  Code:

  ---

  Imports System
Imports System.Resources

Public Class WriteResources
   
    Public Shared Sub Main()
       
        ' Creates a resource writer.
        Dim writer As New ResourceWriter("myResources.resources")
       
        ' Adds resources to the resource writer.
        writer.AddResource("String 1", "First String")
       
        writer.AddResource("String 2", "Second String")
       
        writer.AddResource("String 3", "Third String")
       
        [COLOR=#880000]' Writes the resources to the file or stream, and closes it.
        writer.Close()
    End Sub
End Class

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• What does the 'ResXResourceReader' do?
  <br>
  
  • You can use resource readers to read resource name and value pairs from '.resx' files.
  • The resources can be enumerated by traversing the 'IDictionaryEnumerator' returned by the 'GetEnumerator()' method.
  • You can use the methods provided by the 'IDictionaryEnumerator' to advance to the next resource and read the name and value of each resource in the '.resx' file.
  
  <br><br><br>
• Can I have an example using the 'ResXResourceReader' class?
  
  The following example demonstrates how to use a 'ResXResourceReader' to iterate through the resources in a '.resx' file. First, the
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  Code:

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  ResXResourceReader rsxr

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  is created for the file 'items.resx'. Next, the 'GetEnumerator()' method is used to create an 'IDictionaryEnumerator' to iterate through the resources and display the contents to the console:
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  Code:

  ---

  Imports System
Imports System.Resources
Imports System.Collections
Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic

Class ReadResXResources
 
  Public Shared Sub Main()
     
      ' Create a ResXResourceReader for the file items.resx.
      Dim rsxr As ResXResourceReader
      rsxr = New ResXResourceReader("items.resx")

      ' Create an IDictionaryEnumerator to iterate through the resources.
      Dim id As IDictionaryEnumerator = rsxr.GetEnumerator()
           
      ' Iterate through the resources and display the contents to the console.
      Dim d As DictionaryEntry
      For Each d In  rsxr
        Console.WriteLine(d.Key.ToString() + ":" + ControlChars.Tab + d.Value.ToString())
      Next d
     
      'Close the reader.
      rsxr.Close()

  End Sub

End Class

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  <br><br>
• What does the 'ResXResourceWriter' class do?
  
  Writes resources in an XML resource ('.resx') file or an output stream.
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• How do I use the 'ResGen' tool?
  
  You run the 'Resgen.exe' tool from the command prompt:
  
  
  Code:

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  resgen [/compile] filename.extension [outputFilename.extension][...]

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  <br><br>
• Can I have a few examples using the 'ResGen.exe' tool?
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  • The following command reads the name/value pairs in 'myResources.txt' and writes a binary resources file named 'yourResources.resources.':
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    Code:

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    resgen myResources.txt yourResources.resources

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    <br>
  • The following command reads an XML-based input file 'myResources.resx' and writes a binary resources file named 'myResources.resources':
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    Code:

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    resgen myResources.resx myResources.resources

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  • The following command reads a binary resources file 'myResources.resources' and writes an XML-based output file named 'myResources.resx':
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    Code:

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    resgen myResources.resources myResources.resx

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