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

[HanneSThEGreaT]

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.

• What conversions does the 'rResGen.exe' tool perform?
  
  'Resgen.exe' performs the following conversions:
  
  
  
  • Converts '.txt' files to '.resources' or '.resx' files.
  • Converts '.resources' files to text or '.resx' files.
  • Converts '.resx' files to '.txt' or '.resources' files
  
  
  
  
  
• What classes does the resource generator use?
  
  
  
  • 'ResourceReader' class
  • 'ResourceWriter' class
  • 'ResXResourceReader' class
  • 'ResXResourceWriter' class
  
  
  
  
  
• What does the 'ResourceReader' class do?
  
  
  
  • The 'ResourceReader' provides a default implementation of the 'IResourceReader' interface.
    
    
  • You can use resource readers to read resource name and resource value pairs from '.resources' files.
    
    
  • The resources can be enumerated by traversing the 'IDictionaryEnumerator' returned by the 'GetEnumerator()' method.
    
    
  • 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.
  
  
  
  
  
• Can I have an example using the 'ResourceReader' class?
  
  The following code sample displays the content of 'myResources.resources' file on the console:
  
  
  

  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

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

  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

  
  
• What does the 'ResXResourceReader' do?
  
  
  
  • 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.
  
  
  
  
  
• 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
  
  
  

  ResXResourceReader rsxr

  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:
  
  
  

  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

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

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

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

    resgen myResources.txt yourResources.resources

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

    resgen myResources.resx myResources.resources

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

    resgen myResources.resources myResources.resx