Resource-Definition Statements (Windows)

The resource-definition statements define the resources that the resource compiler puts in the resource (.Res) file. After the .Res file is linked to the executable file, the application can load its resources at run time as needed. All resource statements associate an identifying name or number with a given resource.

The resource-definition statements can be divided into the following categories:

Resources
Controls
Statements

The following tables describe the resource-definition statements.

Resources

Resource	Description
ACCELERATORS	Defines menu accelerator keys.
BITMAP	Defines a bitmap by naming it and specifying the name of the file that contains it. (To use a particular bitmap, the application requests it by name.)
CURSOR	Defines a cursor or animated cursor by naming it and specifying the name of the file that contains it. (To use a particular cursor, the application requests it by name.)
DIALOG	Defines a template that an application can use to create dialog boxes.
DIALOGEX	Defines a template that an application can use to create dialog boxes.
FONT	Specifies the name of a file that contains a font.
HTML	Specifies an HTML file.
ICON	Defines an icon or animated icon by naming it and specifying the name of the file that contains it. (To use a particular icon, the application requests it by name.)
MENU	Defines the appearance and function of a menu.
MENUEX	Defines the appearance and function of a menu.
MESSAGETABLE	Defines a message table by naming it and specifying the name of the file that contains it. The file is a binary resource file generated by the message compiler.
POPUP	Defines a menu item that can contain menu items and submenus.
PLUGPLAY	Obsolete.
RCDATA	Defines data resources. Data resources let you include binary data in the executable file.
STRINGTABLE	Defines string resources. String resources are Unicode or ASCII strings that can be loaded from the executable file.
TEXTINCLUDE	A special resource that is interpreted by Visual C++. For more information, see TN035.
TYPELIB	A special resource that is used with the /TLBID and /TLBOUT linker options.
User-Defined	Defines a resource that contains application-specific data.
VERSIONINFO	Defines a version-information resource. Contains information such as the version number, intended operating system, and so on.
VXD	Obsolete.

For more information about predefined MFC resources, see TN023 and TN024.

Controls

Control	Description
AUTO3STATE	Creates an automatic three-state check box control.
AUTOCHECKBOX	Creates an automatic check box control.
AUTORADIOBUTTON	Creates an automatic radio button control.
CHECKBOX	Creates a check box control.
COMBOBOX	Creates a combo box control.
CONTROL	Creates an application-defined control.
CTEXT	Creates a centered-text control.
DEFPUSHBUTTON	Creates a default pushbutton control.
EDITTEXT	Creates an edit control.
GROUPBOX	Creates a group box control.
ICON	Creates an icon control. This control is an icon displayed in a dialog box.
LISTBOX	Creates a list box control.
LTEXT	Creates a left-aligned text control.
PUSHBOX	Creates a push box control.
PUSHBUTTON	Creates a push button control.
RADIOBUTTON	Creates a radio button control.
RTEXT	Creates a right-aligned control.
SCROLLBAR	Creates a scroll bar control.
STATE3	Creates a three-state check box control.

Statements

Statement	Description
CAPTION	Sets the title for a dialog box.
CHARACTERISTICS	Specifies information about a resource that can be used by tool that can read or write resource-definition files.
CLASS	Sets the class of the dialog box.
EXSTYLE	Sets the extended window style of the dialog box.
FONT	Sets the font with which the system will draw text for the dialog box.
LANGUAGE	Sets the language for all resources up to the next LANGUAGE statement or to the end of the file. When the LANGUAGE statement appears before the beginning of the body of an ACCELERATORS, DIALOG, MENU, RCDATA, or STRINGTABLE resource definition, the specified language applies only to that resource.
MENU	Sets the menu for the dialog box.
MENUITEM	Defines a menu item.
STYLE	Sets the window style for the dialog box.
VERSION	Specifies version information for a resource that can be used by tool that can read or write resource-definition files.

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Build date: 2/3/2012

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Re: "FILE", "PNG" and "RT_MANIFEST"

crescens2k | Edit | Show History

These resource types are user defined resource types. So they are documented as user defined resource types. These types aren't special in the same way other resource types are, but certain things will search for these types. RT_MANIFEST and TYPELIB probably being the more important ones for Windows.

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'FILE' resource type also exists

Doctor Bonzo | Edit | Show History

Also undocumented appears to be a FILE resource type, usable as: IDR_RESOURCE_ID FILE "PossiblyRelative\PathToFile.ext" Unfortunately, Visual Studio seems to be unaware of the dependency on "PossiblyRelative\PathToFile.ext"

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PNG support

AshleysBrain | Edit | Show History

Undocumented feature: you can use a "PNG" resource type instead of "BITMAP", and specify a .png file, and it works including alpha (at least in MFC).

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Making Resource Files

rtsking117 | Edit | Show History

If you ever find the need to manually write out a resource script, RC is not case sensitive. The following all work (and I have tried):
MENUITEM
menuitem
MENUitem
MeNuItEm
mEnUiTeM
All worked perfectly when compiled and tested.

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RT_MANIFEST

Dolmen | Edit | Show History

There is another type of resource: RT_MANIFEST
http://msdn.microsoft.com/fr-fr/library/bb773175%28en-us,VS.85%29.aspx

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