MakeRes

This Programm makes a resource file out of existing files.

The Compilers of Delphi and C++, both coming from Borland/Inprise, allow the linking of additional resources on one hand, but do not support the creation of those files on the other hand.
ResourceWorkshop, coming with Borland C++, is a good editor for that purpose, but I do not know how to use it from the command line in order to keep bigger resources up to date during program development.

MakesRes is my solution for this problem, that arised while developing my card game Mau Mau.

The program reads a file that contains a list of the files to process and creates a RC file (resource file as simple text file) from it in a first step.
In a second step it calls the resource compiler of Borland in order to compile this file.
The result is the RES file needed, that can be linked into a source file by (*$R file.res*).

Usage:

[Screenshot]

The input field "BRCC32" contains path and name of the resource compiler of Borland, if it can be detected.
To do so MakeRes searches the registry for links for project files belonging to the installed compiler.
If those entries are missing you will only get the RC file.
You can input any resource compiler that accepts the name of a RC file as the only parameter.

The input field "Datei-Liste" ("files list") takes the name of a file that lists the files to process. The button "Liste Suchen" ("search list") calls aso called file open dialog.

Start the processing by pressing the button "Umsetzung starten" ("start processing").
The list box in the lower half of the windows shown what happens. Look here for error messages.
Unfortunately BRCC32 produces no error messages that I can handle. If you do not find a RES file where you expect it, even if MakeRES tells "erfolgreich" ("successfully"), BRCC32 may have hit on errors.

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Format of File List:

Each line contains three words separated by a space:
- the resource type,
- the resource name to use,
- the corresponding file to include.
Exceptions:
A name for a resource of type STRINGTABLE will bee interpreted as the first number to use for the strings within the string table and therefore is a digit.
An Entry LANGUAGE is directly taken.

Example:
LANGUAGE LANG_GERMAN,SUBLANG_GERMAN STRINGTABLE 500 readme.txt DIALOG DLG dialog.dlg BITMAP BILD4 picture9.bmp

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Format of Files to Process:

The resource types ACCELERATORS, DIALOG, MENU and VERSIONINFO should already be saved as a RC file or DLG resource script. It will then be imported unchanged. The name contained in the file will be replaced by the one given in the files list.

A file used as STRINGTABLE only containes text lines, one text per line.

All other types, being BITMAP, CURSOR, ICON, MESSAGETABLE, RCDATA and user defined ones, are taken as binary files.
By the way: this is the initial reason for me to develop MakeRes. The rest is included just for completeness.

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Downloading:

MakeRes is Freeware.
The program needs an installed resource compiler.
It was tested under Win95 only.
At the moment there is no more documentation available than this text and the examples.

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Known Problems:

ResourceWorkshop can (as far as I know) read RC files containing a LANGUAGE line, but only until this file is written back to disk! It crashes afterwards!

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Warranty:

There is no warranty for the program.
The program is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the program is with you. Should the program prove defective, you assume the cost of all necessary serving, repair or correction.
In no event will the author be liable to you for damages, including any general, special, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the program (including but not limited to loss of data or data being rendered inaccurate or losses sustained by you or third parties or a failure of the program to operate with any other software), even if the author or other party has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
You accept the above by using the program.
Do not use the program in states where the above is against law.

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