🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1991Feb14.204813.26432@spool.cs.wisc.edu> so@brownie.cs.wisc.edu (Bryan S. So) writes:


[Much information on the introduction of Borland C++ and the windows utilities
 it includes and a few other things deleted]

>I don't really know what a resource compiler is, can somebody
>explain? 
>
>(By the way, they don't call it Turbo any more.  It is now
> called Borland C++.  And it is bundled with Profiler/Assembler/
> Debugger, so there is no Pro package avail.)
>
>
>Bryan So
>


The resource compiler is a utility that compiles resources such as icons, menus
dialog boxes, and other "resources" that Windows uses into the .exe file.  
According to the SDK manual for Windows 2.xx (MS wants more to upgrade than
Borland wants for the student edition of Borland C++, and I'm just a poor
student that got a really good deal on the SDK...)  you must define your 
resources in a resource script file (usually having a .rc extension), and
then use the resource compiler to compile them into your .exe file.  The 
resources themselves can either be hard-coded into the source itself, or put
into the resource file.  Generally, the resource file is the easier method,
since you can simply include a line such as

mycursor CURSOR mycursor.cur

to define a cursor found in the bitmap file mycursor.cur, instead of hard-
coding the bitmap into the source with an array.  The resource compiler also
allows you to re-compile the resource portion of a file without re-compiling
the code, saving quite a bit of effort, as you can tell by the sample times 
Borland gave.  

The resource file is also the recommended meathod of including the text i
application, since a string can be included just as easily as an icon.  
Microsoft states that this makes translating to other languages easier, since
all the translator's work is in one file, and the source doesn't have to be
included.

I'm sure someone who is an experienced Windows programmer could give a much
better (and up to date) explanation, but this should give you the general
idea.  For an example, look at any of the windows applications on 
cica.cica.indiana.edu or simtel that contain soruce code, and examine the 
.rc file.  You may also consider asking the "experts" in 
comp.windows.ms.programmer, since I'm reasonably sure they could help.

--
Scott A. Laird            |  Any semblance of the above to anything is purely
lair@midway.uchicago.edu  |  coincidental, as it was the result of an infinite
The University of Chicago |  number of monkeys sneaking in to use my computer 
                          |  for the afternoon.