Compile resource files for a WINAPI window by means of Lazres

[Pieter]

For Windows 11, on a 64-bit laptop, I used Lazres to recompile the resource files for the WINAPI application in GetClientRect in:

https://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,52902.msg390865.html#msg390865, see also the attachment

I called Lazres in the following way (compilation of the resources in Lazarus did not work, input file could not be found)

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. lazres GetClientRect.RES GetClientRect.rc APPICON.ICO

with GetClientRectangle.rc:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. #include "resource.pas"
2.  
3. APPICON                 ICON                        "APPICON.ICO"
4.  
5. APPMENU                 MENU
6.   BEGIN
7.     POPUP "&File"
8.       BEGIN
9.          MENUITEM "E&xit"                        ,   IDM_EXIT
10.       END
11.  
12.     POPUP "&Help    "
13.       BEGIN
14.          MENUITEM "&About  GetClientRect ..."    ,   IDM_ABOUT
15.       END
16.   END
17.  
18. ABOUTBOX DIALOG 42, 20, 170, 90
19. STYLE DS_MODALFRAME | WS_OVERLAPPED | WS_CAPTION | WS_SYSMENU
20. CAPTION "About GetClientRect"
21. FONT 8, "MS Sans Serif"
22. BEGIN
23.   ICON              "APPICON", -1, 10, 10, 32, 32
24.   LTEXT             "Win32 API Example - Functions", -1, 35, 10, 170, 10
25.   LTEXT             "GetClientRect", -1, 35, 20, 170, 10
26.   CTEXT             "Copyright \251 1997  440bx",-1, 1, 40, 170, 10
27.   CTEXT             "All rights reserved.", -1, 1, 48, 170, 10
28.   DEFPUSHBUTTON     "OK", IDOK, 60, 67, 50, 14
29. END  

and the implied Resource.pas file

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. unit resource;
2.   { resource IDs for the GetClientRect example                                }
3.  
4. {-----------------------------------------------------------------------------}
5. INTERFACE
6. {-----------------------------------------------------------------------------}
7.  
8. const
9.  IDM_EXIT        = 900;
10.  
11.  IDM_ABOUT       = 990;
12.  
13. {-----------------------------------------------------------------------------}
14. IMPLEMENTATION
15. {-----------------------------------------------------------------------------}
16.  
17. end.

To my surprise, the icon is incorporated in the program but the menus are not. What is is happening here? I'd be happy to know so I can use the procedure for other applications requiring resource compilation

[440bx]

I've seen that problem before.  It's related to the fact that Lazarus manages resource and resource files a bit differently.

Have a look at this thread: https://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,40830.msg282333.html#msg282333

the solution/explanation is quite likely there.

[Thaddy]

You should not even need to call LazRes. The compiler will do that for you..... Only if you change the rc file you will need a rebuild for the whole program.

[Pieter]

You should not even need to call LazRes. The compiler will do that for you..... Only if you change the rc file you will need a rebuild for the whole program.

This was what I expected but I get the following error message, in addition to two warnings

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. Error while compiling resources -> Compile with -vd for more details. Check for duplicates
2. Warning: windres [option(s)] [input-file] [output-file]
3. windres: supported targets: pe-i386 pei-i386 elf32-i386 elf32-iamcu elf32-little elf32-big pe-x86-64 pei-x86-64 pe-bigobj-x86-64 elf64-x86-64 elf64-l1om elf64-k1om elf64-little elf64-big plugin srec symbolsrec verilog tekhex binary ihex
4.  

That's why I used the Lazres separate compilation but with the problem mentioned above.

[Pieter]

I've seen that problem before.  It's related to the fact that Lazarus manages resource and resource files a bit differently.

Have a look at this thread: https://forum.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php/topic,40830.msg282333.html#msg282333

the solution/explanation is quite likely there.

I did have a look a the thread but renaming the resource file with a name different from the program does not have an effect.
That is, if I do:

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. lazres JustAResource.RES GetClientRect.rc APPICON.ICO

and include the RES file in the source program, the implied resources (i.e. the menu's) do not show up.
I wonder if I did apply Lazres correctly. What could be the matter?

[440bx]

Code: Pascal  [Select][+][-]

1. lazres JustAResource.RES GetClientRect.rc APPICON.ICO

and include the RES file in the source program, the implied resources (i.e. the menu's) do not show up.
I wonder if I did apply Lazres correctly. What could be the matter?

The problem is that the "lazres" command you showed above does NOT include the menu nor the dialog in the resource file as menu and dialog resources.

It includes the entire "GetClientRect.rc" as raw resource data.  IOW, it is not parsing and compiling that resource script.  If you want to see what it does, use ResourceHacker (nice little utility, I highly recommend it.)

I don't know exactly what Lazres is supposed to do but, it doesn't seem to be a resource compiler.

Just FYI, I use the resource compiler that was included with Delphi (BRCC32.exe)

[Pieter]

@440bx:

I don't know exactly what Lazres is supposed to do but, it doesn't seem to be a resource compiler.

I agree, given the error and warning messages I mentioned above it seems that windres is used by Lazarus. However, it does not work, as far as I know.
Maybe somebody else can shed some light on this issue?

@440bx:

Just FYI, I use the resource compiler that was included with Delphi (BRCC32.exe)

Thanks for this information. This does work. 

[440bx]

Thanks for this information. This does work. 

You're welcome.

[marcov]

Just FYI, I use the resource compiler that was included with Delphi (BRCC32.exe)

Note that trunk has a native resource compiler (fpcres)

[440bx]

Note that trunk has a native resource compiler (fpcres)

Yes, I remember PascalDragon mentioning that. I will eventually start using it.  I also remember he mentioned that, at least at that time, there were some resource types it couldn't handle, I believe (not sure) keyboard accelerators were among them.

[Pieter]

Just FYI, I use the resource compiler that was included with Delphi (BRCC32.exe)

Note that trunk has a native resource compiler (fpcres)

As a newbie, I don't understand what is meant by 'trunk' here.

[MarkMLl]

As a newbie, I don't understand what is meant by 'trunk' here.

https://www.freepascal.org/develop.var

MarkMLl

[marcov]

As a newbie, I don't understand what is meant by 'trunk' here.

Nowadays "Main" in git-speak, though many still use SVN era "trunk", is the branch with the newest development.

The other significant branch is the branch from which releases are made, which is called FIXES_x_y with x.y the first two digits of the version number of the releases (3.2 now)

[Pieter]

Thanks for the update!