Handle resource files - Generate a class with strongly typed properties from a resources file using resgen.exe: Part VI

Other functionality provided by the resgen.exe witch I appreciate a lot. This tool gives you the possibility to generate an entire class with strong typed properties issued from the resources elements. It's very similar to the serialization process where objects are serialized/desterilized.   

To go a head and perform this task, follow this walkthrough:

Open a new text file and add some elements on it. Elements should respect certain rules, for someone who wants to know how elements have to be disposed in a text class in order to generate resources files correctly without mistakes and failures, it is important to read the Part V handle resource files.

For example, this is a sample how elements should be disposed:

; My first name
FirstName = Bechir
; My last name
LastName = Bejaoui
; My region
Region = North Africa
; My education
Level = Master degree
; My profession
Profession = Freelance

Save it as C:\myResourcesTextFiles.txt. Now, open the Framework SDK by selecting all programs>Microsoft .Net Framework SDK v2.0>SDK Command prompt. Then execute the command as follow

Figure1
 
If you browse to the "C:\" repertory, you can find there both new generated files. I mean the C:\Resources.ResourceClass.resources and the new generated class C:\myResourcesClass.cs that wraps strongly typed properties issued from the resources elements. Note that it is better to specify the new generated resource file [namespace].[class name].resources, otherwise the resgen.exe warns you that the resources file name doesn't match  the class name.

Figure 2

Now, open the C:\myResourcesClass.cs, you can explore the new properties:

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

// <auto-generated>

//     This code was generated by a tool.

//     Runtime Version:2.0.50727.1433

//

//     Changes to this file may cause incorrect behavior and will be lost if

//     the code is regenerated.

// </auto-generated>

//------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

namespace Resources {

using System;

 

 

/// <summary>

///   A strongly-typed resource class, for looking up localized strings, etc.

/// </summary>

// This class was auto-generated by the StronglyTypedResourceBuilder

// class via a tool like ResGen or Visual Studio.

// To add or remove a member, edit your .ResX file then rerun ResGen

// with the /str option, or rebuild your VS project.

[global::System.CodeDom.Compiler.GeneratedCodeAttribute

("System.Resources.Tools.StronglyTypedResourceBuilder", "2.0.0.0")]

[global::System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]

[global::System.Runtime.CompilerServices.CompilerGeneratedAttribute()]

internal class ResourcesClass {

 

private static global::System.Resources.ResourceManager resourceMan;

 

private static global::System.Globalization.CultureInfo resourceCulture;

 

[global::System.Diagnostics.CodeAnalysis.SuppressMessageAttribute("Microsoft.Performance",

"CA1811:AvoidUncalledPrivateCode")]

internal ResourcesClass() {

}

 

/// <summary>

///   Returns the cached ResourceManager instance used by this class.

/// </summary>

[global::System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute

(global::System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]

internal static global::System.Resources.ResourceManager ResourceManager {

    get {

        if (object.ReferenceEquals(resourceMan, null)) {

global::System.Resources.ResourceManager temp = new global::System.Resources.ResourceManager("Resources.ResourcesClass", typeof(ResourcesClass).Assembly);

            resourceMan = temp;

        }

        return resourceMan;

    }

}

 

/// <summary>

///   Overrides the current thread's CurrentUICulture property for all

///   resource lookups using this strongly typed resource class.

/// </summary>

[global::System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableAttribute(global::System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Advanced)]

internal static global::System.Globalization.CultureInfo Culture {

    get {

        return resourceCulture;

    }

    set {

        resourceCulture = value;

    }

}

 

/// <summary>

///   Looks up a localized string similar to Bechir.

/// </summary>

internal static string FirstName {

    get {

        return ResourceManager.GetString("FirstName", resourceCulture);

    }

}

 

/// <summary>

///   Looks up a localized string similar to Bejaoui.

/// </summary>

internal static string LastName {

    get {

        return ResourceManager.GetString("LastName", resourceCulture);

    }

}

 

/// <summary>

///   Looks up a localized string similar to Master degree.

/// </summary>

internal static string Level {

    get {

        return ResourceManager.GetString("Level", resourceCulture);

    }

}

 

/// <summary>

///   Looks up a localized string similar to Freelance.

/// </summary>

internal static string Profession {

    get {

        return ResourceManager.GetString("Profession", resourceCulture);

    }

}

 

/// <summary>

///   Looks up a localized string similar to North Africa.

/// </summary>

internal static string Region {

    get {

        return ResourceManager.GetString("Region", resourceCulture);

    }

}

}

}

As you see, this class plays the role of proxy, if someone wants to access the resources elements through the code. So there is no need to use the resource manager object to achieve this goal. You can simply use this code to access the resources values.

string myFirstName = ResourcesClass.FirstName;

string myLastName = ResourcesClass.LastName;

string myResgion = ResourcesClass.Region;

string myEducation = ResourceClass.Level;
string myProfession = ResourceClass.Profession;

Good dotneting!!!