[C++ Express] Add Resource disabled?!

[C++ Express] Add Resource disabled?!

• Andrew Whitechapel

  There are no Resources available in the Express products, but on the Top 10 Cool Things  about Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition it says:
  
  8. Graphical resource editors make it easy to create menus, icons, cursors, and bitmaps
  
  Someone needs to fix VC++ Express or fix the page.
  
  
  

• Harish Ranganathan

  With Solution Explorer, under "Resources", ( Left-click ) "Add"/ "Existing Item..."
  
  You can then add in an existing resource file. I've used this in creating a flight simulator gauge, and it worked like a charm. The problem then remains in finding a third party Resource Editor to create the file. Many resource filetypes can be just a text file.
  
  My resource was an .rc file, but the compiler will add existing .rc  .rct  .res  .resx or .resources
  
  Here's the small Wiskey.rc file I used in my DLL:
  
  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  // Wiskey.rc

   #include "Wiskey.h"

  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  //
  // Version
  //

  VS_VERSION_INFO VERSIONINFO
   FILEVERSION VERSION_MAJOR,VERSION_MINOR,0,VERSION_BUILD
   PRODUCTVERSION VERSION_MAJOR,VERSION_MINOR,0,VERSION_BUILD
   FILEFLAGSMASK 0x3fL
   FILEFLAGS 0x0L
   FILEOS 0x10004L
   FILETYPE 0x1L
   FILESUBTYPE 0x0L
  BEGIN
      BLOCK "StringFileInfo"
      BEGIN
          BLOCK "040904b0"
          BEGIN
              VALUE "CompanyName", "Your Company\0"
              VALUE "FileDescription", "Flight Simulator 98 Gauge\0"
              VALUE "FileVersion", VERSION_STRING
              VALUE "LegalCopyright", "Your Copyright.\0"
              VALUE "ProductName", "Your Product\0"
              VALUE "ProductVersion", VERSION_STRING
          END
      END
      BLOCK "VarFileInfo"
      BEGIN
          VALUE "Translation", 0x409, 1200
      END
  END

  
  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  //
  // Whiskey CompassBitmaps
  //
  BMP_COMPASS_SMALL_BACKGROUND  BITMAP DISCARDABLE  "res\SDK.Whiskey.bg.BMP"
  BMP_COMPASS_SMALL_CARD    BITMAP DISCARDABLE  "res\SDK.Whiskey.card.BMP"
  BMP_COMPASS_SMALL_MASK    BITMAP DISCARDABLE  "res\SDK.Whiskey.mask.BMP"

  /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
  
  
  
  Dick

  
  

• Roger Cheng MSFT

  I have the same problem. In beta 2, 'Add resource' option is disabled or if it is enabled, this error appears: 'The operation could not be completed'.
  

• Dilmer

  Why A resource editor belongs in the base product as much as a Forms designer. Are you guys restricting features from the Express products for fun This idea is as strange as not including a 64-bit compiler. As if only people with $300+ to burn would use those features.
  

• gjbilik

  Hello - Thanks for the message - the resource editor feauture is not available in the Express product. The Standard Edition and larger products do include this, however. Thank you, April Reagan, Visual C++ Program Management
  
  

• Luca_Dellamore - MS

  Thank you for pointing that out. This was a change in plan, we'll update the Top 10 site.
  
  -April
  
  

• CCusson15

  MS's "plan" here seems to disregard its (claimed) intended audience for the Express editions.  MS uses language like "beginner", "get your feet wet", and similar indications that it views the Express editions as a tool for novices... yet who needs a resource editor more than a novice   Why not omit application templates too, or the debugger (don't you dare!), or how about (in the debugger) leaving in the assembly display but removing the exceptionally useful "memory view" window (oh- wait- you did try to do that... grrr!). 
  
  I wish MS would stop its trend of designing product features based upon how much trouble the feature is (or whatever the arbitrary rule actually is), and return to including those features that are desired by the target consumer.  (This is very similar, for example, to the evolution path that VB has taken.  Originally described as useful because it was a unique prototyping tool and a tool for fast deployment of ad-hoc solutions with lightweight installation, it is now completely useless for those things due to its dragging .net along for the ride). 
  
  I know how easy it is for software engineers to make arbitrary decisions about what other people do and don't want, but let's reel this in and give some thought to those decisions!  I, for one, want a freakin' resource editor!
  
  
  
• [C++ Express] Add Resource disabled?!