File: binutils.info,  Node: windres,  Next: dlltool,  Prev: nlmconv,  Up: Top

12 windres
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`windres' may be used to manipulate Windows resources.

     _Warning:_ `windres' is not always built as part of the binary
     utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.

     windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]

   `windres' reads resources from an input file and copies them into an
output file.  Either file may be in one of three formats:

`rc'
     A text format read by the Resource Compiler.

`res'
     A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.

`coff'
     A COFF object or executable.

   The exact description of these different formats is available in
documentation from Microsoft.

   When `windres' converts from the `rc' format to the `res' format, it
is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler.  When `windres' converts
from the `res' format to the `coff' format, it is acting like the
Windows `CVTRES' program.

   When `windres' generates an `rc' file, the output is similar but not
identical to the format expected for the input.  When an input `rc'
file refers to an external filename, an output `rc' file will instead
include the file contents.

   If the input or output format is not specified, `windres' will guess
based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.  A
file with an extension of `.rc' will be treated as an `rc' file, a file
with an extension of `.res' will be treated as a `res' file, and a file
with an extension of `.o' or `.exe' will be treated as a `coff' file.

   If no output file is specified, `windres' will print the resources
in `rc' format to standard output.

   The normal use is for you to write an `rc' file, use `windres' to
convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into your
application.  This will make the resources described in the `rc' file
available to Windows.

`-i FILENAME'
`--input FILENAME'
     The name of the input file.  If this option is not used, then
     `windres' will use the first non-option argument as the input file
     name.  If there are no non-option arguments, then `windres' will
     read from standard input.  `windres' can not read a COFF file from
     standard input.

`-o FILENAME'
`--output FILENAME'
     The name of the output file.  If this option is not used, then
     `windres' will use the first non-option argument, after any used
     for the input file name, as the output file name.  If there is no
     non-option argument, then `windres' will write to standard output.
     `windres' can not write a COFF file to standard output.  Note, for
     compatability with `rc' the option `-fo' is also accepted, but its
     use is not recommended.

`-J FORMAT'
`--input-format FORMAT'
     The input format to read.  FORMAT may be `res', `rc', or `coff'.
     If no input format is specified, `windres' will guess, as
     described above.

`-O FORMAT'
`--output-format FORMAT'
     The output format to generate.  FORMAT may be `res', `rc', or
     `coff'.  If no output format is specified, `windres' will guess,
     as described above.

`-F TARGET'
`--target TARGET'
     Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output.
     This is a BFD target name; you can use the `--help' option to see
     a list of supported targets.  Normally `windres' will use the
     default format, which is the first one listed by the `--help'
     option.  *Note Target Selection::.

`--preprocessor PROGRAM'
     When `windres' reads an `rc' file, it runs it through the C
     preprocessor first.  This option may be used to specify the
     preprocessor to use, including any leading arguments.  The default
     preprocessor argument is `gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED'.

`-I DIRECTORY'
`--include-dir DIRECTORY'
     Specify an include directory to use when reading an `rc' file.
     `windres' will pass this to the preprocessor as an `-I' option.
     `windres' will also search this directory when looking for files
     named in the `rc' file.  If the argument passed to this command
     matches any of the supported FORMATS (as descrived in the `-J'
     option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like
     the `-J' option.  New programs should not use this behaviour.  If a
     directory happens to match a FORMAT, simple prefix it with `./' to
     disable the backward compatibility.

`-D TARGET'
`--define SYM[=VAL]'
     Specify a `-D' option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
     `rc' file.

`-U TARGET'
`--undefine SYM'
     Specify a `-U' option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
     `rc' file.

`-r'
     Ignored for compatibility with rc.

`-v'
     Enable verbose mode.  This tells you what the preprocessor is if
     you didn't specify one.

`-l VAL'

`--language VAL'
     Specify the default language to use when reading an `rc' file.
     VAL should be a hexadecimal language code.  The low eight bits are
     the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.

`--use-temp-file'
     Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output
     of the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation
     is buggy on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions
     of Windows 95 and Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where
     the output will instead go the console).

`--no-use-temp-file'
     Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the
     preprocessor.  This is the default behaviour.

`-h'

`--help'
     Prints a usage summary.

`-V'

`--version'
     Prints the version number for `windres'.

`--yydebug'
     If `windres' is compiled with `YYDEBUG' defined as `1', this will
     turn on parser debugging.