Q148305: PRB: AfxFindResourceHandle Fails w/ Icons, Cursors, & Strings

Article: Q148305
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): winnt:2.0,2.1,2.2,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbcode kbCursor kbDLL kbIcon kbMFC kbResource kbString kbVC150 kbVC200 kbVC400 kbGrpDSM
Last Modified: 06-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- The Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC), included with:
   - Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition, versions 1.5, 1.51, 1.52 
   - Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, versions 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

AfxFindResourceHandle() fails when searching for icon (RT_ICON), cursor
(RT_CURSOR), and string resources (RT_STRING).

CAUSE
=====

This occurs because of how the Windows API function FindResource, which is
called by AfxFindResourceHandle(), is designed.

RESOLUTION
==========

For icons and cursors, use the RT_GROUP_ICON or RT_GROUP_CURSOR resource type
with AfxFindResourceHandle() to return the EXE or DLL instance where the
resource is located, and then call ::LoadIcon() or ::LoadCursor() to load the
resource.

For string resources, call CString::LoadString(). It will search the EXE and MFC
extension DLLs for the string resource, and load it into the CString.


STATUS
======

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION
================

AfxFindResourceHandle is an _AFXDLL-specific API for walking the resource list
to look for a given match. It takes the name and type of a resource and returns
the resource handle where it was first found (or NULL). It is documented in MFC
Technote TN033: DLL Version of MFC.

Sample Code
-----------

The following sample code shows successful uses of RT_GROUP_ICON and
RT_GROUP_CURSOR:

  // This sample code can be placed in any MFC application or DLL
  // that links with the DLL version of MFC. Create an icon with ID
  // IDI_ICON1 and a cursor with ID IDC_CURSOR1. Call TestLoadIconCursor
  // from CWinApp::Initinstance().

  HICON MyLoadIcon( LPCTSTR  lpIconName )
  {
      return ::LoadIcon(AfxFindResourceHandle(lpIconName, RT_GROUP_ICON),
                        lpIconName);
  }

  HCURSOR MyLoadCursor ( LPCTSTR  lpCursorName )
  {
      return ::LoadCursor(AfxFindResourceHandle(lpCursorName,
                          RT_GROUP_CURSOR),
                          lpCursorName);
  }

  void TestLoadIconCursor(void)
  {
      HICON   hIcon;
      HCURSOR hCur;
      LPCTSTR lpcszRes;

      lpcszRes = MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDI_ICON1);
      hIcon = MyLoadIcon( lpcszRes );
      ASSERT (hIcon != NULL);

      lpcszRes = MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDC_CURSOR1);
      hCur = MyLoadCursor( lpcszRes );
      ASSERT (hCur != NULL);
  }

Additional query words: 2.5 2.50 2.51 2.52 3.0 3.00 3.1 3.10 3.2 3.20 AfxFindResourceHandle FindResource

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Keywords          : kbcode kbCursor kbDLL kbIcon kbMFC kbResource kbString kbVC150 kbVC200 kbVC400 kbGrpDSMFCATL 
Technology        : kbAudDeveloper kbMFC
Version           : winnt:2.0,2.1,2.2,4.0
Issue type        : kbprb

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