The command line switches listed in the following table instruct the ESL compiler to write most string literals in the program to a resource file (.RC). When the program is run, a resource DLL is loaded and the strings are read from there. This allows the strings to be translated to other languages without needing to recompile the ESL program.
When a program is compiled and external strings are enabled, if there is an existing resource file it is read in so that each string will have the same numeric identifier as the last time the program was compiled. This is especially important after the external strings have been translated, so that in later versions of the program only those strings that have been added or changed need to be translated.
The compiler errorlog lists how many external string are read from the resource file or resource include files and how many external strings are written to the file. Warnings are given for any strings that are defined in the resource file (but not in the resource include files), but are no longer used in the program. (Resource include files are described in Resource File Statements.)
Any new external strings are appended to the existing resource file, unless the -xsout switch is used. If it is not possible to append to this file, then any new external strings are written to the errorlog.
Switch |
Meaning |
-xstr |
Externalize strings and use the base name of the .EAL file as the default name for the resource and the DLL filename. This switch does not need to be used if any of the other external string switches are used. |
-xsrc filename |
Externalize strings, use the filename for the resource file which will be read in and appended to. If no extension is specified, .RC is used. By default, the resource file has the same base name as the .EAL file. |
-xsout filename |
Externalize strings and write all external strings to this output file. This creates a new resource file or overwrites an existing file, instead of the usual option that appends new strings to the existing file. Any comments or formatting changes made to the input resource file will not be copied to the output file. |
-xsdll filename |
Externalize strings and set the name of the resource DLL filename which will be loaded when the program is run. If no extension is specified, .DLL is used. By default, the DLL has the same base name as the .EAL file. You can override the name of the DLL with a runtime -xsdll switch. |
-xsall |
Externalize all strings and set the name of the resource DLL filename which will be loaded when the program is run. If no extension is specified, .DLL is used. By default, the DLL has the same base name as the .EAL file. You can override the name of the DLL with a runtime -xsdll option. |
