(Solved) Resource >> Resource

[JohnOne]

I have a need to update (replace) the resource (bitmap image) in my C++ executable.

I found an article showing how, but it shows how to update it from a file on disk, and I'd sooner

update it from another resource, which is the executable that will be doing the update (patch).

I'm having a bit of trouble finding out if it's even possible, so I'm hoping someone might know the

answer, have a link to info or something similar.

Appreciate your reading, thanks.

Edited November 17, 2012 by JohnOne

[stormbreaker]

JohnOne, perhaps http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/47708/Modify-Update-resources-of-an-Exe-DLL-on-the-fly

[JohnOne]

Thanks.

But it's the same link as I posted.

[stormbreaker]

Au3wrapper has the functions to do what you want to.

[trancexx]

I have a need to update (replace) the resource (bitmap image) in my C++ executable.

I found an article showing how, but it shows how to update it from a file on disk, and I'd sooner

update it from another resource, which is the executable that will be doing the update (patch).

I'm having a bit of trouble finding out if it's even possible, so I'm hoping someone might know the

answer, have a link to info or something similar.

Appreciate your reading, thanks.

It's fairly easy to do that. Considering you are updaing bitmap resource it's even easier copying from one place to another than it would be to do it from a bitmap file.

First you have to lock(ate) the original resource in your executable. You do that in few easy steps,

::GetModuleHandle(NULL) -> ::FindResourceEx -> ::LoadResource -> ::LockResource + ::SizeofResource

Now you have the data to write. All you do then is

::BeginUpdateResource -> ::UpdateResource(locked_data, size_of_that_data) -> ::EndUpdateResource

... on target module.

In C++ you would write nice simple class with two constructors (default and with the file name of the target), locking method, writing method.

Then you would do something like this (boring details omitted for brevity):

SuperEasyThing oMGEasyIndeed(szDest);

DWORD dwSize = 0;
LPVOID pData = oMGEasyIndeed.LockResData(MY_RES_NAME, RT_BITMAP, &dwSize);
oMGEasyIndeed.Write(pData, dwSize, RT_BITMAP, RES_NAME_BY_YOUR_CHOICE);

Edited November 17, 2012 by trancexx

[JohnOne]

Thank you ma'am, I appreciate you taking the time.

"oMGEasyIndeed"

[JohnOne]

I'm trying to make this my first project that works first time, but I have a small concern.

SizeofResource(hExe, hRes)); returns 720 bytes, but what if its replacement bitmap is

a few bytes more or less, will that collapse the operation?

Hmmm, I'm also stuck on param 4 (Language Identifier) of UpdateResource().

I've used MAKELANGID(LANG_NEUTRAL, SUBLANG_NEUTRAL) for now but would love

some advice, as the program may be used in different locations and I don't

know how this will affect it.

Edited November 17, 2012 by JohnOne

[trancexx]

API you use takes care of everything for you as far as the size is concerned, don't worry about that, just carefully read and follow MSDN documentation.

As for the language, normally you would use neutral identifier or the one module uses for the rest of the resources (if any there). In case of wrong "location" the only one existing gets loaded. Besides that, resource language idenifier is really only imporant for string resources.

On the other hand, if you are replacing, then of course you will use the same idenifiers for new bitmap as they are for the old one, including language.

Edited November 17, 2012 by trancexx

[JohnOne]

Thank you for the info, and tips.

I went just tried it, it looked like it worked but of course it did not

I never made a class for now just procedural.

It looks ok to me but the target exe fails to work after update.

The target exe is stripped of its icon also.

Think you might cast your eye across my code?

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int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
    // Get handle to source exe (self) that contains the bitmap.
    hExe = GetModuleHandle(NULL);
    if (!hExe)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("FreeLibrary: Failed."));
        return -1;
    }
    cout << "hExe: " << hExe << endl;

    // Locate the bitmap in the source exe.
    hRes = FindResource(hExe, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDB_BITMAP1), RT_BITMAP);
    if (!hRes)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("FindResource: Failed.."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -2;
    }
    cout << "hRes: " << hRes << endl;

    dwSizeofRes = SizeofResource(hExe, hRes);
    if (!dwSizeofRes)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("dwSizeofRes: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -3;
    }
    cout << "dwSizeofRes: " << dwSizeofRes << endl;

    // Load the bitmap into global memory.

    hResLoad = LoadResource(hExe, hRes);
    if (!hResLoad)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("LoadResource: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -3;
    }
    cout << "hResLoad: " << hResLoad << endl;

    // Lock the bitmap in global memory.
    lpResLock = LockResource(hResLoad);
    if (!lpResLock)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("LockResource: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -4;
    }
    cout << "lpResLock: " << lpResLock << endl;

    // get UpdateResource handle to use on target exe.
    hUpdateRes = BeginUpdateResource(TEXT("snatch.exe"), TRUE);
    if (!hUpdateRes)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("hUpdateRes: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -5;
    }
    cout << "hUpdateRes: " << hUpdateRes << endl;

    // Do the update
    bResult = UpdateResource(hUpdateRes, 
        MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDB_BITMAP1), 
        MAKEINTRESOURCE(115), MAKELANGID(LANG_NEUTRAL, SUBLANG_NEUTRAL), 
        lpResLock, 
        dwSizeofRes);
    if (!bResult)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("bResult: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -5;
    }
    cout << "bResult: " << bResult << endl;

    //End the update
    bResult = EndUpdateResource(hUpdateRes, FALSE);
    if (!bResult)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("bResult: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -5;
    }
    cout << "bResult: " << bResult << endl;

    // Free handle of source exe.
    if (!FreeLibrary(hExe))
    {
        ErrorOut(string("FreeLibrary: exe Failed"));
        return -5;
    }

    return 0;
}

Edited November 27, 2012 by JohnOne

[trancexx]

Second argument for BeginUpdateResource should be FALSE if you want to keep existing resources.

[JohnOne]

Doh!

Thank you kindly for your help trancexx, you're a real diamond (not a blood one)

Seems to have worked a treat

[trancexx]

I did tell you to read the documentation.

... Don't FreeLibrary handle get by GetModuleHandle. Read, read, read.

Edited November 17, 2012 by trancexx

[JohnOne]

You did, and I'm back reading now because it never worked.

Well according to resource hacker, the original bitmap is still there

It all reported OK, back to the mill.

[JohnOne]

I've gotten a little further, where the bitmap is being added to the target

but alongside it, is the original.

The original has a code next to it (2057)

Whereas the new bitmap has the code (0).

There is something I'm missing here, just cannot put my finger on it.

EDIT:

I'm wondering if it's to do with the target app and settings some how.

I was reading about restrictions on type of RC data, unfortunately

I don't even know what that is, to change settings in target exe.

expandcollapse popup

int _tmain(int argc, _TCHAR* argv[])
{
    // Get handle to source exe (self) that contains the bitmap.
    hExe = GetModuleHandle(NULL);
    if (!hExe)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("FreeLibrary: Failed."));
        return -1;
    }
    cout << "hExe: " << hExe << endl;

    // Locate the bitmap in the source exe.
    hRes = FindResource(hExe, MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDB_BITMAP1), RT_BITMAP);
    if (!hRes)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("FindResource: Failed.."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -2;
    }
    cout << "hRes: " << hRes << endl;

    dwSizeofRes = SizeofResource(hExe, hRes);
    if (!dwSizeofRes)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("dwSizeofRes: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -3;
    }
    cout << "dwSizeofRes: " << dwSizeofRes << endl;

    // Load the bitmap into global memory.
    hResLoad = LoadResource(hExe, hRes);
    if (!hResLoad)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("LoadResource: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -3;
    }
    cout << "hResLoad: " << hResLoad << endl;

    // Lock the bitmap in global memory.
    lpResLock = LockResource(hResLoad);
    if (!lpResLock)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("LockResource: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -4;
    }
    cout << "lpResLock: " << lpResLock << endl;
    */

    // get UpdateResource handle to use on target exe.
    hUpdateRes = BeginUpdateResource(TEXT("snatch.exe"), FALSE);
    if (!hUpdateRes)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("hUpdateRes: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -5;
    }
    cout << "hUpdateRes: " << hUpdateRes << endl;

    // Do the update
    bResult = UpdateResource(hUpdateRes, 
        MAKEINTRESOURCE(2), 
        MAKEINTRESOURCE(115), 
        NULL, 
        lpResLock, 
        dwSizeofRes);
    if (!bResult)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("bResult: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -6;
    }

    hExe = NULL;

    cout << "bResult: " << bResult << endl;
    /*
    // Free handle of source exe.
    if (!FreeLibrary(hExe))
    {
        ErrorOut(string("FreeLibrary: exe Failed"));
        return -5;
    }
    */
    //End the update
    bResult = EndUpdateResource(hUpdateRes, FALSE);
    if (!bResult)
    {
        ErrorOut(string("bResult: Failed."));
        FreeLibrary(hExe);
        return -7;
    }
    cout << "bResult: " << bResult << endl;



    return 0;
}

Edited November 27, 2012 by JohnOne

[trancexx]

Language John, you have to match the language identifier if you want to replace the resource. I told you that already.

[JohnOne]

Sorry, yes you did, but all that stuck in my simple head was "only important for strings".

I do apologise ma'am, and thank you once again for taking time,

Cheers.

[trancexx]

No need to apologize and say thankyou 10 times, twice is enough.

I like helping old people. Who knows, maybe you die tomorrow. It would break my heart knowing you went not knowing how to replace bitmap resource.

[JohnOne]

I like helping old people.

I wish my nurse felt the same way, every time I need by nappy

changing she's out shopping somewhere.