PRB: CString::LoadString Fails in Console Application

RESOLUTION

The resource string is loaded using the Win32 API ::LoadString() function. This method does not require any extra MFC initialization.

Example #1 below uses this method.

It is possible to initialize the MFC global resource handles by calling the undocumented AfxWinInit() function. In this case, it is advisable to declare an instance of a CWinApp class.

Example #2 below demonstrates this method.

Sample Code - Example #1

   /* Compile options needed: /MT
   */ 
   #include <afx.h>
   #include <stdio.h>
   #include <conio.h>

   #define IDS_HELLO 1

   BOOL LoadStringResource(CString &cszString, UINT nID)
   {
       int nSize = 0;
       int nLen = -1;

       cszString.Empty();

       //Keep looping until we have the whole string
       while ((nLen != 0) && (nLen == nSize - 1))
       {
           //Grow buffer by 256 bytes
           nSize += 256;

           //Load String Resource
           nLen = ::LoadString( GetModuleHandle(NULL), nID,
                                cszString.GetBuffer(nSize-1), nSize);
       }
       cszString.ReleaseBuffer();

       return (BOOL) nLen;
   }

   void main(void)
   {
       AfxInitialize();

       CString cszString;

       // IDS_HELLO is a string resource attached to the console
   application
       if (LoadStringResource(cszString, IDS_HELLO))
           printf("The string was loaded\n%s\n", (LPCTSTR) cszString);
       else
           printf("Error loading string");

       getch();
   }
				

Sample Code - Example #2

   /* Compile options needed: /MT
   */ 
   #include <afx.h>
   #include <afxwin.h>
   #include <conio.h>

   #define IDS_HELLO 1

   CWinApp theApp;

   void main()
   {
       if (!AfxWinInit(GetModuleHandle(NULL), NULL,
           ::GetCommandLine(), 0))
       {
           printf("Couldn't initialize MFC!\n");
           return;
       }

       CString cszString;

       // IDS_HELLO is a string resource attached to the console
   application
       if (cszString.LoadString(IDS_HELLO))
           printf("The string was loaded\n%s\n", (LPCTSTR) cszString);
       else
           printf("Error loading string");

       getch();
   }