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 LoadResource

Loads the specified resource into global memory.

Syntax

    HGLOBAL LoadResource(
        HMODULE hModule, 
        HRSRC hResInfo
    );

Parameters

• hModule
  [in] Handle to the module whose executable file contains the resource. If hModule is NULL, the system loads the resource from the module that was used to create the current process. hResInfo [in] Handle to the resource to be loaded. This handle is returned by the FindResource or FindResourceEx function.

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is a handle to the data associated with the resource.

If the function fails, the return value is NULL. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

The return type of LoadResource is HGLOBAL for backward compatibility, not because the function returns a handle to a global memory block. Do not pass this handle to the GlobalLock or GlobalFree function. To obtain a pointer to the resource data, call the LockResource function.

To use a resource immediately, an application should use the following resource-specific functions to find and load the resource in one call.

    Function         Action                                  To remove resource 
    FormatMessage    Loads and formats a message-table entry No action needed 
    LoadAccelerators Loads an accelerator table              DestroyAcceleratorTable 
    LoadBitmap       Loads a bitmap resource                 DeleteObject 
    LoadCursor       Loads a cursor resource                 DestroyCursor 
    LoadIcon         Loads an icon resource                  DestroyIcon 
    LoadMenu         Loads a menu resource                   DestroyMenu 
    LoadString       Loads a string resource                 No action needed 

For example, an application can use the LoadIcon function to load an icon for display on the screen, followed by DestroyIcon when done.

The system automatically deletes these resources when the process that created them terminates; however, calling the appropriate function saves memory and decreases the size of the process's working set.

Function Information

• Minimum DLL Version kernel32.dll
• Header Declared in Winbase.h, include Windows.h
• Import library Kernel32.lib
• Minimum operating systems Windows 95, Windows NT 3.1
• Unicode Implemented as Unicode version.

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Notebook exported on Monday, 7 July 2008, 18:56:50 PM Eastern Daylight Time