On my research list: Delphi, .RC and .RES files
Posted by jpluimers on 2014/11/12
One of the things with Delphi and version control systems is that you’d rather have as few binary files in version control as possible.
One of the binary files in virtually every Delphi project is the RES file.
By default, it contains version information, and the icon for the project.
The compiler supports RC files, it’s just the IDE that insists on RES.
So on my research list is how to move everything to RC, and limit the IDE dependency on the RES files.
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/992921/how-to-compile-res-file-from-commandline-delphi-7
–jeroen
via: How to store a large text in a Delphi component? – Stack Overflow.
The Wiert Corner - irregular stream of stuff 
Rick said
Cool. What if you want everything done for you and you just want to turn out features fast? :-)
jpluimers said
(:
David Heffernan said
There’s not much to this. You just stop relying on the IDE to make the .res file and instead produce a .rc file. Either add that to the project, or compile it as a pre-build step.
You pretty much have to do it instead of the IDE if you are doing any form of sane versioning, release branching etc.
jpluimers said
Has anything significant changed on .RC files over like the last 15-20 years?
The last time I actively used .RC files was back in the Turbo Pascal for Windows and Borland C++ for Windows days.
David Heffernan said
Nope. Same old RC files.
bugcheck said
Just make sure you use the Microsoft RC compiler and not the “Borland” RC compiler.
I’m not sure if they still ship brcc32 with Delphi, but last time I checked it choked on the newer stuff. Also there are slight differences in the syntax of the Borland and Microsoft RC format.