PowerToys/doc/devdocs/guidance.md

# Coding Guidance

## Working With Strings

In order to support localization **YOU SHOULD NOT** have hardcoded UI display strings in your code. Instead, use resource files to consume strings. 

### For CPP
Use [`StringTable` resource][String Table] to store the strings and resource header file(`resource.h`) to store Id's linked to the UI display string. Add the strings with Id's referenced from the header file to the resource-definition script file. You can use [Visual Studio Resource Editor][VS Resource Editor] to create and manage resource files.

- `resource.h`:

XXX must be a unique int in the list (mostly the int ID of the last string id plus one):

```cpp
#define IDS_MODULE_DISPLAYNAME                    XXX
```

- `StringTable` in resource-definition script file `validmodulename.rc`:

```
STRINGTABLE
BEGIN
    IDS_MODULE_DISPLAYNAME               L"Module Name"
END
```

- Use the `GET_RESOURCE_STRING(UINT resource_id)` method to consume strings in your code.
```cpp
#include <common.h>

std::wstring GET_RESOURCE_STRING(IDS_MODULE_DISPLAYNAME)
```

### For C#
Use [XML resource file(.resx)][Resx Files] to store the UI display strings and [`Resource Manager`][Resource Manager] to consume those strings in the code. You can use [Visual Studio][Resx Files VS] to create and manage XML resources files.

- `Resources.resx`

```xml
  <data name="ValidUIDisplayString" xml:space="preserve">
    <value>Description to be displayed on UI.</value>
    <comment>This text is displayed when XYZ button clicked.</comment>
  </data>
```

- Use [`Resource Manager`][Resource Manager] to consume strings in code.
```csharp
System.Resources.ResourceManager manager = new System.Resources.ResourceManager(baseName, assembly);
string validUIDisplayString = manager.GetString("ValidUIDisplayString", resourceCulture);
```

In case of Visual Studio is used to create the resource file. Simply use the `Resources` class in auto-generated `Resources.Designer.cs` file to access the strings which encapsulate the [`Resource Manager`][Resource Manager] logic.

```csharp
string validUIDisplayString = Resources.ValidUIDisplayString;
```

## More On Coding Guidance
Please review these brief docs below relating to our coding standards, etc.

* [Coding Style](./style.md)
* [Code Organization](./readme.md)


[VS Resource Editor]: https://learn.microsoft.com/cpp/windows/resource-editors?view=vs-2019
[String Table]: https://learn.microsoft.com/windows/win32/menurc/stringtable-resource
[Resx Files VS]: https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/framework/resources/creating-resource-files-for-desktop-apps#resource-files-in-visual-studio
[Resx Files]: https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/framework/resources/creating-resource-files-for-desktop-apps#resources-in-resx-files
[Resource Manager]: https://learn.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/system.resources.resourcemanager?view=netframework-4.8