.RESW File Extension

Windows Resources File

Developer	Microsoft
Popularity	Average rating 3 / 5. Vote count: 11
Category	Developer Files
Format	.RESW
Cross Platform	Update Soon

What is an RESW file?

.RESW files are used in Windows applications to store resource strings that are intended for localization. These resources include text strings, which are utilized for different languages, making the application accessible to a wider audience.

More Information.

The .RESW file format emerged with the introduction of UWP and the need for applications to support multiple languages and cultures. Its purpose is to facilitate the localization of applications by separating resources from code, allowing easier translation and management.

Origin Of This File.

The .RESW file format is a part of the Windows application resource system, specifically for handling localization. It is commonly used in UWP (Universal Windows Platform) applications.

File Structure Technical Specification.

File Structure: .RESW files are XML-based. They contain localized string resources in a structured format, mapping keys to their translated values.
Technical Specification: The file uses XML tags to define various resources. Each string resource is associated with a key that is used by the application to fetch the appropriate localized string.

How to Convert the File?

Windows

Microsoft Visual Studio: Use Visual Studio to open and manage .RESW files. You can use Visual Studio to convert .RESW files into other formats by exporting resources or using the built-in localization tools.
- Open: Right-click the .RESW file in your project, select Open With, and choose Resource Editor.
- Convert/Export: Use the Export Resources feature if you need to export translations into a different format.
XML Editors: You can open .RESW files with any XML editor to manually edit and save them in different XML formats if necessary.

Linux

Text/XML Editors: Use editors like gedit, vim, or nano to open and manually edit .RESW files. To convert to a different format, you might need to write or use a script to parse the XML and reformat it.
Localization Tools: Tools like poedit can work with gettext .po files. You’d need to manually convert .RESW files to .po format for compatibility with such tools.
Custom Scripts: You might write a script (in Python, Perl, etc.) to transform .RESW XML data into other formats or extract needed information.

MAC

Text/XML Editors: Similar to Windows and Linux, use text editors like TextEdit, Sublime Text, or Visual Studio Code to open and edit .RESW files. You can use built-in or third-party tools to reformat or convert the data.
Localization Tools: Use tools such as Localize or iLocalize that can work with various localization file formats, though direct .RESW conversion might require intermediate steps.

Android

File Managers/Text Editors: Use file managers with text-editing capabilities to access .RESW files. You can manually edit these files and convert them by using scripts or tools that can process XML files.
Localization Libraries: If working with Android development, you might convert .RESW files into Android’s .xml format used for resources. This might require writing a custom converter script.

iOS

Text Editors: Open .RESW files with text editors on iOS if you need to view or manually edit the content.
Localization Tools: Similar to Android, you might need to convert .RESW files to .strings files used in iOS applications. This would typically involve writing or using a conversion script or tool.

Others

Cross-Platform Tools: Use cross-platform XML editors or converters to handle .RESW files. For example, XMLSpy or oXygen XML Editor can be used to manipulate XML files and convert them into different formats.
Custom Scripts: Writing custom scripts in languages like Python or JavaScript can help convert .RESW files into other formats such as .json, .csv, or .po depending on your needs.

Advantages And Disadvantages.

Advantages:

Localization: Simplifies the process of translating applications into multiple languages.
Maintainability: Separates resource strings from code, making it easier to update and manage translations.

Disadvantages:

Complexity: Requires a structured approach to maintain and update resources, especially in large applications.
File Size: Can become large with extensive localization needs.

How to Open RESW?

Open In Windows

Microsoft Visual Studio: Provides integrated support for editing .RESW files within UWP projects.
XML Editors: Any text or XML editor can open .RESW files, but they won’t provide localization-specific features.

Open In Linux

Text Editors: .RESW files can be opened and edited using text editors like gedit, vim, or nano.
XML Editors: Tools like xmlstarlet or oXygen XML Editor can be used to view and edit .RESW files.

Open In MAC

Text Editors: You can use editors like TextEdit, Sublime Text, or Visual Studio Code.
XML Editors: Similar to Linux, tools like oXygen XML Editor or XMLSpy can be used.

Open In Android

Text Editors: While Android does not natively support .RESW files, you can use file management apps with text editor capabilities to view and edit them.

Open In IOS

Text Editors: Similar to Android, iOS doesn’t natively support .RESW files, but you can use file management apps with text editor functionality.