VS2019: How to resolve the "unknown sub-lang: 0x8" message in Resource View?

user_1324415 0
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I have recently started using Visual Studio 2019 for my C++11 project. VS2019 converted the project and it compiles into an executable. But I can't open my resource (.rc) file in the Resource Viewer. It gives me this warning:

A resource in this file uses an unknown language: Neutral (Default) (unknown sub-lang: 0x8). Unable to open this file.

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I tried trimming the resource file to bare necessity but that did not work.

The strange thing is that it also happens with Scribble, Microsofts example project. I downloaded it from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/mfc/walkthrough-updating-the-mfc-scribble-application-part-1?view=vs-2019 using the [Scribble 1.0 MFC sample] link under the Prerequisites header.

When the solution is opened in VS2019, it is converted, it compiles, but I can't open the accompanying resource file to look at the Dialogs.

Any help is appreciated!

Best regards, Keun

visual-studio-2019 c++11 c++
6 Answers

This solution helped for me: https://developercommunity.visualstudio.com/comments/96766/view.html

When you have multiple language settings in your Windows, remove all but one. I had to leave the English (US) option. Then the resource opens again without problems. Hope this helps someone (or myself in the future as this is the second time I spend an hour to search for a solution).

user_47121730

The problem is not related to the language setting, but the RC file is stored incorrectly. My file was in ANSI format. As soon as I opened the file with Windows Notepad and saved it as Unicode, I was able to open and edit the resource project in the studio again. (0xFF 0xFE was missing)

user_119928020

Posting my solution for those that encounter similar issues.

I found that the malfunctioning rc files had ANSI encoding. Converting them to UTF-8 did the trick. You can easily do that using Notepad++ via the [Encoding] menu option, select [Convert to UTF-8].

What I don't understand is why VS doesn't fix this itself when converting a project.

user_13244150

What helped me, was to replace this:

LANGUAGE LANG_ENGLISH, SUBLANG_ENGLISH_US

#pragma code_page(1252)

(which specifies language English, US with ANSI Latin 1; Western European (Windows) encoding)

By this :

LANGUAGE LANG_NEUTRAL, SUBLANG_NEUTRAL

#pragma code_page(65001)

(which specifies Language neutral with UTF-8 encoding)

Once I'd made that change (making sure the .rc file was UTF-8 encoded), Visual Studio no longer complained.

See https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/intl/code-page-identifiers and https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/api/winnt/nf-winnt-makelangid#remarks

user_121700

I've found a solution that worked for me.

  1. Open the *.rc file in the 'Code View' in Visual Studio.
  2. Search for the following section:
#if !defined(AFX_RESOURCE_DLL) || defined(AFX_TARG_NEUSD)
LANGUAGE LANG_NEUTRAL, SUBLANG_SYS_DEFAULT
#pragma code_page(1252)
...

  1. Comment the complete #if !defined(AFX_RESOURCE_DLL) || defined(AFX_TARG_NEUSD) block and save the file.

  2. Open the file in the 'Resource View'. Close it. (Maybe you have to change and save something here)

  3. Reopen the *.rc file via the 'Code View' in Visual Studio. Uncomment the previously commented section and save the file.

After this steps the problem was solved. I don't know which of the steps solved the problem but in the end this was my way to solve the issue.

My solution was inspired by the following solution: https://www.codeproject.com/Questions/40860/Resource-file-opening-problem

user_16949270

Changing the language actually did not matter in my case, I just converted it to UNICODE (in Microsoft Notepad - I assume this is UTF-16) - And it did the trick.

Note that there is an answer here, regarding UTF-8, which did not work for me.

user_105713770
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