How does Windows interpret multiple VersionInfo Resources?

Question

I am currently studying the VersionInfo Resource(s) for Windows. It is kind of confusing that you can have multiple VS_VERSIONINFO/VS_FIXEDFILEINFO structures within a VS_VERSION_INFO Resource.

As far as I get it, you can have multiple RT_VERSION->VS_VERSION_INFO Resources with different language ids. (Just as shown as in the picture)

These 2 language ids (0 and 1031) have actually 2 different VS_VERSIONINFO/VS_FIXEDFILEINFO in each.

0 is a neutral language and seems to be prioritized than your actual local language id (which is 1031).

To me this seems to be kind of a mess and confusing. How is it possible to have multiple VS_VERSIONINFO structures within a VS_VERSION_INFO resource and what is the point? How does Windows interpret multiple Resources,Structures? And how is it possible to get only one piece of buffer when you call GetFileVersionInfo?

It all makes little sense to me and I can't find much documentation about it.

Answer 1

1. You have to make a difference between the textual infos, and the bare VS_FIXEDFILEINFO block. The first block exist only once. The text Information is language dependent.
2. "Windows" does not prefers a specific one ;) What the explorer does is a different thing. It just shows the resource information. But in fact this is just the string information and not the information from the fixed version info.
3. When you call GetFileVersionInfo you get all language blocks! VerQueryValue is used to access he separate blocks.
4. The installer and other routines inside windows only use the VS_FIXEDFILEINFO block. They don't care about any text blocks. And this block only exists once.

I assume that the explorer just shows the first text block and also doesn't prefer a specific one. Just use a text editor and exchange the blocks in the resource file. But maybe the resource compiler reorders them.

To access the separate parts: - VerQueryValue with "\" gives you the fixed version info block VS_FIXEDFILEINFO - VerQueryValue with "\VarFileInfo\Translation" gives you a list of translations - with "\StringFileInfo\langId_charset\keyname" you get the specific string parts

You find this information in the MSDN