“First thing you need to know, SharePoint defines two kinds of Resource files: Application resources and Provisioning resources. Application resources are resources used within the normal execution of the SharePoint application. Normal SharePoint execution include: Application Pages, Web Parts and Controls. SharePoint also makes a difference between application resources used in normal web applications and application resources used in the central administration. Don’t forget that. Provisioning resources, on the other hand, are used when provisioning elements, so you have to use them within features, site definitions and list definitions. Ok, now let’s see the practical side of it: deployment and usage.
1. Deployment
Resource files in SharePoint are located in different folders. Here is a list:
- C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wss\VirtualDirectories\<port>\App_GlobalResources\
- <hive>\12\Resources\
- <hive>\12\CONFIG\Resources\
- <hive>\12\CONFIG\AdminResources\
- <hive>\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\<feature>\Resources\
So, how do you know where to put your resource files? Well, every type of resource has its own folders.
Provisioning resources
- <hive>\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\<feature>\Resources\Resources.<culture>.resx
- <hive>\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\<feature>\Resources\
- <hive>\12\Resources\
Every feature uses the resources file located in its Resources folder. You can however use another resource file or even share resources. To share resource files you have to put them in the 12\Resources\ folder. Site definitions and list definitions also get their resources from this folder.
Application resources
- <hive>\12\CONFIG\Resources\
- C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wss\VirtualDirectories\<port>\App_GlobalResources\
Application resources are located in CONFIG\Resources folder. For a web application to use those resources, they have to be copied to their App_GlobalResources folder. (each web application has its own Global Resources folder) How is this done? At creation of the web application, the resources are initially copied to the App_GlobalResources folder. When adding new resources to the CONFIG\Resources folder, the resources have to be copied to existing web applications. You can do this manually or use the STSADM command: copyappbincontent.
Application resources: admin
- <hive>\12\CONFIG\AdminResources\
- C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wss\VirtualDirectories\<port>\App_GlobalResources\
Application resources for the central administration work the same way as normal application resources, except that the base folder is CONFIG\AdminResources”.
http://tomblog.insomniacminds.com/2008/02/25/sharepoint-internals-resources/