Where do I get resgen.exe to use with NANT?

To obtain all available versions and their respective paths

  • In command-line prompt>
where.exe /r \ ResGen.exe

rem :: results ::

c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.6.1 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.6.2 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.7 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.7.1 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.7.2 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.8 Tools\ResGen.exe
  • In > Start Menu -> Run
cmd /k where.exe /r \ ResGen.exe

rem :: results ::

c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.6.1 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.6.2 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.7 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.7.1 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.7.2 Tools\ResGen.exe
c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.8 Tools\ResGen.exe
  • Get all outputs on your ClipBoard add | clip
cmd /k where.exe /r \ ResGen.exe | clip 

With Visual Studio developer installation "resgen" can be found at

Visual Studio 2012

%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v8.0A\bin\NETFX 4.0 Tools\resgen.exe

Visual Studio 2017

%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v10.0A\bin\NETFX 4.6.2 Tools\resgen.exe


On the server running your NANT script, you can either install Visual Studio 2005 to get "resgen.exe" available at the location described in your question or you can install the Windows SDK.

Once installed, "resgen.exe" will be available at a location similar to:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v7.0A\Bin