title: How to Embed/Link binary data into a Windows module
body: <p>So I have a Visual Studio 2008 project which has a large amount of binary data that it is currently referencing. I would like to package the binary data much like you can do with C# by adding it as a "resource" and compiling it as a DLL. </p>
  
  <p>Lets say all my data has an extension of ".data" and is currently being read from the visual studio project.</p>
  
  <p>Is there a way that you can compile or link the data into the .dll which it is calling? </p>
  
  <p>I've looked at some of the google link for this and so far I haven't come up with anything - the only possible solution I've come up with is to use something like <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ccec7sz1%28v=VS.80%29.aspx" rel="noreferrer">ResGen to create a .resources file</a> and then link it using <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/c405shex%28v=VS.80%29.aspx" rel="noreferrer">AssemblyLinker</a> with /Embed or /Link flags. I dont think it'd work properly though because I dont have text files to create the .resources files, but rather binary files themselves. </p>
  
  <p>Any advice?</p>