C#

MSDN wrote:

The Microsoft .NET Framework SDK provides several samples that illustrate how to work with .resource files. See Resources and Localization Using the .NET Framework SDK Tutorial, the ASP.NET QuickStart Localization sample, and the Common Tasks QuickStart How To: Resources.

OriginalGriff wrote:

lovely univotes

OriginalGriff wrote:

found it pretty simple to shout at you in red letters

abstract class Message
{
    int messageID;

    public Message(BinaryReader r)
    {
        messageID = r.ReadInt32();
    }

    public static Message Deserialize(BinaryReader r)
    {
        switch (r.ReadByte())
        {
            case 0:
                return new SomeSpecificMessageWithData(r);
            case 1:
                //some other message
                break;
        }
    }

    public virtual void Serialize(BinaryWriter w)
    {
        w.Write(messageID);
    }
}
class SomeSpecificMessageWithData : Message
{
    int somethingOrOther;
    float a_float;
    string name;
    const byte TypeID = 0;

    public SomeSpecificMessageWithData(BinaryReader r)
        : base(r)
    {
        somethingOrOther = r.ReadInt32();
        name = r.ReadString();
        a_float = r.ReadSingle();
    }

    public override Serialize(BinaryWriter w)
    {
        w.Write(TypeID);
        base.Serialize(w);
        w.Write(somethingOrOther);
        w.Write(name);
        w.Write(a_float);
    }
}