.admx and .adml File Structure

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

In order to support the multilingual display of policy settings, the ADMX file structure must be broken into two types of files:

  • A language-neutral file, .admx, describing the structure of the categories and Administrative template policy settings displayed in the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) or Local Group Policy Editor.

  • A set of language-dependent files, .adml, providing the localized portions displayed in the GPMC or Local Group Policy Editor. Each .adml file represents a single language you wish to support.

Language-neutral file (.admx) structure

The language-neutral file, .admx, determines the number and type of policy settings and their location by category in the GPMC or the Local Group Policy Editor display.

The .admx file is divided into seven main sections:

Language resource file (.adml) structure

The language resource files, .adml, provide the language specific information needed by the language neutral file. The language neutral file will then reference specific sections of the language resource file in order for the GPMC or Local Group Policy Editor to display a policy setting in the correct language.

The .adml file contains the following main sections: