diff --git a/include/ResourceItem.h b/include/ResourceItem.h
index 139694c33..9370ee69c 100644
--- a/include/ResourceItem.h
+++ b/include/ResourceItem.h
@@ -231,6 +231,8 @@ public:
 	static QString getBaseDirectory( BaseDirectory _bd,
 					const ResourceItem * _item = NULL );
 
+	static QString descriptiveTypeName( Type _type );
+
 
 private:
 	void init();
diff --git a/src/core/ResourceItem.cpp b/src/core/ResourceItem.cpp
index 09ac45121..3fdee74d4 100644
--- a/src/core/ResourceItem.cpp
+++ b/src/core/ResourceItem.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 #include "ResourceItem.h"
 #include "ResourceProvider.h"
+#include "ResourceDB.h"
 #include "config_mgr.h"
 #include "engine.h"
 
@@ -241,6 +242,30 @@ ResourceItem::Type ResourceItem::guessType() const
 
 
 
+QString ResourceItem::descriptiveTypeName( Type _type )
+{
+	switch( _type )
+	{
+		case TypeDirectory: return ResourceDB::tr( "Directory" );
+		case TypeSample: return ResourceDB::tr( "Sample" );
+		case TypePreset: return ResourceDB::tr( "Preset" );
+		case TypePluginSpecificResource:
+			return ResourceDB::tr( "Plugin-specific resource" );
+		case TypeProject: return ResourceDB::tr( "Project" );
+		case TypeMidiFile: return ResourceDB::tr( "MIDI file" );
+		case TypeForeignProject: return ResourceDB::tr( "Foreign project" );
+		case TypePlugin: return ResourceDB::tr( "Plugin" );
+		case TypeImage: return ResourceDB::tr( "Image" );
+		case TypeUnknown:
+		case NumTypes:
+			break;
+	}
+	return ResourceDB::tr( "Unknown" );
+}
+
+
+
+
 void ResourceItem::init()
 {
 	// ensure trailing slash for path property