Discussion:
Reverse Engineering Tool
(too old to reply)
bullshark
2003-07-09 16:29:28 UTC
Permalink
Hi,
Can any body tell me the reverse engineering tool which can be used for
VC++.
I want to retrack the design of the application , from the source code.
That's not reverse engineering, it's theft.

To "Reverse Engineer":
Examine the inputs, analyze the results and develop your own
implementation to duplicate them.

If you want the source code, contact the developer and ask for it.

bullshark
Joseph M. Newcomer
2003-07-09 19:00:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by bullshark
That's not reverse engineering, it's theft.
I disagree. I've been handed about 100K lines of unbelievably messy code (the programmer
didn't understand Windows, multithreading, networking, modularization, interfaces, C++ or
MFC, so it is a real disaster). I have to reverse-engineer what this code is alleged to be
doing (in the process, upping its MTBF from 30 minutes to a year; it is a service). The
problem is that I *don't* want the structure; it is a mess; what I need to do is isolate
the real code from the blunders, keep the real code, and rewrite the entire infrastructure
that supports it. (The Good News is that they are paying me lots to do this).

Reverse-engineering the structure wouldn't help me, because the structure is so *%$#ed up
that I absolutely do NOT want to replicate it! But I need to separate out who does what to
whom. Had it been a well-structured app of this complexity, I would seriously consider the
program I recommend below.

Note that he said he has the source code. Probably someone in the same fix I'm in.

I've used Genitor (www.genitor.com) in the past, but it is so far off from supporting my
programming style that it is a pain to use. You can download a free 30-day trial version.
It works pretty well, if you don't mind its bizarre ideas about what comments mean.
However, a word of warning: during the install, it will ask if you want it to be your
default editor for .cpp and .h files. Tell it NO! It took me weeks to undo the damage this
option did to my system.
joe
Post by bullshark
Hi,
Can any body tell me the reverse engineering tool which can be used for
VC++.
I want to retrack the design of the application , from the source code.
That's not reverse engineering, it's theft.
Examine the inputs, analyze the results and develop your own
implementation to duplicate them.
If you want the source code, contact the developer and ask for it.
bullshark
Joseph M. Newcomer [MVP]
email: ***@flounder.com
Web: http://www.flounder.com
MVP Tips: http://www.flounder.com/mvp_tips.htm
bullshark
2003-07-09 20:21:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Joseph M. Newcomer
Note that he said he has the source code. Probably someone in the same fix I'm in.
My mistake Joe,

I took the last comment to mean that he wants a disassembler
that will produce source code. That should be apparent from
my last comment.
Post by Joseph M. Newcomer
Post by bullshark
If you want the source code, contact the developer and ask for it.
I may have jumped the gun (or maybe not). Every time I turn around
there is someone in some code group looking for a way to get source
from executables and they always call it "Reverse Engineering".

If he does has the source code, it's not theft, but it is still not
"reverse engineering".

bullshark

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