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Is there such a thing as a VB5 de-compiler?
If so my questions involve:
Where ?
How Much $$ ?
Legality ?
I am currently consulting at a Fortune 100 company and was presented with a problem. It seems the source code was lost for an app they had developed for them a couple years ago. Now the program needs to be altered.
Some say there is, some say there isn't. Many times people have discussed reverse compiliation on this BB. Try a search for it and it should chuck up tonnes of topics. Apparently there is a web based one for VB5.
With regard to legality, provided the copyright holder has given you permission to do so, there should be no problem (get it in writing though, so they can't sue your ass).
Hope that helps...
Regards,
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- Chris
[email protected]
If it ain't broke - don't fix it :)
Proving someone stole your code is VERY hard because people can think alike! i.e.:
Text1.Text = "Hello World"
GONNA COPYRIGHT THAT!?
Simply you can't...
Plus you coule start with someones code, they could know it but if you change it enough then you can't prove it! In addition if they change it and make a major improvment or change it more then a certain percent the copyright is broken!
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DiGiTaIErRoR
VB, QBasic, Iptscrae, HTML
Quote: There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.
[This message has been edited by DiGiTaIErRoR (edited 01-26-2000).]
Hi there Mr. I watch South Park too much :) (good show actually)
Well obviously you can't copyright simple code like that, but complex functions and algorithms (note the encryption algorithm that loses it's patent in a few months...) can be copyrighted. Besides, that's not exactly what I meant.
Reverse compilation of a EXE that is not yours or for which you do not hold the copyright or do not have permission from the copyright holder is generally considered illegal, and your sorry behind would end up with a fine or such like. That is regardless of what code it contains, it's your (or whoever's EXE).
Even if i wrote a program that simply contained Text1.Text = "Hello World" and compiled it, and you came along and reverse compiled it, I could sue your punk ass for doing so, as it's mine and I didn't say in writing that you could.
Believe me people. One of my mates is a law student and he knows all...
Anyway, it doesn't hurt to go by the book once in a while.
You never answered the question. Is there one, and do you know where it is? I too would like to know "How did they do that" in this or that program.
Like I said. You may want to know "how they did that" in a program, but unless they said you could, it's illegal. Even if they did give you permission, they might as well just tell you!
I did answer the question - they are made by sad little people with nothing better to do than destroy others good work. You certainly won't find one down your software store on the shelves because they are illegal!. You might find one on the net (everything else is on there - infact someone said there is. You'll have to look yourself though.
Ok.. Here is your answer....
:: Clears his throught.. ::
NO!
There is no such thing as a decompiler that shows you code. There is one however that will show you function names and will even show you in the memory as to what it's doing. But you have to know Assembly and a few other tricks to get the gist of what the program is doing at "RunTime". The name of that program is called - Smart Check for VB5, so that if you can find it, it will allow you to do what I just mentioned above. I have the program, and it's interesting to say the least. But not what you are asking for. It doesn't show code in the way that you might think. If I were to spend enough time with a few other tools and this program however (My old hacking days) I could then figure out certain things such as if I had to Register the program, I could then go in a find the routine in memory that breaks out inside the memory block that looks for the algorithm. It's more complicated then I care to go into.. Bottom line though.. Your answer is NO. there is no such thing as a Decompiler, just a way to peek at your functions. Nothing more. By the way, the program I have is no longer made, they make a newer version for VB6 but it will also work for the earlier versions of VB 4 and 5 32-bit. It has more features and it's VERY expensive. Around $1500.00 Buckaroonies.. :)
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John T. Mieske
Star Trek LCARS programmer
Knight Vision Enterprises
[email protected]
Hi!
I wanted to get my 2 cents in too! I think it's great that everyone here is willing to share their code as a learning experience as well as getting some developers out of more than a few jams.I trust that the code posted on these pages is public domain, isn't it? But if someone was to hack into my current projects that I've put over 1400 "after-hours' work into, I would feel violated, angry, hurt, and compelled to violence that someone would just take the results of my efforts without my permission. I also spoke with a lawyer on this issue while seeking a patent and was told (paraphrasing) "When pen meets paper or fingers hit the keyboard, the output is copywrite. When an idea is unique and unobvious that idea gains Patent protection by legally proclaiming it. Any infringement of either of these values is punished equally to the fullest extent of the law in all civilized countries." So please if you want some code just ask otherwise you may not be lucky enough to be protected in jail and someone as mad as chrisjk might get you!
Please think twice before stealing someone's code; It could represent a developer's hundreds of hours away from his or her's family.
Thanks,
Joey O.