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DarkBASIC Discussion / DarkBASIC decompiler

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Long
16
Years of Service
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Joined: 12th Mar 2008
Location:
Posted: 12th Apr 2011 09:52
Hey guys,

Anyone lost the source code to their DarkBASIC Classic game but still have a built exe? I am working on an app that can turn your exe back into DarkBASIC source code.

Right now it can dump all VM instructions.

Stay tuned for more info!
Libervurto
17
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Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 13th Apr 2011 03:41
I'm pretty sure that's impossible and certain it's illegal.


This signature is intentionally left blank.
mr_d
DBPro Tool Maker
17
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Joined: 26th Mar 2007
Location: Somewhere In Australia
Posted: 13th Apr 2011 05:35
Don't know about impossible, but as to illegal; I don't believe so...it's just a tool like any other, like for example, MS debugger. It's what you do with it that's the issue.
If you use it as Long has indicated, i.e. to recover the source code from your own program that you have lost the code to, then I would say that that's OK. This would also be true for any other programs released as Open Source, or you have the authors permission.

Libervurto
17
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Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 15th Apr 2011 05:03
It might be possible but my understanding of how high-level languages like DB work is that the compiler takes the commands and converts them to strings of commands in the lower language that correspond to the action of the high-level command. So once you've converted them to the lower language there's no way of knowing what the original high-level commands were.

I think it is illegal because there are copyrighted games made with DB and if they use the same compiler you'd be able to hack in and get access to the code.


Be good.
mr_d
DBPro Tool Maker
17
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Joined: 26th Mar 2007
Location: Somewhere In Australia
Posted: 15th Apr 2011 08:25 Edited at: 15th Apr 2011 08:29
Quote: "I think it is illegal because there are copyrighted games made with DB and if they use the same compiler you'd be able to hack in and get access to the code."

That's true, but it's the use that the perpetrator has used the tool for, not the availability of the tool itself that's the issue in that case.
Same sort of situations are around for other everyday things as well; e.g. everyone (of age) is allowed to drive a car (with the proper license), but to use that car to deliberately smash into a storefront or another car or person is illegal, but you wouldn't want to go and ban all cars now would you
You probably think - it's not the same - but in principle I believe it is.
As I mentioned previously, there are certainly legitimate reasons for using such a tool (albeit not many)

BN2 Productions
20
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Joined: 22nd Jan 2004
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Posted: 15th Apr 2011 08:32
I would say that you'd want to check the EULA to make sure that it is indeed legal.

Great Quote:
"Time...LINE??? Time isn't made out of lines...it is made out of circles. That is why clocks are round!" -Caboose
mr_d
DBPro Tool Maker
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Mar 2007
Location: Somewhere In Australia
Posted: 15th Apr 2011 08:51
good point, but may not be relevant...
the EULA can only cover the products sold and used by the customer, not any other tools used to decompile a compiled program produced from their product - hmmm.. not sure i'm being clear enough here...

e.g. let say...
1. TGC sells DBP, USER1 buys DBP from TGC and must abide by DPB EULA
2. USER1 creates program APP
3. XYZ (external company) sells DEC (decompiler) which can decompile APP

I don't believe that TCG can apply their DBP EULA to stop USER1 from using DEC on APP, particularly if DEC was used by USER2 instead of USER1, who didn't even buy DBP from TCG and so cannot be bound by any EULA for that product. (Leaving aside the fact that it would be illegal - assuming that USER1 has stated in their own EULA for APP that this is the case).
The point I'm trying to get across is that TGC's DBP EULA cannot apply to APP that USER1 created, only to DBP.

I know that out there in the big bad internet there are lots of tools that does this type of thing, one being e.g. CheatEngine, but that is still legally able to be obtained and used (for own creations at least) and the creators of that tool haven't been locked away.

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