Topic: modifying exe files

[daveeb]

can't believe i'm bringing work home with me, but here goes.  we have a small, number crunching program at work (in vbasic i think.) we want to modify it to receive data from a different port but dont know how to get to the code of the exe file. how do we do it or is this a really silly question. (clueless on programming stuff).

[Sandra]

Same here unfortunately Dave  
Serenity was doing a course on it I think recently so she may be able to tell you failing that its a Sean,Lobo or Dack one to sort out I think :doggie:

[daveeb]

cheers sandra, btw what kept you, i make that nearly 5 minutes since i posted.  

[Sandra]

Trying to sort Daz out with his display adaptor Dave  
I wil try and do better next time  

[WhiteDevil]

Are you totally unable to get the source code for the VB program? It would make like so much easier for you  8)

It is not possible to decompile all programs, and data and code are difficult to separate, because both are represented similarly in most current computer systems. The meaningful names that programmers give variables and functions (to make them more easily identifiable) are not usually stored in an executable file, so they are not usually recovered in decompiling.

If the file is written in VB3 or earlier try using this: http://members.aol.com/vbdis/ - failing that, ask another techie  

[Adept]

I agree with WhiteDevil's comments above. It is possible to decomplie a VB program, but you end up with program code which is almost impossible to work with

http://www.tek-tips.com/gfaqs.cfm/lev2/4/lev3/32/pid/222/fid/939

[daveeb]

thanks people, looks like i'll have to just carry on making the tea instead of a promotion to the boardroom.  

[daveeb]

If the file is written in VB3 or earlier try using this: http://members.aol.com/vbdis/ - failing that, ask another techie  

tried that link, but my german isnt too hot unfortunately  :-[

[daveeb]

turns out this software is in TURBO basic not vbasic, i assume that the same comments that have been made will apply.  all we want to do is a search/replace on all references to COM1 data input and replace it with COM2 data input.  
 

[WhiteDevil]

Used Google web translator to translate into english, its a little dodgy but you should be able to get the gist:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fmembers.aol.com
%2Fvbdis%2F+&langpair=de%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&prev=%2Flanguage_tools


**Link edited to fit on page.

[Sandra]

Hi Dave the link called General Format takes you here which is in english,(although it may as well be in chinese for all the sense that it makes to me   )

http://www.q1.net/~atari/text/doswin.txt

[Adept]

Turbo Basic! Oh the memories that brings back Is it a DOS program then Dave?

I'd be very surprised if there are any decompilers for Borland Turbo Basic out there. I've done a quick Google and found nothing of interest

[daveeb]

Turbo Basic! Oh the memories that brings back Is it a DOS program then Dave?

I'd be very surprised if there are any decompilers for Borland Turbo Basic out there. I've done a quick Google and found nothing of interest

er yes i'm afraid its an ancient dos program.  the annoying thing is we've done it before but no-one can remember how.  anyway thanks peeps for all the input    

[daveeb]

Hi Dave the link called General Format takes you here which is in english,(although it may as well be in chinese for all the sense that it makes to me   )

http://www.q1.net/~atari/text/doswin.txt

thanks sandra i think i'd struggle less with some well written mandarin than that but ta for the link. we'va all had a look and decided we know **** all about programming.  

[WhiteDevil]

does the program need to be kept the same, or can a new GUI be used? You could always try and find a C/C++ programmer to re-write the application, only finding one will be the problem  8)