RE: [flexcoders] Original application files lost
I assume this was a Flex app with MXML files? BTW, I don't think the de-compilers will resurrect local variable names. I would suggest starting from both ends and working towards the middle. If you use the -keep-generated-actionscript option in the MXMLC compiler, it should create a folder called generated in the output folder. Comparing that to what the decompiler found for those same files might help you figure out what modifications need to go into whatever versions of the source you currently have. HTH, -Alex From: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Tom McNeer tmcn...@gmail.com Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 7:55 AM To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: [flexcoders] Original application files lost Hi, I won't go into the gory details, but despite backups and version control systems, the source files for a very important application were trashed. The files are not recoverable from version control. After much work with file recovery tools, most of the original files were restored. But many of them are versions that are several generations back in terms of revisions. Obviously, this is a bit of a disaster. I have attempted to decompile the current application with the tools from SoThink and Trellix. In both cases, the decompiler crashed, using both Windows and Mac versions of both applications. Trellix development has reproduced the problem and say they will out it on a bug list. Which doesn't help much right now, obviously. I have also attempted decompiling the application with the open source JPEXS Free Flash Compiler. This appeared to work, in that nothing crashed and I was able to export lots of files. These files - even if they're correct - are all ActionScript, I assume the intermediate AS files that the compiler creates as it works. I have created an ActionScript project from those files and attempted compilation. But evidently the relationships of the classes are somehow lost. The compiler appears to only look at the file which represents the core of the original Flex application file, and errors out immediately. Thus, short of trying to reproduce lots of code, with lots of logic, from documentation and the running application, I don't know what to try next. Obviously, any advice would be greatly appreciated. -- Thanks, Tom Tom McNeer MediumCool http://www.mediumcool.comhttp://www.mediumcool.com/ 1735 Johnson Road NE Atlanta, GA 30306 404.589.0560
Re: [flexcoders] Original application files lost
Hi Alex, Yes, it was a fairly standard, though large, Flex 3.6 application. Some of the decompilers seem able to resurrect .mxml files (but not mine, clearly); I understand there's a problem with local variable names. I never kept the generated actionscript files because (obviously incorrectly) I thought my version control and backup routines were solid. So there's nothing there to compare. And if there had been, they'd be gone, too, unless I had placed them somewhere completely different. So unless there's a way to resurrect the project from the current .as files produced the the JPEXS Free Flash Compiler, a better working decompiler is my only hope short of rebuilding things from docs and observation. On Wed, Feb 19, 2014 at 1:59 PM, Alex Harui aha...@adobe.com wrote: I assume this was a Flex app with MXML files? BTW, I don't think the de-compilers will resurrect local variable names. I would suggest starting from both ends and working towards the middle. If you use the -keep-generated-actionscript option in the MXMLC compiler, it should create a folder called generated in the output folder. Comparing that to what the decompiler found for those same files might help you figure out what modifications need to go into whatever versions of the source you currently have. HTH, -Alex -- *From:* flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Tom McNeer tmcn...@gmail.com *Sent:* Wednesday, February 19, 2014 7:55 AM *To:* flexcoders@yahoogroups.com *Subject:* [flexcoders] Original application files lost Hi, I won't go into the gory details, but despite backups and version control systems, the source files for a very important application were trashed. The files are not recoverable from version control. After much work with file recovery tools, most of the original files were restored. But many of them are versions that are several generations back in terms of revisions. Obviously, this is a bit of a disaster. I have attempted to decompile the current application with the tools from SoThink and Trellix. In both cases, the decompiler crashed, using both Windows and Mac versions of both applications. Trellix development has reproduced the problem and say they will out it on a bug list. Which doesn't help much right now, obviously. I have also attempted decompiling the application with the open source JPEXS Free Flash Compiler. This appeared to work, in that nothing crashed and I was able to export lots of files. These files - even if they're correct - are all ActionScript, I assume the intermediate AS files that the compiler creates as it works. I have created an ActionScript project from those files and attempted compilation. But evidently the relationships of the classes are somehow lost. The compiler appears to only look at the file which represents the core of the original Flex application file, and errors out immediately. Thus, short of trying to reproduce lots of code, with lots of logic, from documentation and the running application, I don't know what to try next. Obviously, any advice would be greatly appreciated. -- Thanks, Tom Tom McNeer MediumCool http://www.mediumcool.com 1735 Johnson Road NE Atlanta, GA 30306 404.589.0560 -- Thanks, Tom Tom McNeer MediumCool http://www.mediumcool.com 1735 Johnson Road NE Atlanta, GA 30306 404.589.0560
Re: [flexcoders] Original application files lost
On 2/19/2014 10:59 AM, Alex Harui wrote: I would suggest starting from both ends and working towards the middle. If you use the -keep-generated-actionscript option in the MXMLC compiler, it should create a folder called generated in the output folder. Comparing that to what the decompiler found for those same files might help you figure out what modifications need to go into whatever versions of the source you currently have. How do you turn on -keep-generated-actionscript using ant? I think that would help me a lot in debugging my output -- once I get it to compile, that is.
Re: [flexcoders] Original application files lost
Check the doc. There is either a keep=true flag or you can add
{code}
arg line=-keep-generated-actionscript /
{code}
From: Barry Gold barrydg...@ca.rr.commailto:barrydg...@ca.rr.com
Reply-To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 11:55 AM
To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [flexcoders] Original application files lost
On 2/19/2014 10:59 AM, Alex Harui wrote:
I would suggest starting from both ends and working towards the middle.
If you use the -keep-generated-actionscript option in the MXMLC
compiler, it should create a folder called generated in the output
folder. Comparing that to what the decompiler found for those same files
might help you figure out what modifications need to go into whatever
versions of the source you currently have.
How do you turn on -keep-generated-actionscript using ant? I think
that would help me a lot in debugging my output -- once I get it to
compile, that is.
Re: [flexcoders] Original application files lost
It is painful but theoretically possible to reconstruct MXML from the generated AS. It is also possible to get MXMLC to build a SWF from the generated AS, but there are some downstream issues: If you ever change this code and it requires changes to generated code like CSS, the compiler will not do the right thing. Therefore it is best to try to get back to MXML. In your original post, you said that file recovery tools found older versions of files. I'm suggesting running these older files through MXMLC with -keep–generated-actionscript and comparing the results with what the decompiler saw in the final version. The differences should show you what you need to modify in the older versions to bring them up to current. HTH, -Alex From: Tom McNeer tmcn...@gmail.commailto:tmcn...@gmail.com Reply-To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 1:24 PM To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [flexcoders] Original application files lost Hi Alex, Yes, it was a fairly standard, though large, Flex 3.6 application. Some of the decompilers seem able to resurrect .mxml files (but not mine, clearly); I understand there's a problem with local variable names. I never kept the generated actionscript files because (obviously incorrectly) I thought my version control and backup routines were solid. So there's nothing there to compare. And if there had been, they'd be gone, too, unless I had placed them somewhere completely different. So unless there's a way to resurrect the project from the current .as files produced the the JPEXS Free Flash Compiler, a better working decompiler is my only hope short of rebuilding things from docs and observation. On Wed, Feb 19, 2014 at 1:59 PM, Alex Harui aha...@adobe.commailto:aha...@adobe.com wrote: I assume this was a Flex app with MXML files? BTW, I don't think the de-compilers will resurrect local variable names. I would suggest starting from both ends and working towards the middle. If you use the -keep-generated-actionscript option in the MXMLC compiler, it should create a folder called generated in the output folder. Comparing that to what the decompiler found for those same files might help you figure out what modifications need to go into whatever versions of the source you currently have. HTH, -Alex From:flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Tom McNeer tmcn...@gmail.commailto:tmcn...@gmail.com Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 7:55 AM To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.commailto:flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: [flexcoders] Original application files lost Hi, I won't go into the gory details, but despite backups and version control systems, the source files for a very important application were trashed. The files are not recoverable from version control. After much work with file recovery tools, most of the original files were restored. But many of them are versions that are several generations back in terms of revisions. Obviously, this is a bit of a disaster. I have attempted to decompile the current application with the tools from SoThink and Trellix. In both cases, the decompiler crashed, using both Windows and Mac versions of both applications. Trellix development has reproduced the problem and say they will out it on a bug list. Which doesn't help much right now, obviously. I have also attempted decompiling the application with the open source JPEXS Free Flash Compiler. This appeared to work, in that nothing crashed and I was able to export lots of files. These files - even if they're correct - are all ActionScript, I assume the intermediate AS files that the compiler creates as it works. I have created an ActionScript project from those files and attempted compilation. But evidently the relationships of the classes are somehow lost. The compiler appears to only look at the file which represents the core of the original Flex application file, and errors out immediately. Thus, short of trying to reproduce lots of code, with lots of logic, from documentation and the running application, I don't know what to try next. Obviously, any advice would be greatly appreciated. -- Thanks, Tom Tom McNeer MediumCool http://www.mediumcool.comhttp://www.mediumcool.com/ 1735 Johnson Road NE Atlanta, GA 30306 404.589.0560tel:404.589.0560 -- Thanks, Tom Tom McNeer MediumCool http://www.mediumcool.com 1735 Johnson Road NE Atlanta, GA 30306 404.589.0560
Re: [flexcoders] Original application files lost
Hi Alex, Yes, I think you're right. Not a pretty process, but most likely the best bet. Thanks for the suggestion. On Wed, Feb 19, 2014 at 6:47 PM, Alex Harui aha...@adobe.com wrote: It is painful but theoretically possible to reconstruct MXML from the generated AS. It is also possible to get MXMLC to build a SWF from the generated AS, but there are some downstream issues: If you ever change this code and it requires changes to generated code like CSS, the compiler will not do the right thing. Therefore it is best to try to get back to MXML. In your original post, you said that file recovery tools found older versions of files. I'm suggesting running these older files through MXMLC with -keep-generated-actionscript and comparing the results with what the decompiler saw in the final version. The differences should show you what you need to modify in the older versions to bring them up to current. HTH, -Alex From: Tom McNeer tmcn...@gmail.com Reply-To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 1:24 PM To: flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [flexcoders] Original application files lost Hi Alex, Yes, it was a fairly standard, though large, Flex 3.6 application. Some of the decompilers seem able to resurrect .mxml files (but not mine, clearly); I understand there's a problem with local variable names. I never kept the generated actionscript files because (obviously incorrectly) I thought my version control and backup routines were solid. So there's nothing there to compare. And if there had been, they'd be gone, too, unless I had placed them somewhere completely different. So unless there's a way to resurrect the project from the current .as files produced the the JPEXS Free Flash Compiler, a better working decompiler is my only hope short of rebuilding things from docs and observation. On Wed, Feb 19, 2014 at 1:59 PM, Alex Harui aha...@adobe.com wrote: I assume this was a Flex app with MXML files? BTW, I don't think the de-compilers will resurrect local variable names. I would suggest starting from both ends and working towards the middle. If you use the -keep-generated-actionscript option in the MXMLC compiler, it should create a folder called generated in the output folder. Comparing that to what the decompiler found for those same files might help you figure out what modifications need to go into whatever versions of the source you currently have. HTH, -Alex -- *From:*flexcoders@yahoogroups.com flexcoders@yahoogroups.com on behalf of Tom McNeer tmcn...@gmail.com *Sent:* Wednesday, February 19, 2014 7:55 AM *To:* flexcoders@yahoogroups.com *Subject:* [flexcoders] Original application files lost Hi, I won't go into the gory details, but despite backups and version control systems, the source files for a very important application were trashed. The files are not recoverable from version control. After much work with file recovery tools, most of the original files were restored. But many of them are versions that are several generations back in terms of revisions. Obviously, this is a bit of a disaster. I have attempted to decompile the current application with the tools from SoThink and Trellix. In both cases, the decompiler crashed, using both Windows and Mac versions of both applications. Trellix development has reproduced the problem and say they will out it on a bug list. Which doesn't help much right now, obviously. I have also attempted decompiling the application with the open source JPEXS Free Flash Compiler. This appeared to work, in that nothing crashed and I was able to export lots of files. These files - even if they're correct - are all ActionScript, I assume the intermediate AS files that the compiler creates as it works. I have created an ActionScript project from those files and attempted compilation. But evidently the relationships of the classes are somehow lost. The compiler appears to only look at the file which represents the core of the original Flex application file, and errors out immediately. Thus, short of trying to reproduce lots of code, with lots of logic, from documentation and the running application, I don't know what to try next. Obviously, any advice would be greatly appreciated. -- Thanks, Tom Tom McNeer MediumCool http://www.mediumcool.com 1735 Johnson Road NE Atlanta, GA 30306 404.589.0560 -- Thanks, Tom Tom McNeer MediumCool http://www.mediumcool.com 1735 Johnson Road NE Atlanta, GA 30306 404.589.0560 -- Thanks, Tom Tom McNeer MediumCool http://www.mediumcool.com 1735 Johnson Road NE Atlanta, GA 30306 404.589.0560
