Extract Source Code from exe file?

[hblabonte]

I'm wondering if there is a way to reverse engineer a VB application exe file to generate the source code?

We had a part time employee create an application. He quit and we can not find the source code (vbp) for his application. All we have is the package including the CAB, setup.exe and the application.exe.

I'm new to VB, so I'm not sure if this is doable. Any suggestions?

thanks in advance,
H. Barnes

 

[strongm]

'fraid not. Not since about VB4.

 

[hblabonte]

Oh great. So I'm SOL eh? *&^#@ Microsoft!

Thanks for the info.

 

[CCLINT]

Don't blame Microsoft on this one....it should be this way (non-reversable)! I wouldn't want it any other way.

Sorry though about the mis-fortune......maybe you can still contact the person to find out where the source code is.
Or maybe it is still on the drive but erased....use a Undelete program or disk editor to try and find it - the more hard drive activity you have though, the less the chances will be to get the code back.

All the best! [/b][/i][/u]*******************************************************[sub]
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[aklein]

The "source code" in the .exe file is assembly (actually machine language). The file can be disassembled and worked on, if you can get a good Windows assembly programmer. (It'll probably cost more that way [lots more] than having someone write the whole thing from scratch in VB.)

Have you really done a thorough search of this ex-employee's hard drive?

 

[VBGuyUsingVC]

You may want to search for a decompiler. There are several floating around the internet. Not all work real well. I've used a few. Reverse engineering and decompiling is however against most licensing regulations on programs that you buy.

 

[strongm]

We've been down this road a number of times, VBGuyUsingVC. There are no known decompilers for fully compiled VB6 programs.