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Hi,
I am trying to reverse engineer some software in C. Ideally I would
like to use a free program that would scan for function calls and map
the route of function calls in programs in a tree structure.

ie.

main() defined in a.c
|
----------------> init_comms() defined in b.c
| |
| -------> write_to_port() defined in b.c
|
----------------> start_state_machine() defined in f.c

... etc...

Example code

void main()
{
init_comms();
start_state_machine();
}

Does anyone know of any existing programs that can do this?

I have come across dOxygen, but I need a automatic diagramming tool to
aid visual clarity of the software flow, does any exist or will I have
to write one? I have called this Function tracing but im sure there is
a proper technical name for this process.

Thanks in advance,
Martin

In <8z1yc.445$3X3.54@newsfe1-win> Martin <> writes:

> I am trying to reverse engineer some software in C. Ideally I would
>like to use a free program that would scan for function calls and map
>the route of function calls in programs in a tree structure.

What was your C language question?

Dan
--
Dan Pop
DESY Zeuthen, RZ group
Email:

Dan Pop wrote:
> In <8z1yc.445$3X3.54@newsfe1-win> Martin <> writes:
>
>
>> I am trying to reverse engineer some software in C. Ideally I would
>>like to use a free program that would scan for function calls and map
>>the route of function calls in programs in a tree structure.
>
>
> What was your C language question?
>
> Dan

Sorry Dan, you are right, it is off topic, not a C language question -
but this does have a lot of people on this newsgroup and I thought
people might not mind. Can you suggest an alternative newsgroup?

Sorry to offend,
Kind regards,
Martin

"Martin" <> wrote in message
news:8z1yc.445$3X3.54@newsfe1-win...
> Hi,
> I am trying to reverse engineer some software in C. Ideally I would
> like to use a free program that would scan for function calls and map
> the route of function calls in programs in a tree structure.
>
> ie.
>
> main() defined in a.c
> |
> ----------------> init_comms() defined in b.c
> | |
> | -------> write_to_port() defined in b.c
> |
> ----------------> start_state_machine() defined in f.c
>
> ... etc...
>
> Example code
>
> void main()
> {
> init_comms();
> start_state_machine();
> }
>

This is *not* reverse engineering as I understand the term. If you have the
source, what are you trying to engineer out of it?

> Does anyone know of any existing programs that can do this?
>
> I have come across dOxygen, but I need a automatic diagramming tool to
> aid visual clarity of the software flow, does any exist or will I have
> to write one? I have called this Function tracing but im sure there is
> a proper technical name for this process.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Martin

"Martin" <> wrote in message
news:0i4yc.849$...
> Dan Pop wrote:
> > In <8z1yc.445$3X3.54@newsfe1-win> Martin <>
writes:
> >
> >
> >> I am trying to reverse engineer some software in C. Ideally I would
> >>like to use a free program that would scan for function calls and map
> >>the route of function calls in programs in a tree structure.
> >
> >
> > What was your C language question?
> >
> > Dan
>
> Sorry Dan, you are right, it is off topic, not a C language question -
> but this does have a lot of people on this newsgroup

The number of participants here is irrelevant.
The topic is the C language.

> and I thought
> people might not mind.

Some might, others might not. Typically those in the former
category will be more 'vocal' about it.

> Can you suggest an alternative newsgroup?

A few seconds with Google found
comp.software-eng

-Mike

(Dan Pop) wrote in message news:<caa587$4pf$>...
> In <8z1yc.445$3X3.54@newsfe1-win> Martin <> writes:
>
> > I am trying to reverse engineer some software in C. Ideally I would
> >like to use a free program that would scan for function calls and map
> >the route of function calls in programs in a tree structure.
>

I know of two such tools (I've not used them however), one is
Imagix 4D from Imagix Corp (http://www.imagix.com/products/products.html)
and Understand for C++ from Scientific Toolworks inc. (www.scitools.com).
You may like to have a look over 'em.

-BG

Kieran Simkin wrote:
> "Martin" <> wrote in message
> news:8z1yc.445$3X3.54@newsfe1-win...
>
>>Hi,
>> I am trying to reverse engineer some software in C. Ideally I would
>>like to use a free program that would scan for function calls and map
>>the route of function calls in programs in a tree structure.
>>
>>ie.
>>
>>main() defined in a.c
>> |
>> ----------------> init_comms() defined in b.c
>> | |
>> | -------> write_to_port() defined in b.c
>> |
>> ----------------> start_state_machine() defined in f.c
>>
>> ... etc...
>>
>>Example code
>>
>>void main()
>>{
>> init_comms();
>> start_state_machine();
>>}
>>
>
>
> This is *not* reverse engineering as I understand the term. If you have the
> source, what are you trying to engineer out of it?
>

We have the source and are tracking the procedure calls through it, to
find out what section of code calls what and how it works - thus we are
reverse engineering it, then we will re-engineer it improve the quality
of the code. It is poorly documented, thus a tool for procedure
tracking would have been useful. Job is now done, and references from
above replies have been helpful.


>
>>Does anyone know of any existing programs that can do this?
>>
>>I have come across dOxygen, but I need a automatic diagramming tool to
>>aid visual clarity of the software flow, does any exist or will I have
>>to write one? I have called this Function tracing but im sure there is
>>a proper technical name for this process.
>>
>>Thanks in advance,
>>Martin
>
>
>

Martin <> wrote in message news:<N3BAc.68$>...
> Kieran Simkin wrote:
> > "Martin" <> wrote in message
> > news:8z1yc.445$3X3.54@newsfe1-win...
> >
> >>Hi,
> >> I am trying to reverse engineer some software in C. Ideally I would
> >>like to use a free program that would scan for function calls and map
> >>the route of function calls in programs in a tree structure.
> >>
> >>ie.
> >>
> >>main() defined in a.c
> >> |
> ----------------> init_comms() defined in b.c
> >> | |
> >> | -------> write_to_port() defined in b.c
> >> |
> >> ----------------> start_state_machine() defined in f.c
> >>
> >> ... etc...
> >>
> >>Example code
> >>
> >>void main()
> >>{
> >> init_comms();
> >> start_state_machine();
> >>}
> >>
> >
> >
> > This is *not* reverse engineering as I understand the term. If you have the
> > source, what are you trying to engineer out of it?
> >
>
> We have the source and are tracking the procedure calls through it, to
> find out what section of code calls what and how it works - thus we are
> reverse engineering it, then we will re-engineer it improve the quality
> of the code. It is poorly documented, thus a tool for procedure
> tracking would have been useful. Job is now done, and references from
> above replies have been helpful.
>
>
> >
> >>Does anyone know of any existing programs that can do this?
> >>
> >>I have come across dOxygen, but I need a automatic diagramming tool to
> >>aid visual clarity of the software flow, does any exist or will I have
> >>to write one? I have called this Function tracing but im sure there is
> >>a proper technical name for this process.
> >>
> >>Thanks in advance,
> >>Martin
> >
> >
> >

Next time you have a question like this one use a name like Nicole,
Brianne, or tiffany, you getthe idea. You won't get any complaints
about posting to the wrong group..