IDA Pro converting to instruction functionality: how to automate.

Question

I am loading various files that read into IDA as binary. Once I have the GUI in front of me I am able to go through the segments and hit "c" in order to convert to instruction/code.

However, I am primarily trying to do all my ida work via linux terminal (using the command line ./idal -B input-file). Is there a command line flag, or another method, to automate the generating of instructions from the binary files? Or is this something I will have to manually do every time?

For additional information: I am running IDA 6.5 on linux ubuntu 12.10. I am primarily looking at MBR files. — user3119546, Jan 07 '14 at 14:03

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 07 '14 at 15:08

3

I would do something like this in IDAPython:

# I didn't check this code, please use carefully !This code will pass through all defined segments and will try to make code on any unexplored area
# IDAPython documentation is at https://www.hex-rays.com/products/ida/support/idapython_docs/

import idautils
import idc

for ea in idautils.Segments():
    segend = idc.GetSegmentAttr(ea, idc.SEGATTR_END)
    start = ea
    while start < segend:
        idc.MakeCode(start)
        start = idc.FindUnexplored(start+1, idc.SEARCH_DOWN)

You can run it with -S command line switch as stated in previous answer

answered Jan 07 '14 at 15:08

w s

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@w s So this seems to work when I run it via IDA GUI (going to file -> script file) and importing it that way. However, when I run it via terminal line with the -S flag. It comes out without the translated instructions. Is it something wrong with the way I am calling ida?
./idal -B ~/Desktop/test_binary.dump -S script.py?
– user3119546 Jan 07 '14 at 15:39
1

SOLVED: In order to have a command line switch recognized you need to have it appear before the file to be analysed. – user3119546 Jan 07 '14 at 16:00

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 07 '14 at 14:09

2

You can use specify an IDC script on the command line via the -S switch, with which you can try calling AnalyzeArea(); if that doesn't work, you can use MakeCode().

answered Jan 07 '14 at 14:09

Jason Geffner

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Do you recommend any tutorials on IDC scripting? – user3119546 Jan 07 '14 at 14:13
1

https://www.hex-rays.com/products/ida/support/tutorials/idc/ – Jason Geffner Jan 07 '14 at 15:13

IDA Pro converting to instruction functionality: how to automate.

2 Answers2