Correction on 'format' option (WAS: Re: How to identify source of an exception?)

[David Requena]

Sorry George and All,

The correct option is 'noformat' which allows the compiler to rearrange code so NetRexx and Java line numbers match. Resulting java code is ugly indeed.

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Saludos / Kind regards,
David Requena
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[George Hovey-2]

I've wondered if this might provide a useful form of obfuscation when distributing proprietary jars.
George

On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 8:47 AM, David Requena <[hidden email]> wrote:

Sorry George and All,

The correct option is 'noformat' which allows the compiler to rearrange code so NetRexx and Java line numbers match. Resulting java code is ugly indeed.

-
Saludos / Kind regards,
David Requena
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[alansam]

On 17 July 2010 06:41, George Hovey <[hidden email]> wrote:

I've wondered if this might provide a useful form of obfuscation when distributing proprietary jars.
George

The contents of JAR files is normally the output from the Java compiler so it's object code for the JVM (the class files).  What extra obfuscation do you require?

Alan.

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[Robert L Hamilton]

Alan,

GREAT!!!

Bobh

Sent from my iPhone

Enjoy your day

Bob Hamilton

On Jul 17, 2010, at 10:44 AM, Alan Sampson <[hidden email]> wrote:

On 17 July 2010 06:41, George Hovey <[hidden email]> wrote:

I've wondered if this might provide a useful form of obfuscation when distributing proprietary jars.
George

The contents of JAR files is normally the output from the Java compiler so it's object code for the JVM (the class files).  What extra obfuscation do you require?

Alan.

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[George Hovey-2]

Alan,
I have no personal experience, but plenty of people consider byte code to be no significant obstacle.  Try a search for 'Java reverse engineer', etc.
George

On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 11:44 AM, Alan Sampson <[hidden email]> wrote:

On 17 July 2010 06:41, George Hovey <[hidden email]> wrote:

I've wondered if this might provide a useful form of obfuscation when distributing proprietary jars.
George

The contents of JAR files is normally the output from the Java compiler so it's object code for the JVM (the class files).  What extra obfuscation do you require?

Alan.

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[alansam]

On 17 July 2010 12:51, George Hovey <[hidden email]> wrote:

Alan,
I have no personal experience, but plenty of people consider byte code to be no significant obstacle.  Try a search for 'Java reverse engineer', etc.
George

George,

I do know about Java decompilers and have had occasion to use them.  (I've also had need of decompilers for other high level programming languages and have even had to work through system dumps by hand to "reverse engineer" programs where the source has been "lost".)

Notwithstanding this, what David's referring to is the NetRexx NOFORMAT option which just generates an ugly Java source file.  The FORMAT option simply "pretty prints" the Java to make it easier for human consumption; it doesn't jumble the code.  If you compiled a NetRexx program using both options then ran the resultant class files through a decompiler the result would likely be the same.

In my experience obfuscation gives little to no protection for your code when compared to a good set of IP/Copyright lawyers and when the rubber hits the road that's what you'll end up needing if someone breaches the terms of your product licenses.

Alan.

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