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diff --git a/doc/README.idl2wrs b/doc/README.idl2wrs new file mode 100644 index 00000000..77596cb3 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/README.idl2wrs @@ -0,0 +1,144 @@ +Copyright (C) 2001 Frank Singleton <frank.singleton@ericsson.com> + + +What is it ? +============ + +As you have probably guessed from the name, "idl2wrs" takes a +user specified IDL file and attempts to build a dissector that +can decode the IDL traffic over GIOP. The resulting file is +"C" code that should compile okay as a Wireshark dissector. + +idl2wrs basically parses the data struct given to it by +the omniidl compiler, and using the GIOP API available in packet-giop.[ch], +generates get_CDR_xxx calls to decode the CORBA traffic on the wire. + +It consists of 4 main files. + +README.idl2wrs - This document +wireshark_be.py - The main compiler backend +wireshark_gen.py - A helper class that generates the C code. +idl2wrs - A simple shell script wrapper that the end user should + use to generate the dissector from the IDL file(s). + +Why did you do this ? +===================== + +It is important to understand how CORBA traffic looks +like over GIOP/IIOP, and to help build a tool that can assist +in troubleshooting CORBA interworking. This was especially the +case after seeing a lot of discussions about how particular +IDL types are represented inside an octet stream. + +I have also had comments/feedback that this tool would be good for say +a CORBA class when teaching students how CORBA traffic looks like +"on the wire". + +It is also COOL to work on a great Open Source project such as +the case with "Wireshark" (https://www.wireshark.org) + + +How to use idl2wrs +================== + +To use the idl2wrs to generate Wireshark dissectors, you +need the following. + + +1. Python must be installed + https://python.org/ + +2. omniidl from the omniORB package must be available. + http://omniorb.sourceforge.net/ + +3. Of course you need Wireshark installed to compile the + code and tweak it if required. idl2wrs is part of the + standard Wireshark distribution. + + +Procedure +========= + +1. To write the C code to stdout. + + idl2wrs <your_file.idl> + + eg: idl2wrs echo.idl + + +2. To write to a file, just redirect the output. + + idl2wrs echo.idl > packet-test-idl.c + + You may wish to comment out the register_giop_user_module() code + and that will leave you with heuristic dissection. + + +If you don't want to use the shell script wrapper, then try +steps 3 or 4 instead. + +3. To write the C code to stdout. + + Usage: omniidl -p ./ -b wireshark_be <your_file.idl> + + eg: omniidl -p ./ -b wireshark_be echo.idl + + +4. To write to a file, just redirect the output. + + omniidl -p ./ -b wireshark_be echo.idl > packet-test-idl.c + + You may wish to comment out the register_giop_user_module() code + and that will leave you with heuristic dissection. + + +5. Copy the resulting C code to your Wireshark src directory, edit the + following file to include the packet-test-idl.c + + cp packet-test-idl.c /dir/where/wireshark/lives/epan/dissectors/ + cp /dir/where/wireshark/lives/epan/dissectors/CMakeLists.txt.example \ + /dir/where/wireshark/lives/epan/dissectors/CMakeLists.txt + nano /dir/where/wireshark/lives/epan/dissectors/CMakeLists.txt + + +6. Run CMake + + cmake /dir/where/wireshark/lives + + +7. Compile the code + + make + + +8. Good Luck !! + + +TODO +==== + +1. Exception code not generated (yet), but can be added manually. +2. Enums not converted to symbolic values (yet), but can be added manually. +3. Add command line options, etc. +4. More I am sure :-) + + +Limitations +=========== + +See TODO list inside packet-giop.c + + +Notes +===== + +1. The "-p ./" option passed to omniidl indicates that the wireshark_be.py + and wireshark_gen.py are residing in the current directory. This may need + tweaking if you place these files somewhere else. + +2. If it complains about being unable to find some modules (eg tempfile.py), + you may want to check if PYTHONPATH is set correctly. + On my Linux box, it is PYTHONPATH=/usr/lib/python1.5/ + +Frank Singleton. + |