Detailed instructions to step through the C++ decompiler code

[Wall-AF]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
When trying to discover where the decompiler isn't working quite how it should be, its currently difficult to setup a debugging environment in Windows to step through the C++ decompiler code.

Describe the solution you'd like
Either the ability and instructions to use the Eclipse IDE to step through the C++ code, or a Visual Studio project, that is kept valid at all times, that can be used to build the decompiler so that a debug version could be easily built and attached to the VS IDE for stepping through he code.

Describe alternatives you've considered

1. Adding code into the decompiler code to produce a file showing what yo need to see. Quite fiddly and requires rebuilds and restarts.
2. Creating my own VS project, changing it each time new sources etc. are added/removed. Should be easy but isn't as straight forward as it should be, especially when your day job is reversing applications ad not really fixing issues in the tool!

[ekilmer]

Not sure if you've seen this project https://github.com/lifting-bits/sleigh, but I try to keep it tested on Windows, Linux, and macOS and updated to the latest Ghidra commits, weekly (when CI is passing).

I have some directions for building against your own source code here https://github.com/lifting-bits/sleigh/tree/master/src#using-your-own-ghidra-checkout. Please let me know (on the repo) if any directions or the user experience can be improved and if you encounter any issues.

I've successfully used that project to debug on Windows (running the C++ decompiler tests). If you want to try it out, I would suggest using vcpkg to provide zlib and creating a CMakeUserPresets.json file that would look something like this for Windows:

{
  "version": 6,
  "configurePresets": [
    {
      "name": "my-ghidra-head",
      "binaryDir": "${sourceDir}/build/${presetName}",
      "inherits": "ci-windows",
      "architecture": null,
      "generator": "Ninja",
      "cacheVariables": {
        "sleigh_RELEASE_TYPE": "HEAD",
        "FETCHCONTENT_SOURCE_DIR_GHIDRASOURCE": "${sourceDir}/src/ghidra-HEAD",
        "sleigh_BUILD_DOCUMENTATION": "OFF",
        "CMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE": "<vcpkg_repo>/scripts/buildsystems.vcpkg.cmake",
        "CMAKE_BUILD_TYPE": "RelWithDebInfo"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Would be happy to explain more, if needed.

[Wall-AF]

Thanks @ekilmer. As I don't have the time/capacity to deep dive 2 other repos, and I really don't want anything to update my local changes, I would appreciate an example.

[ekilmer]

@Wall-AF I've created a Wiki page with some directions here https://github.com/lifting-bits/sleigh/wiki/Building-and-Attaching-to-the-Decompiler-on-Windows (here's a versioned link for specific reference, in case I make changes in the future)

Let me know if you are looking for something else or have any other questions!