My first suggestion would be to acquire the source from
www.ethereal.com. (Preferably via cvs, instructions for which
you can find at
http://www.ethereal.com/development.html#anoncvs
)
Second, try to compile the source you just downloaded ( don't
forget to run ./autogen.sh if you downloaded from cvs).
Third, read ethereal/doc/README.developer and ethereal/doc/README.tvbuff.
Fourth, look at some of the other dissectors that have been written
for protocols that you know something about. This will give you an
idea for how things have been done in practice.
Fifth, write your dissector. Get it working. Clean the code up to
your satisfaction.
Sixth, look at making your dissector into a plugin. This provides
modularity benefits, and allows your dissector to evolve independently
of the rest of the ethereal release cycle. I've already seen some
of the benefit of this with the MGCP dissector plugin. I've discovered
some bugs in it, fixed them, and just dropped them into my production
system without the need to replace the entire ethereal package on
my production system.
Seventh, send your work to the ethereal-dev list with a request
that someone check it into the cvs tree.
If you have troubles or questions email this list. The response
tends to be very rapid and helpful.
Ed
On Tue, 26 Dec 2000, madhur wrote:
> Hi,
> I have to write a dissector for "Satellite Packet Data Protocol". I
> have'nt studied the program much. Can any one give me any suggestion as
> to how to proceed.
>
> thanks,
> madhur
>
>
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