Wireshark-dev: Re: [Wireshark-dev] [Wireshark-bugs] [Bug 3422] New dissector for Genisys protoc

From: Bill Meier <wmeier@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 11:41:18 -0400
Simon Dreyer wrote:
Simon Dreyer
Dreyer Automation
0417 952 563

On Mon Mar 29 15:54 , Bill Meier <wmeier@xxxxxxxxxxx> sent:

--- Comment #6 from Simon Dreyer simon2@xxxxxxxxxxxx> 2010-03-28 19:31:52 PDT ---
Hi Folks I am trying to implement the genisys dissector without much success.
Is the code that is linked to the "New patch to add genisys dissector" link a
single file that must be saved as "packet-genisys.c" and compiled? or what must
be done.
Is there somewhere where I can get the group of files associated with this
dissector eg Makefile.am, makefile.common, moduleinfo.h .... I am sorry if this
is not the correct place for this type of request but this is all I could find.
Many thanks Simon

(The wireshark-dev mailing list is the correct place for this discussion).

You first need to be able to build Wireshark from source.

The Developer's Guide has lots of information about the process of setting up a build environment, obtaining the sources and doing the build.

See: http://www.wireshark.org:   Develop ! Developer's Guide

Once you've accomplished that you can then apply the patch
attached to Bug #3422 (using the 'patch' program) and then rebuild Wireshark.

The patch (presumably) has all the required source & Makefile changes to build the genisys dissector as part of Wireshark.

I should note, however, that the patch is a year old so it may not apply cleanly against the current source tree or even the sources for the current 'stable' version of Wireshark (1.2.6).


Hi Bill
Thanks for the help. I have installed all the required programs and can compile and run wireshark no problems. I have used the packet-genisys.c code published here in an earlier post and attempted to compile it with suitably modified support files like makefile.am etc. I can compile the packet-genisys.c without any problems but when I put the genisys.dll file in the plugins directory and try to run wireshark it crashes. There must be somthing wrong with ether the packet-genists.c code or the support files that I have edited. Does the patch file create the support files and Where do I find the patch program? I presume I have to copy the code attached to bug #3422 and save it as some kind of file that the patch program can use? Lastly do I have to recompile wireshark? all the examples and tutorials seem to indicate that all I have to do is copy the compiled genisys.dll file into the plugins directory and run wireshark. Regards Simon


(Note: Please send replies to wireshark-dev@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and not to my personal EMail).

1. Are you building on Windows or *nix ? What compiler are you using ?

   You speak of DLL's (which are Windows) yet you also speak of
   modifying makefile.am which is *nix.
   The two don't mix. Eg: You can't use makefile.am & etc when
   building on Windows.

2. The patch file attached to bug #3422 when applied to the Wireshark
   source does *not* add the dissector as a plugin
   but changes the source to build the dissector
   as an integral part of Wireshark; Therefore I don't
   understand what you are actually doing when you speak of generating
   a genisys.dll.

   Did you change things around to try to build the dissector as a DLL ?

   I suggest that the your first step is to build Wireshark using the
   genisys dissector (and changes to certain other source files) exactly
   as supplied in the patch.

   Trying to change things to build the dissector as a plugin is not the
   way to start if you're new to Wireshark development.

3. It appears that you are unfamiliar with the 'patch' program
   and how it works. Again I suggest you review the Developer's Guide as
   mentioned above. See sections 3.9, 3.10 and 4.14 for information on
   patch.