v6.3.0

dnSpyEx 6.3.0 brings many improvements to the already existing components in dnSpy as well as features an improved search component. Many bugs and issues caused by obfuscated or malformed binaries have been fixed. The debugger received quite a lot of improvements for both the CorDebug and Mono APIs to improve the debugging experience. The decompiler has also received quite a few changes to help fix crashes and incorrect decompiled code. This update is recommended for all users of dnSpy and dnSpyEx!

New features:

• Improved Search tool window
  • Display member types in search results (return types, parameter types, etc.) to make it easier to locate the right member.
  • Tooltips on search results now contain more information, including full member signatures. If the result is located in a method body, the appropriate instruction is also included in the tooltip.
  • Literal and enum fields are now included in search results when searching for a constant.
  • Improved analysis of custom attributes. Previously arrays in custom attributes or boxed custom attributes were not searched, now they are.
  • Added an option to disable searching compiler-generated members.
  • Added support for searching DateTime resources when searching for constants.
  • Reduced heap allocations that occurred during the search process.
  • Include properties with literal constants in search results when searching for constants.
  • Refresh search results when a member was modified or deleted.
• Added a command under the File menu to close all framework and system assemblies (by @mitchcapper).
• Added a new context menu command for methods to replace their body with one which returns a default value and initializes all out parameters.
• Added support for exporting projects in the new SDK format in the form of a toggle in the project export dialog.
• Added additional toggles to the metadata writer options screen.
• Added support for .NET 7 assembly resolution.
• Added Vietnamese translations.
• Added an update checker to the About screen.
• Added support for displaying structure information for V1 multifile resources in the hex viewer.
• ILSpy decompiler:
  • Add an option to the decompiler settings to decompile calli instructions to invocation expressions. (co-authored by @cnsheds)
  • Add MethodCodeType field to [MethodImplOptions] attribute if necessary
• Debugger:
  • Add a new Static Fields tool window which displays and allows editing of values of all static fields available in the current context.
  • Add support for GetObjectValueAtAddress Roslyn expression compiler intrinsic. It is now possible to enter expressions like @0x12345678 to retrieve an object at a specific memory address. Due to debugger API limitations, this is only available when utilizing the CorDebug API (.NET Framework, .NET Core, .NET 5/6/7/etc.)
  • CorDebug:
    • Add support for Just My Code debugging including an option to disable stepping into system modules and an option to avoid stepping into code outside the primary module.
  • Mono/Unity:
    • Mono debugger API version of the debuggee is now written to the Output window when debugging is initiated.
    • Add support for dereferencing pointers in the Locals, Watch, etc. tool windows when using newer Mono debugger API versions.

Improvements and bug fixes:

• Added more links to the Help menu.
• Added support for displaying special C# types like nint, nuint, and dynamic in tooltips. Tuple element names are now also included.
• Added support for loading XMLDoc for .NET Core framework assemblies.
• Extended XMLDoc parser and analyzer to support documentation files generated by the MSVC compiler.
• Properly display the __arglist method parameter across the dnSpy UI.
• Properly update MethodSemanticsAttributes in the AsmEditor component.
• Fixed various bugs in the EventFiredBy analyzer.
• Fixed some bugs relating to parsing custom attributes.
• Improved detection of member obsolescence when displaying tooltips.
• Added support for displaying init property accessors in tooltips.
• Fixed an analyzer crash caused by invalid type attributes generated by obfuscators.
• Fixed a jump to reference issue in the entry point comment added when decompiling a module node
• ILSpy decompiler:
  • Fixed array initializer detection for enum arrays where the enum was located in a different module.
  • Fixed syntax highlighting color for preprocessor directives.
  • Fixed and improved delegate construction detection (co-authored by @mobile46).
  • Fixed decompiler not removing unnecessary parameter names in anonymous functions leading to compiler errors.
  • Improve debug info generation for inlined finally methods in yield return state machines.
  • Improve performance and reduced heap allocations in the decompiler and IL disassembler.
  • Extended type analysis for switch, throw, and ckfinite OpCodes.
  • Fixed a crash that occurred when the HandlerStart property of an exception handler was null (by @mobile46).
  • Fixed setting incorrect brace annotations for switch case blocks.
  • Extended support for methods utilizing the __arglist parameter.
  • Improved jump-to-reference navigation in the IL disassembler.
  • Improved ambiguous type name analysis.
  • Fixed a missing space not being added before the new() generic parameter constraint.
  • Fixed a rare bug that occurred when decompiling obfuscated exception handler filter blocks.
  • Fixed incorrect placement of the [Optional] attribute on a parameter with a decimal constant.
  • Fixed a nasty indentation bug in the C# decompiler leading to broken indentation of long property/method call chains
  • Improved decompilation of nested generic types for obfuscated assemblies where the type name does not contain generic argument count
• Debugger:
  • Fix a potential exception when searching a dynamic module (by @mitchcapper).
  • Improved debugger evaluation correctness and accuracy.
  • Fix timing issues in debugger thread dispatchers.
  • Display a warning message when detaching the debugger will lead to process termination.
  • Fix Locals windows failing to display locals when debugging a module with an invalid MVID.
  • Child nodes should not be displayed for values of types IntPtr and UIntPtr.
  • Fix the architecture incompatibility warning for files targeting .NET Framework 1.x but being executed on CLR version 2.
  • CorDebug:
    • Improve suppression of NGEN image loading leading to a better debugging experience for modules present in the GAC.
    • Introduce a workaround for a .NET 6.0 bug that occurred when a debugger was attached to a process that utilized dynamic modules. (by @josegomez)
    • Use the CorDebug API directly to read thread and exception information to avoid issues with certain anti-dumping techniques.
    • Improve debugging support for legacy .NET Framework versions.
  • Mono/Unity:
    • Improved dynamic module detection and metadata fetching for newer Mono debugger API versions.
    • Fix computation of OffsetToStringData value resulting in improved evaluation accuracy and fixed Show in Memory command result.
    • Improved and optimized computation of OffsetToArrayData, it should now work smoother on newer Mono debugger API versions.
    • Use MDToken-based resolution for types and methods when possible on newer Mono debugger API versions.
    • Improve the result of the Show in Memory command for objects on newer Mono debugger API versions.
• BAML decompiler:
  • Improved analysis of BAML connection IDs.
  • Fixed incorrect decompilation of readonly properties in XAML code.
  • Fixed a crash resulting from unescaped member identifiers.

Dependency updates:

• Updated dnlib to 3.6.0
• Updated Iced to 1.18.0
• Roslyn compiler to 4.4.0
• VS MEF to 17.2.41

New Contributors:

• @mitchcapper made their first contribution in #103
• @josegomez made their first contribution in #119
• @cnsheds made their first contribution in dnSpyEx/ILSpy#4
• @VNGhostMans made their first contribution by providing the Vietnamese translations

Full Changelog: v6.2.0...v6.3.0

Thanks to everyone for reporting issues, opening pull requests, and supporting the project through other means! This release would not have been possible otherwise :P

Note to extension developers: Please recompile your extensions for this version of dnSpyEx! Many dependencies and minor API changes have been made in the codebase!

v6.3.0-rc3

The final release candidate build of dnSpyEx 6.3.0, unless issues are observed.

Changes since v6.3.0-rc2

• Fixed a nasty indentation bug in the C# decompiler leading to broken indentation of long property/method call chains
• Improved decompilation of nested generic types for obfuscated assemblies where the type name does not contain generic argument count.
• Fixed a jump to reference issue in the entry point comment added when decompiling a module node.

Full Changelog: v6.3.0-rc2...v6.3.0-rc3

v6.3.0-rc2

Changes since v6.3.0-rc1

• Refresh search results when a member was modified or deleted.
• Fixed an analyzer crash caused by invalid type attributes generated by obfuscators.
• Added Vietnamese translations.
• Added support for displaying structure information for V1 multifile resources in the hex viewer.
• Minor improvements to CoreCLR debugging.

New Contributors

• @VNGhostMans made their first contribution by providing the Vietnamese translations

Full Changelog: v6.3.0-rc1...v6.3.0-rc2

v6.3.0-rc1

This is the first release candidate for the next version of dnSpyEx. As with any release candidate, if you encounter any issues please report them, especially if they were not present in the prior versions!

New features:

• Improved Search tool window
  • Display member types in search results (return types, parameter types, etc.) to make it easier to locate the right member.
  • Tooltips on search results now contain more information, including full member signatures. If the result is located in a method body, the appropriate instruction is also included in the tooltip.
  • Literal and enum fields are now included in search results when searching for a constant.
  • Improved analysis of custom attributes. Previously arrays in custom attributes or boxed custom attributes were not searched, now they are.
  • Added an option to disable searching compiler-generated members.
  • Added support for searching DateTime resources when searching for constants.
  • Reduced heap allocations that occurred during the search process.
  • Include properties with literal constants in search results when searching for constants.
• Added a command under the File menu to close all framework and system assemblies (by @mitchcapper).
• Added a new context menu command for methods to replace their body with one which returns a default value and initializes all out parameters.
• Added support for exporting projects in the new SDK format in the form of a toggle in the project export dialog.
• Added additional toggles to the metadata writer options screen.
• Added support for .NET 7 assembly resolution.
• Added an update checker to the About screen.
• ILSpy decompiler:
  • Add an option to the decompiler settings to decompile calli instructions to invocation expressions. (co-authored by @cnsheds)
  • Add MethodCodeType field to [MethodImplOptions] attribute if necessary
• Debugger:
  • Add a new Static Fields tool window which displays and allows editing of values of all static fields available in the current context.
  • Add support for GetObjectValueAtAddress Roslyn expression compiler intrinsic. It is now possible to enter expressions like @0x12345678 to retrieve an object at a specific memory address. Due to debugger API limitations, this is only available when utilizing the CorDebug API (.NET Framework, .NET Core, .NET 5/6/7/etc.)
  • CorDebug:
    • Add support for Just My Code debugging including an option to disable stepping into system modules and an option to avoid stepping into code outside the primary module.
  • Mono/Unity:
    • Mono debugger API version of the debuggee is now written to the Output window when debugging is initiated.
    • Add support for dereferencing pointers in the Locals, Watch, etc. tool windows when using newer Mono debugger API versions.

Improvements and bug fixes:

• Added more links to the Help menu.
• Added support for displaying special C# types like nint, nuint, and dynamic in tooltips. Tuple element names are now also included.
• Added support for loading XMLDoc for .NET Core framework assemblies.
• Extended XMLDoc parser and analyzer to support documentation files generated by the MSVC compiler.
• Properly display the __arglist method parameter across the dnSpy UI.
• Properly update MethodSemanticsAttributes in the AsmEditor component.
• Fixed various bugs in the EventFiredBy analyzer.
• Fixed some bugs relating to parsing custom attributes.
• Improved detection of member obsolescence when displaying tooltips.
• Added support for displaying init property accessors in tooltips.
• ILSpy decompiler:
  • Fixed array initializer detection for enum arrays where the enum was located in a different module.
  • Fixed syntax highlighting color for preprocessor directives.
  • Fixed and improved delegate construction detection (co-authored by @mobile46).
  • Fixed decompiler not removing unnecessary parameter names in anonymous functions leading to compiler errors.
  • Improve debug info generation for inlined finally methods in yield return state machines.
  • Improve performance and reduced heap allocations in the decompiler and IL disassembler.
  • Extended type analysis for switch, throw, and ckfinite OpCodes.
  • Fixed a crash that occurred when the HandlerStart property of an exception handler was null (by @mobile46).
  • Fixed setting incorrect brace annotations for switch case blocks.
  • Extended support for methods utilizing the __arglist parameter.
  • Improved jump-to-reference navigation in the IL disassembler.
  • Improved ambiguous type name analysis.
  • Fixed a missing space not being added before the new() generic parameter constraint.
  • Fixed a rare bug that occurred when decompiling obfuscated exception handler filter blocks.
  • Fixed incorrect placement of the [Optional] attribute on a parameter with a decimal constant.
• Debugger:
  • Fix a potential exception when searching a dynamic module (by @mitchcapper).
  • Improved debugger evaluation correctness and accuracy.
  • Fix timing issues in debugger thread dispatchers.
  • Display a warning message when detaching the debugger will lead to process termination.
  • Fix Locals windows failing to display locals when debugging a module with an invalid MVID.
  • Child nodes should not be displayed for values of types IntPtr and UIntPtr.
  • Fix the architecture incompatibility warning for files targeting .NET Framework 1.x but being executed on CLR version 2.
  • CorDebug:
    • Improve suppression of NGEN image loading leading to a better debugging experience for modules present in the GAC.
    • Introduce a workaround for a .NET 6.0 bug that occurred when a debugger was attached to a process that utilized dynamic modules. (by @josegomez)
    • Use the CorDebug API directly to read thread and exception information to avoid issues with certain anti-dumping techniques.
    • Improve debugging support for legacy .NET Framework versions.
  • Mono/Unity:
    • Improved dynamic module detection and metadata fetching for newer Mono debugger API versions.
    • Fix computation of OffsetToStringData value resulting in improved evaluation accuracy and fixed Show in Memory command result.
    • Improved and optimized computation of OffsetToArrayData, it should now work smoother on newer Mono debugger API versions.
    • Use MDToken-based resolution for types and methods when possible on newer Mono debugger API versions.
    • Improve the result of the Show in Memory command for objects on newer Mono debugger API versions.
• BAML decompiler:
  • Improved analysis of BAML connection IDs.
  • Fixed incorrect decompilation of readonly properties in XAML code.
  • Fixed a crash resulting from unescaped member identifiers.

Dependency updates:

• Updated dnlib to 3.6.0
• Updated Iced to 1.18.0
• Roslyn compiler to 4.4.0
• VS MEF to 17.2.41

New Contributors:

• @mitchcapper made their first contribution in #103
• @josegomez made their first contribution in #119
• @cnsheds made their first contribution in dnSpyEx/ILSpy#4

Full Changelog: v6.2.0...v6.3.0-rc1

Thanks to everyone for reporting issues, opening pull requests, and supporting the project through other means! This release would not have been possible otherwise :P

v6.2.0

As of today, one full year has passed since the v6.1.9 release and I'm proud to announce that the v6.2.0 update is finally ready for release. Since the previous version, many things have been added, changed, improved, and fixed. I know that an update a year is not a very good update frequency, so I will try to make sure that new updates from now on are more regular.

I would also like to thank everyone for their incredible support of this project! I never expected it to blow up as it has in the last year. I can't express how thankful I am for all the bugs being reported, feature ideas, and pull requests! Knowing that there are more people in the world who benefit from this project really helps me keep up the motivation to continue working on this project.

With all that over here is a list of everything that has changed together:

New features:

• dnSpy now runs under .NET 6 and .NET Framework 4.8.
• Move to VS2022 icons for UI and exe files (by @inkahootz and @SychicBoy)
• Support for tilt/horizontal scrolling in the UI.
• Added support for editing custom attributes on module resources.
• Added support for modifying the Log2Rid value when saving the module.
• Add support for ARM64 target architecture in the assembly editor.
• Add an enum for PE Magic field in the PE editor (by @riQQ)
• Show debugged process's name in the title bar (by @inkahootz)
• Add support for writing VS2022 compatible .sln files.
• Added back the Save Code, Save BAML, and Save XAML options in the File context menu which save the contents of the currently open document tab.
• Debugger:
  • Display a warning message before starting to debug a target file with a different bitness than the current dnSpy version running.
  • Add a new option that allows to automatically break on <Module>::.cctor when starting to debug.
  • Display the exception's HResult property when an unhandled exception is hit.
• ILSpy decompiler:
  • Added jump to reference support for jmp() expressions created when the jmp CIL opcode is present.
  • CIL disassembler now includes information about generic parameter attributes and constraints.
  • Add more information to the output when disassembling the module node when using the CIL disassembler.
  • The decompiler now splits up long method call chains using a new line.
  • Generate debug info for yield break; statements.

Improvements and bug fixes:

• Fix the .NET 6 console executable having the incorrect subsystem set in the PE options resulting in a crash.
• Fixed escaping of namespaces in tooltips.
• Fixed syntax highlighting for structs in tooltips.
• Improved RVA <-> FileOffset conversions in PE editor to fix a crash with invalid values being passed in.
• Improved assembly resolution for .NET Standard, .NET Core, .NET 5, .NET 6.
• dnSpy now reads assembly resolution probe paths from .config files.
• Read probe paths from .config files when searching for satellite assemblies during project export.
• Fixed incorrect label in the Save Module dialog.
• Add support for searching by full name (by @mobile46).
• Optimized search module by reducing memory allocations.
• Improvements to GitHub Actions workflow (by @Gorialis).
• Use .NET Standard instead of .NET Framework for Roslyn projects fixing #84 (by @mobile46).
• ILSpy Decompiler
  • Optimized the variable naming step in the decompiler by reducing memory allocations.
  • Improved insertion of checked() blocks.
  • Improved decompilation of query expressions.
  • Prevent delegate construction decompilation from crashing the entire decompiler if it failed.
  • Improved analysis for unsafe modifier.
  • Ignore invalid prefixes when constructing the ILAst. This prevents a common method used to crash the decompiler from working.
  • Many improvements and fixes to the async method decompilation logic.
  • Optimized the removal of dead nop instructions when building the ILAst. This deficiency was a known method to crash dnSpy's decompiler by filling a method body with huge amounts of useless code.
  • Fixed a rare case where field initializers would not be detected properly.
  • Fixed a rarely occurring bug that resulted in incorrect ILAst being built.
  • Optimized construction of ILAst by calculating the stack behavior of instruction only once and by caching the result of MethodDef.HasReturnType.
  • Improved required parenthesis analysis.
  • Fixed decompiler creating incorrect checked regions for some post increments.
• Debugger:
  • Fixed a bug that caused the infamous ??? exception to occur when debugging.
  • Improved debugging support for newer mono runtimes.
  • Fixed a crash that occurred in the .NET Framework version of dnSpy when a module loaded into memory during debugging would contain an invalid file path resulting in a crash.
• BAML decompiler
  • Resolve namespaces of properties.
  • Fix Name attribute for properties incorrect in rare circumstances.
  • Fix missing x:Static and x:Type (by @wwh1004)

Dependency updates:

• Updated dnlib to 3.5.0
• Updated Iced to 1.17.0
• Roslyn compiler to 4.1.0
• Ookii.Dialogs.Wpf to 5.0.1
• VS MEF to 16.9.20
• ILSpy to 2.4
• Mono.Debugger.Soft was updated to the latest commit.

Note to extension developers: Please recompile your extensions for this version of dnSpyEx! Many dependencies have been updated and some of them have gone through API changes, for example, Iced.

New Contributors

• @fifty-six made their first contribution in #13
• @DeNcHiK3713 made their first contribution in #22
• @inkahootz made their first contribution in #35
• @riQQ made their first contribution in #36
• @wwh1004 made their first contribution in #42
• @SychicBoy made their first contribution in #83
• @mobile46 made their first contribution in #87
• @Gorialis made their first contribution in #90

Full Changelog: v6.1.9...v6.2.0

Once again, thank you for the support :D

v6.2.0-rc2

This will likely be the last release candidate before 6.2.0 unless issues are found.

Changes since v6.2.0-rc1

• Add support for searching by full name by @mobile46.
• Improvements to GitHub Actions workflow by @Gorialis.
• Optimized search module by reducing memory allocations.
• Use .NET Standard instead of .NET Framework for Roslyn projects by @mobile46 fixing #84.
• Micro-optimizations in various places.
• Fixed decompiler creating incorrect checked regions for some post increments.
• dnSpy now reads assembly resolution probe paths from .config files.

New Contributors

• @mobile46 made their first contribution in #87
• @Gorialis made their first contribution in #90

Full Changelog: v6.2.0-rc1...v6.2.0-rc2

v6.2.0-rc1

It's been nearly a year since the 6.1.9 release. This is the first release candidate for the 6.2.0 update. If you encounter any issues please report them! Especially if they were not present in the prior versions. With that out of the way, let's go over the things that have changed:

New features:

• dnSpy now runs under .NET 6 and .NET Framework 4.8.
• Move to VS2022 icons for UI and exe files (by @inkahootz and @SychicBoy)
• Support for tilt/horizontal scrolling in the UI.
• Added support for editing custom attributes on module resources.
• Added support for modifying the Log2Rid value when saving the module.
• Add support for ARM64 target architecture in the assembly editor.
• Add an enum for PE Magic field in the PE editor (by @riQQ)
• Show debugged process's name in the title bar (by @inkahootz)
• Add support for writing VS2022 compatible .sln files.
• Added back the Save Code, Save BAML, and Save XAML options in the File context menu which save the contents of the currently open document tab.
• Debugger:
  • Display a warning message before starting to debug a target file with a different bitness than the current dnSpy version running.
  • Add a new option that allows to automatically break on <Module>::.cctor when starting to debug.
  • Display the exception's HResult property when an unhandled exception is hit.
• ILSpy decompiler:
  • Added jump to reference support for jmp() expressions created when the jmp CIL opcode is present.
  • CIL disassembler now includes information about generic parameter attributes and constraints.
  • Add more information to the output when disassembling the module node when using the CIL disassembler.
  • The decompiler now splits up long method call chains using a new line.
  • Generate debug info for yield break; statements.

Improvements and bug fixes:

• Fix the .NET 6 console executable having the incorrect subsystem set in the PE options resulting in a crash.
• Fixed escaping of namespaces in tooltips.
• Fixed syntax highlighting for structs in tooltips.
• Improved RVA <-> FileOffset conversions in PE editor to fix a crash with invalid values being passed in.
• Improved assembly resolution for .NET Standard, .NET Core, .NET 5, .NET 6.
• Read probe paths from .config files when searching for satellite assemblies during project export.
• Fixed incorrect label in the Save Module dialog.
• ILSpy Decompiler
  • Optimized the variable naming step in the decompiler by reducing memory allocations.
  • Improved insertion of checked() blocks.
  • Improved decompilation of query expressions.
  • Prevent delegate construction decompilation from crashing the entire decompiler if it failed.
  • Improved analysis for unsafe modifier.
  • Ignore invalid prefixes when constructing the ILAst. This prevents a common method used to crash the decompiler from working.
  • Many improvements and fixes to the async method decompilation logic.
  • Optimized the removal of dead nop instructions when building the ILAst. This deficiency was a known method to crash dnSpy's decompiler by filling a method body with huge amounts of useless code.
  • Fixed a rare case where field initializers would not be detected properly.
  • Fixed a rarely occurring bug that resulted in incorrect ILAst being built.
  • Optimized construction of ILAst by calculating the stack behavior of instruction only once and by caching the result of MethodDef.HasReturnType.
  • Improved required parenthesis analysis.
• Debugger:
  • Fixed a bug that caused the infamous ??? exception to occur when debugging.
  • Improved debugging support for newer mono runtimes.
  • Fixed a crash that occurred in the .NET Framework version of dnSpy when a module loaded into memory during debugging would contain an invalid file path resulting in a crash.
• BAML decompiler
  • Resolve namespaces of properties.
  • Fix Name attribute for properties incorrect in rare circumstances.
  • Fix missing x:Static and x:Type (by @wwh1004)

Dependency updates:

• Updated dnlib to 3.5.0
• Updated Iced to 1.17.0
• Roslyn compiler to 4.1.0
• Ookii.Dialogs.Wpf to 5.0.1
• VS MEF to 16.9.20
• ILSpy to 2.4
• Mono.Debugger.Soft was updated to the latest commit.

New Contributors

• @fifty-six made their first contribution in #13
• @DeNcHiK3713 made their first contribution in #22
• @inkahootz made their first contribution in #35
• @riQQ made their first contribution in #36
• @wwh1004 made their first contribution in #42
• @SychicBoy made their first contribution in #83

Full Changelog: v6.1.9...v6.2.0-rc1

As a final note, I would like to thank everyone for their incredible support on this project! I never expected it to blow up like this. I can't express how thankful I am for all the bugs being reported, feature ideas, and pull requests!

v6.1.9

The first version of dnSpyEx is now available 🎉

Changelog:

• Several updates to NRefactory resulting in cleaner output code for the C# language
• Improved the IL disassembler/decompiler. More information is now displayed.
• Improved BAML decompiler with latest changes from ILSpy repository.
• Updated ICSharpCode.TreeView to the latest version
• Dragging tree view items near the top and bottom will scroll the tree view
• Improved assembly resolution for .NET Core and .NET 5
• Improved asynchronous method decompilation

If you find any bugs or issues please report them to the issue board!