Have the app wait for debugger on launch of "Application"

[Cryptax]

We can have the app wait for debugger in an activity with : `adb shell am start -D -S -n <packageName>/<activityName>`. However, sometimes we want to debug BEFORE an activity is launched. This is the case especially for packers.

I'd like to debug the class which extends Application, and which is called before anything else.

How can we launch the app and have it stop there?

For example, this is what I have in the manifest:

 <application android:allowBackup="true" android:debuggable="true" android:hardwareAccelerated="false" android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher" android:installLocation="0" android:label="@string/app_name" android:largeHeap="true" android:name="com.android.protector.ProtectApplication" android:supportsRtl="false" android:theme=...

I'd like to debug ProtectApplication class.

Thanks

Axelle.

[Nicolas Falliere]

Hello Axelle,

The proper way would be to start your app with the option to wait for a debugger to attach before running.

- With am, you can use the options -D (to enable debugging) and -W (to wait for a debugger). Start the main activity as usual (with -n).

- Then attach your app with JEB, make sure to keep the threads suspended.

- Place the breakpoint on the custom Application static initializer code or a constructor code.

- Run the threads.

Best regards,

--

Nicolas Falliere (ni...@pnfsoftware.com)
JEB Decompiler, Founder and Architect

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[Axelle Apvrille]

Oh thanks! Indeed that works! The documentation for "am start" is misleading on Android, because it gives the impression you *must* start an activity. But no. You can do `am start -D -W packagename` and that works fine. And then, I can set breakpoints in the class I want and reach that.

A bit strange though : why doesn't JEB see the values of each local type? See the attached screenshot.
v0 is of type StringBuilder, and should have something in it, but JEB returns "void" for it.
Same for v2, which should be a File. 
Is that a bug? or am I not using it correctly?

Thanks,

-- Axelle

[Nicolas Falliere]

On Android P and Q, the values of variables without a valid DebugInfo descriptor are not provided by the debugging server. This blog explains things in more detail: https://www.pnfsoftware.com/blog/debugging-android-apps-on-android-pie-and-above/

The problem was fixed for Android R and above. For instance, on current Android (Android 12 / API level 31), you should be able to see the values of all variables, including those that were not declared in DebugInfo.

To see what DebugInfo you have in your APK, right-click in your Assembly view, Rendering Options, enable Show Debug Directives. The debug variables are declared with ".local vX ..."

Thanks,

--

Nicolas Falliere (ni...@pnfsoftware.com)
JEB Decompiler, Founder and Architect

PNF Software | Follow us on Twitter | Join us on Slack | Bulletin Board

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/jeb-decompiler/6252f35f-5cb6-4b22-885d-9c2196c88580n%40googlegroups.com.

[Nicolas Falliere]

For reference: https://www.pnfsoftware.com/jeb/manual/android-debugging/#unreadable-variables

Best regards,

--

Nicolas Falliere (ni...@pnfsoftware.com)
JEB Decompiler, Founder and Architect

PNF Software | Follow us on Twitter | Join us on Slack | Bulletin Board

[Axelle Apvrille]

ok thanks!