Using custom attributes
Published 31 December 2012
You can use custom attributes to specifically exclude parts of your code from obfuscation, pruning, sealing and error reporting.
Defining attributes
To define the attributes, either:
- in Visual Studio, add a reference to the SmartAssembly.Attributes.dll (located in the %ProgramFiles%\SmartAssembly 6\Attributes folder) in your project.
- add the source code file to your project (SmartAssembly.Attributes.cs for a C# project, or SmartAssembly.Attributes.vb for a VB.NET project).
Both of these files are located in the Smartassembly\attributes folder. If you choose this option, you can change the namespace to match your own, simplifying the use of these attributes.
Attributes for Obfuscation
| Excludes the member from obfuscation. Can be added to assembly, class, delegate, enum, field, interface, method, module, and struct. |
| Excludes the type definition, as well as all the type's members from obfuscation. Can be added to any type (class, enum, interface, and struct). |
| Excludes the type definition from pruning. Can be added to any type (class, enum, interface, and struct). |
| Excludes the type definition, as well as all type's members, from pruning. Can be added to any type (class, enum, interface, and struct). |
| Does not seal the type. This overrides the option to automatically seal all possible classes. Can be added to any type (class, enum, interface, and struct). |
| This overrides the control flow obfuscation level set in the SmartAssembly project. When you add this attribute to your assembly, you can set an alternative obfuscation level for 'flagged methods' (methods with the attribute) in the SmartAssembly user interface. Can be added to any class, method, and struct. |
DoNotObfuscateControlFlow | Does not apply Control Flow Obfuscation. Can be added to any class, method, and struct. |
| When SmartAssembly obfuscates some members, they may become internal. This can stop other applications from post-processing the obfuscated code. Apply the StayPublicAttribute to ensure that the member remains public after obfuscation. Can be added to any class, enum, and interface. |
ForceObfuscate | Forces element to be obfuscated, even if it was excluded by safety mechanisms. Takes precedence over Has an optional Can be added to any property, field, class, method, and struct. |
Attributes for Automatic error reporting
| Reports any unhandled exception, which occurs in this method. This is useful for DLLs because it saves you catching exceptions yourself and passing the exceptions to SmartAssembly. Can be added to any method. |
| When added to any type (class, enum, interface, or struct), prevents that type's fields from being included in error reports. When added to a field, prevents that field from being included in error reports. |
| Prevents variables from being included in error reports. Can be added to any method. |
Code samples
(C#)
[DoNotSealType()] public class MyClass { [DoNotPrune()] [DoNotObfuscate()] public void CalledOnlyByReflection() { } [DoNotPrune()] public string MyPropertyCalledByReflection { get { return "hello world"; } } public void DoSomething([DoNotPrune()] string myString) { } [ReportException()] [ObfuscateControlFlow()] public void DoSomethingDangerous() { } public MyClass() { } [DoNotPrune()] public MyClass(string[] args) { //Called only by Reflection } } [DoNotPruneType()] [DoNotObfuscateType()] public class OtherClass { }
(VB)
<DoNotSealType()> _ Public Class Class1 <DoNotPrune(), DoNotObfuscate()> _ Public Sub CalledOnlyByReflection() End Sub <DoNotPrune()> _ Public ReadOnly Property MyPropertyCalledByReflection() Get Return "hello world" End Get End Property Public Sub DoSomething(<DoNotPrune()> ByVal MyString As String) End Sub <ReportException()> _ <ObfuscateControlFlow()> _ Public Sub DoSomethingDangerous() End Sub Public Sub New() End Sub <DoNotPrune()> _ Public Sub New(ByVal args As String()) REM Called only by Reflection End Sub End Class <DoNotPruneType(), DoNotObfuscateType()> _ Public Class OtherClass End Class
(C#)
[ForceObfuscate] public class ThisClassShouldBeObfuscated { public ThisClassShouldBeObfuscated() { /* obfuscated constructor */ } [ForceObfuscate(true)] public void ThisMethodShouldBeObfuscatedUsingHash(string thisParameterShouldBeObfuscatedUsingHash) { } }
(VB)
<ForceObfuscate> Public Class ThisClassShouldBeObfuscated Public Sub New() ' obfuscated constructor End Sub <ForceObfuscate(True)> Public Sub ThisMethodShouldBeObfuscatedUsingHash(ByVal thisParameterShouldBeObfuscatedUsingHash As String) End Sub End Class