open a DomainFile containing a ProgramDB in the code browser

[djsteffey]

I have a custom plugin that is a tool opened from the Tool Chest from the project front end.

My plugin has its own interface. When I click a button in it I run the below code. I expect the program to be open in the code browser, but no code browser ever appears and no error messages are generated.

I use this abbreviated code here. I do check return values in the source file and get no errors.

  ProgramManager programManager = tool.getService(ProgramManager.class);
  programManager.openProgram(
      tool.getProject().getProjectData().getRootFolder().getFile("test.exe")
   );

[VincentDary]

Hello @djsteffey,

As the Ghidra API doc say about ghidra.app.services.ProgramManager, this is just a "Service for managing programs", If you want to open your file in the Code Browser you must call It:

Project project = tool.getProject();
DomainFile domainFile = project.getProjectData().getRootFolder().getFile("test.exe");
project.getToolServices().launchTool("CodeBrowser", Arrays.asList(domainFile));

Note that the Code Browser tool must be launched in Swing thread, for this, use the Ghidra wrapping lib around Swing, with runSwingNow and the Supplier variant prototype (which manage the atomic reference) if you want to retrieve a reference to the Code Browser, like this:

GhidraTool codeBrowser = SystemUtilities.runSwingNow(() -> {
    project.getToolServices().launchTool("CodeBrowser", Arrays.asList(domainFile));
});

Next, for example, you can retrieve the console and print a message.

ConsoleService console = codeBrowser.getService(ConsoleService.class);
console.println("Opened !!!")

[djsteffey]

Thank you.

In addition, if I create a Program on the fly and it is not tied to a DomainFile I suppose I could just launch the CodeBrowser with no arguments as it looks like it would return to me a handle to the CodeBrowser object. I do not see a CodeBrowser method to directly set a Program on it but I supposed I could then emit a ProgramActivatedPluginEvent?

[VincentDary]

Yes you can launch the CodeBrowser without argument, maybe you can create a Program on the fly via the API and attach the new program to the project via importProgram and next fire a ProgramActivatedPluginEvent with the new Program, this should work, but not tested !

ghidra/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/plugin/core/codebrowser/CodeBrowserPlugin.java

Lines 125 to 148 in 5b017d0

	if (event instanceof ProgramActivatedPluginEvent) {
	if (currentProgram != null) {
	currentProgram.removeListener(this);
	}
	ProgramActivatedPluginEvent evt = (ProgramActivatedPluginEvent) event;
	clearMarkers(currentProgram); // do this just before changing the program
	currentProgram = evt.getActiveProgram();
	if (currentProgram != null) {
	currentProgram.addListener(this);
	currentView = currentProgram.getMemory();
	}
	else {
	currentView = new AddressSet();
	}
	connectedProvider.doSetProgram(currentProgram);
	updateHighlightProvider();
	updateBackgroundColorModel();
	setHighlight(new FieldSelection());
	AddressFactory currentAddressFactory =
	(currentProgram != null) ? currentProgram.getAddressFactory() : null;
	setSelection(new ProgramSelection(currentAddressFactory));
	}

[djsteffey]

I was able to do it just be creating the Program with the API and then firing the ProgramActivatedPluginEvent. Did not need to import it into a project.

Thank you for your feedback and help.