Method for reconstructing debugging information for a decompiled executable file

A decompiler for decompiling target executable code into target source code with debugging information, wherein executable code comprises a plurality of instructions for a particular computing environment and source code comprises a plurality of instructions in a form readable by programmers, and wherein the target executable code is a result of compiling initial source code, the decompiler comprising:

• source generation means for generating one or more source statements of the target source code from one or more instructions of the target executable code, wherein the one or more source statements are such that a compiler for the particular computing environment would compile the one or more source statements into the one or more instructions of the target executable code, or functionally equivalent instructions which are functionally equivalent to the one or more instructions of the target executable code, wherein the source generation means includes hooks for incorporating additional functionality at a plurality of hook points in the source generation means;
• and
• means for generating debugging information independent of the initial source code, the debugging information being information about source code that would correspond to the target executable code, wherein the means for generating debugging information comprises additional functionality hooked at the plurality of hook points to generate the debugging information in response to the decompiler processing through each of the plurality of hook pints.