idapython: it is possible to load IdaPython at an early stage and keep it loaded as long as IDA is running.

(One needs to pass the "--early-load" switch to build.py)

build.py

@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ SRCDIST_MANIFEST = [
     "swig/ua.i",
     "swig/xref.i",
     "swig/graph.i",
+    "swig/fpro.i",
     "tools/gendocs.py",
 ]
 
@@ -325,6 +326,9 @@ def build_plugin(platform, idasdkdir, plugin_name, ea64):
     if ea64:
         platform_macros.append("__EA64__")
 
+    if '--early-load' in sys.argv:
+        platform_macros.append("PLUGINFIX")
+
     # Build the wrapper from the interface files
     ea64flag = ea64 and "-D__EA64__" or ""
     swigcmd = "swig %s -Iswig -o idaapi.cpp %s -I%s idaapi.i" % (SWIG_OPTIONS, ea64flag, ida_include_directory)

python.cpp

@@ -560,13 +560,57 @@ void enable_python_cli(bool enable)
 }
 #endif
 
+/* Install python menu items */
+static void install_python_menus()
+{
+  /* Add menu items for all the functions */
+  /* Different paths are used for the GUI version */
+  add_menu_item("File/IDC command...", "P~y~thon command...",
+    "Alt-8", SETMENU_APP,
+    (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
+    (void *)IDAPYTHON_RUNSTATEMENT);
+
+  /* Add Load Python file menu item*/
+  bool result = add_menu_item("File/Load file/IDC file...", "P~y~thon file...",
+    "Alt-9", SETMENU_APP,
+    (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
+    (void *)IDAPYTHON_RUNFILE);
+  if (!result)
+    add_menu_item("File/IDC command...", "P~y~thon file...",
+    "Alt-9", SETMENU_APP,
+    (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
+    (void *)IDAPYTHON_RUNFILE);
+
+  /* Add View Python Scripts menu item*/
+  result = add_menu_item("View/Open subviews/Show strings", "Python S~c~ripts",
+    "Alt-7", SETMENU_APP,
+    (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
+    (void *)IDAPYTHON_SCRIPTBOX);
+  if (!result)
+    add_menu_item("View/Open subviews/Problems", "Python S~c~ripts",
+    "Alt-7", SETMENU_APP,
+    (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
+    (void *)IDAPYTHON_SCRIPTBOX);
+}
+
+/* we install the menu later because the text version crashes if
+add_menu_item is called too early */
+static int idaapi menu_installer_cb(void *, int code, va_list)
+{
+  if ( code != ui_ready_to_run )
+    return 0;
+
+  install_python_menus();
+  unhook_from_notification_point(HT_UI, menu_installer_cb, NULL);
+  return 0;
+}
+
 /* Initialize the Python environment */
 bool IDAPython_Init(void)
 {
     char *options;
     char tmp[MAXSTR+64];
-    char *initpath;
+    bool result = true;
-    bool result = 1;
 
     /* Already initialized? */
     if (initialized == 1)
@@ -634,35 +678,11 @@ bool IDAPython_Init(void)
     if (options)
         IDAPython_RunScript(options);
 
-    /* Add menu items for all the functions */
+#ifdef PLUGINFIX
-    /* Different paths are used for the GUI version */
+    hook_to_notification_point(HT_UI, menu_installer_cb, NULL);
-    add_menu_item("File/IDC command...", "P~y~thon command...",
+#else
-                  "Alt-8", SETMENU_APP,
+    install_python_menus();
-                  (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
+#endif
-                  (void *)IDAPYTHON_RUNSTATEMENT);
-
-    /* Add Load Python file menu item*/
-    result = add_menu_item("File/Load file/IDC file...", "P~y~thon file...",
-                           "Alt-9", SETMENU_APP,
-                           (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
-                           (void *)IDAPYTHON_RUNFILE);
-    if (!result)
-        add_menu_item("File/IDC command...", "P~y~thon file...",
-                      "Alt-9", SETMENU_APP,
-                      (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
-                      (void *)IDAPYTHON_RUNFILE);
-
-    /* Add View Python Scripts menu item*/
-    result = add_menu_item("View/Open subviews/Show strings", "Python S~c~ripts",
-                           "Alt-7", SETMENU_APP,
-                           (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
-                           (void *)IDAPYTHON_SCRIPTBOX);
-    if (!result)
-        add_menu_item("View/Open subviews/Problems", "Python S~c~ripts",
-                      "Alt-7", SETMENU_APP,
-                      (menu_item_callback_t *)IDAPython_Menu_Callback,
-                      (void *)IDAPYTHON_SCRIPTBOX);
-
     /* Register a RunPythonStatement() function for IDC */
     set_idc_func("RunPythonStatement", idc_runpythonstatement, idc_runpythonstatement_args);
 
@@ -679,6 +699,9 @@ bool IDAPython_Init(void)
 /* Cleaning up Python */
 void IDAPython_Term(void)
 {
+#ifdef PLUGINFIX
+    unhook_from_notification_point(HT_UI, menu_installer_cb, NULL);
+#endif
     /* Remove the menu items before termination */
     del_menu_item("File/Load file/Python file...");
     del_menu_item("File/Python file...");
@@ -767,7 +790,11 @@ extern "C"
 {
     plugin_t PLUGIN = {
         IDP_INTERFACE_VERSION,
+#ifdef PLUGINFIX
+        PLUGIN_FIX,    // plugin flags
+#else
         0,             // plugin flags
+#endif
         init,          // initialize
         term,          // terminate. this pointer may be NULL.
         run,           // invoke plugin

python/idautils.py

@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ def Threads():
         yield idc.GetThreadId(i)
 
 
-def Heads(start=idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA, end=idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA):
+def Heads(start=None, end=None):
     """
     Get a list of heads (instructions or data)
 
@@ -187,6 +187,9 @@ def Heads(start=idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA, end=idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA):
 
     @return: list of heads between start and end
     """
+    if not start: start = idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA
+    if not end:   end = idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA
+
     ea = start
     if not idc.isHead(idc.GetFlags(ea)):
         ea = idaapi.next_head(ea, end)
@@ -195,7 +198,7 @@ def Heads(start=idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA, end=idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA):
         ea = idaapi.next_head(ea, end)
 
 
-def Functions(start=idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA, end=idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA):
+def Functions(start=None, end=None):
     """
     Get a list of functions
 
@@ -209,6 +212,9 @@ def Functions(start=idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA, end=idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA):
     in multiple segments will be reported multiple times, once in each segment
     as they are listed.
     """
+    if not start: start = idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA
+    if not end:   end = idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA
+
     func = idaapi.get_func(start)
     if not func:
         func = idaapi.get_next_func(start)
@@ -414,13 +420,17 @@ class Strings(object):
         self._si  = idaapi.string_info_t()
         self.size = 0
 
-    def refresh(self, ea1=idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA, ea2=idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA):
+    def refresh(self, ea1=None, ea2=None):
         """Refreshes the strings list"""
+        if not ea1: ea1 = idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA
+        if not ea2: ea2 = idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA
         idaapi.refresh_strlist(ea1, ea2)
         self.size = idaapi.get_strlist_qty()
 
     def setup(self, strtypes=STR_C, minlen=5, only_7bit=True, ignore_instructions=False,
-              ea1=idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA, ea2=idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA, display_only_existing_strings=False):
+              ea1=None, ea2=None, display_only_existing_strings=False):
+        if not ea1: ea1 = idaapi.cvar.inf.minEA
+        if not ea2: ea2 = idaapi.cvar.inf.maxEA
         t = idaapi.strwinsetup_t()
         t.strtypes = strtypes
         t.minlen = minlen