How to Remove the Adverts from LimeWire (A step-by-step guide)

LimeWire is a cool gnutella clone in java , from version 1.6 to 2.2.1 they have added a lot of stability useful features, and something that is really annoying , an advert banner . As a practise on how to tweak java software, use the following steps to remove this "nerving, blinking pain in the butt" java control.

First of all you as the ambitioned future java hacker need the following tools:you can search for the actual download locations at google and google:
· JAD , the Java Disassembler, use the -dis option for the opcodes, use without options for the source!
· The gnu tools ,.ZIP and UNZIP
· A good text editor (ultraedit or xemacs) with hex editing and search facility
· A good book on the Java Virtual Machine or at least a list on jvm opcodes ( I used Java Virtual Machine from Matthias Kalle Dallheimer)
Step 1:
· Unpack the Java Files from Limewire.jar with
unzip LimeWire.jar
Step 2:
· Decompile them to source code (jad *.class) ,
Step 3:
· Grep for the Tooltip of the shared files display " The number of files you are sharing ", you will find it in StatusLine.java
The corresponding code fragment is as follows:
public StatusLine()
{
super(new BorderLayout());
labelAvailable = true;
myCurrentPlayingFile = null;
currBeginIndex = -1;
myIDT = null;
fileToPlay = null;
iterations = 0;
myPlayer = new BasicPlayer(this);
myPlayThread = new PlayThread();
myPlayThread.start();
createConnectButtons();
sharingLabel = new JLabel(" ");
sharingLabel.setHorizontalAlignment(0);
sharingLabel.setToolTipText("The number of files you are sharing.");
setStatistics(0L, 0L, 0L, 0);
setDisconnected();
setBorder(BorderFactory.createLoweredBevelBorder() );
JPanel centerPanel = null;
JPanel leftPanel = null;
if(GUIMediator.shouldShowAds())
{
leftPanel = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(0, 0, 15));
centerPanel = new JPanel();
BoxLayout bl = new BoxLayout(centerPanel, 0);
} else
{
leftPanel = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(0));
centerPanel = new BoxPanel(0);
}
leftPanel.add(switchedPanel);
leftPanel.add(sharingLabel);
add(leftPanel, "West");
if(GUIMediator.shouldShowAds())
{
cbanner = new CBanner();
centerPanel.add(cbanner);
add(centerPanel, "Center");
}
if(!CommonUtils.isMacClassic())
{
JPanel mediaPanel = constructMediaPanel();
add(mediaPanel, "East");
myIDT = new InitialDisplayThread();
myIDT.start();
}
myInstance = this;
}
· Nearby you will find the conditional statement for the ad display , our aim is to disable this function, therefore take care that it will be always false

Step 4:
· Disassemble GUIMediator.java, take a look at the function:
public static boolean shouldShowAds()
{
return CommonUtils.isWindows() && SHOW_ADS;
}

· We are getting nearer, what the hell is SHOW_ADS ?
· It is a constant , at is set true
....
private static GUIMediator _instance = null;
private static boolean SHOW_ADS = true;
public static final int YES_OPTION = 101;
public static final int NO_OPTION = 102;
.....
· We want to have it set to false, and have the adverts sent to hell

Step 5:
· We have two possibilities to change the constants, the first is to alter the decompiled source code and recompile with SHOW_ADS set to false, this solution is risky, because a lot of characteristics a class loader (with additional context checks) might check are potentially changed , therefore we go for the alternative, and patch the classfile of GUIMediator.class
· static boolean constants are always filled in the class static constructor, opcode iconst_0 means putting true on the stack, and iconst_1 means false, therefore we have to exchange these opcodes.

static
{
// 0 0:aconst_null
// 1 1utstatic #2 <Field GUIMediator _instance>
// 2 4:iconst_0
// 3 5utstatic #132 <Field boolean SHOW_ADS>


· A look into the opcode map shows ,that we have to patch the following code sequence
· change
($04, $B3, 0, $84) iconst_1, putstatic $0084
to
($03, $B3, 0, $84) iconst_0, putstatic $0084
· Search for $04 $B3 $00 $73 in 1.8b, or for version 2.0.2 search for $04 $B3 $00 $84 and exchange the $04 by $03
· In 2.2.1 search for $04 $B3 $00 $8e and exchange the $04 by $03
· The file can now be patched with the hex mode of ultraedit
· For verification purposes decompile the patched class-file, it should now show, if it doesn't go back to step 1
....
private static GUIMediator _instance = null;
private static boolean SHOW_ADS = false ;///!!!!!!!!
public static final int YES_OPTION = 101;
public static final int NO_OPTION = 102;
.....

Step 6:
· Now we have to get the patched GUIMediator.class back to the LimeWire.jar
· Make a Backup-Copy of LimeWire.jar (does not apply to the brave guys!)
· Now update the jar with

zip LimeWire.jar com/limegroup/gnutella/gui/GUIMediator.class


Step 7:
· Now do some clean up and remove the unpacked class files to make sure that the java class loader gets the files from the jar and not from the unpacked directories under com/limegroup/....



Step 8:
· Start LimeWire and enjoy the empty space where once the ads appeared.
· Now you learned how to defend against unwanted actions on your system and take an closer look to the inner workings of the software that is consuming your cpu cycles.

Now Have fun with a real cool limewire


Your CGIH3R0 (cg1h3r0@gmx.li)

Hmm...

I think you poll is one sided!

Morgwen

__________________
patience is a virtue

Why the hell would you want to decompile the class files, when the java files themselves are already available at limewire.org?

The whole source is available there, and in it, the ads are already disabled.

But for those that like hugely complex methods to do simple stuff, there you go. Man, I always wanted to mess with opcodes instad of just downloading the source and setting showads to true and hitting compile..

Congrats though, a truly rube-goldbergian method hehe

__________________
http://mamiyaotaru.mangatoanime.com

You're right, but not everybody wants

- install a complete java development kit
- download the source distribution
- go thru the build process
- set up the classpath

just to change a single bit ! Altering the Bytecode can be an
alternative when there's nothing new to code just
to alter existing functionality...

And by the way it is often the faster method, because
everything is already on your harddisk, ....

But if you are a jaaa-vaaa guy just hitting compile is ok ...

Yours
Cg1h3r0

Pay

Why don't you just delete the "ads" folder (thats in the limewire folder) on your hard disk?

Wow! Am I glad I have a Mac! Solution: find lib folder. Find ads. move contents to trash. Enjoy the pale blue that doesn't flash at you. In case they get tricky later on, I have a lovely blue graphic file that I can rename to match any advert they throw at me.

You get a strange error when you update, but the program runs fine.

I should also add that I will NOT pay simply not to be irritated by obnoxious animated adverts. Nor will I pay for features removed from software to make an "enhanced" version.

I would pay for LW Pro for a solid hashing feature that can download files with different names. I think that would be a legitimate dividing point for the free and pro versions.

Mmm, interesting. I use LW 2.5.4 Pro and I believe my client doesn't do this solid hashing. It often restarts a download when the name changes, but the size of the file is the same. I'm not going to say it does it in 100% of the case, but it does it often enough to make it annoying and space eating.

i dont see ads on limewire and hey look you get free music and stuff so why remove the ads?

__________________

Lava-soft ad-aware Peer Guardian 2 AVG 7 Free Edition SpyBot Search and destroy Offical Limewire site Microsoft offical site Windows XP service pack updates here (must use IE 5.0 or later)

asdfgh1224: this is a thread from 2002, please look at the dates to not revive those threads

__________________
Liens d'intérêt /Links of interest:
Gnutellaforums en français /The House's rules you have to respect / First search the forum, then create a thread / Free software alternatives! - Logiciels alternatifs gratuits!/