Introduction

This guide explains how you can use the scripting features of Unsniff to write your own powerful analysis tools.

Unsniff supports two types of scripts based on how they interact with Unsniff Network Analyzer.

These scripts typically are run from the command line or via a Windows shortcut. They operate on capture files outside the Unsniff application.

You can attach custom scripts to many popup menu items in Unsniff. They are triggered when the corresponding menu item is selected. These scripts give you access to the currently open capture file and the current selection context. This is a powerful way to add functionality to the Unsniff application.

This document is intended for developers who want to:

• Write Scripts to perform custom tasks on captured data

You need to be familiar with at least one scripting language to use the Unsniff Scripting API. The standard scripting language on Windows Platforms is “Visual Basic Scripting Edition” also known as VBScript. We recommend the Ruby scripting language. Its object oriented design and concise but easy-to-maintain structure make it ideal to build complex, reusable network analysis scripts. The Fox-Ruby toolkit allows you to write user interfaces for your scripts easily. The examples in this guide and the sample code provided in the API are in Ruby and VBScript.

You can also use Perl, Jscript, and Python or any other scripting language that provides access to Windows Automation Objects.

You need the following resources to effectively use the Scripting API

1. A copy of Unsniff Network Analyzer
   • You can purchase a licensed copy or download a trial from
     www.unleashnetworks.com
2. If you are planning to use VBScript, it is pre-installed on all Windows platforms. You do not need to download it separately
3. If you are planning to use Ruby, download ruby from http://www.rubylang.org
4. If you are planning to use Perl/Python/others. Install the respective runtimes on the system
5. You can find a whole lot of scripting resources online at the “Unsniff DevZone”
   http://www.unleashnetworks.com

Unleash Networks maintains an online script library at http://www.unleashnetworks.com/script-contents.html . This library contains many Scripts written by users of Unsniff that can be downloaded and used for free. You may also share your most useful scripts with others by posting on our website.

The Unsniff Plugin API works only on the following platforms:

• Windows XP/Vista/2008/Windows 7
• 32 and 64-bit versions