Can I see the text of a compiled *.m file?

Hello,

I've discovered that if I have a compiled app (via Matlab deploytool), I can see all it's *.m files in

AppData / Local / Temp / user-name / mcrCache9.3 /

Q1: with respect to secuity/privacy, it's a bit strange that if I send my Compiled GUI to a customer, theoretically he can see, at least the names of all my source *.m file, isn't it?

Q2: I can see the *.m files, but they actually are binary. Is there anyway I can "convert" them back to text?

THANKS!

Answer 1

[Walter Roberson]

https://www.mathworks.com/help/compiler/release-notes.html

Q1: As of R2021b, you can use the mcc option -s to hide the file names from users.

Q2: Yes, it is known that some people know how to decrypt the archives and then convert the data structures back to text. However this is not supported by Mathworks, and I have heard that Mathworks will not do this as a service.

[Mark Golberg]

@Walter Roberson

would you happen to know those people? that can decrypt binary *.m file into original text one?

[Walter Roberson]

@Mark Golberg

I have seen someone demonstrate it. As far as I know, they do not offer it as a service. The times that I have seen them demonstrate it, they only did so when the person asking could present proof of ownership.

[Mark Golberg]

@Walter Roberson

I have no problem to present proof of ownership.

Can you please connect me with that person?

[Walter Roberson]

They have not logged on here for 6 months, and I do not have any email address for them.

[Mark Golberg]

I see. Ok, thanks.

If by any change you'll see them again, I'd be mostly grateful if you could direct me to them.

Answer 2

[Yongjian Feng]

The folder you mentioned in general is used for caching data locally. Most likely during compilation. This might not happen in the user's machine. Did you try to install your app in another machine and check that folder?

[Mark Golberg]

@Yongjian Feng

Thank you for the reply. I'll check what you've proposed.

Can you please releate to my second question - on my machine - I see the binary *.m files, can I somehow "convert" them to text files?

I want to comapre it to an older version (text compare, not binary compare)