Recreating lost Visual Studio projects from compiled DLLs using .NET Reflector and its FileDisassembler add-in is a classic reverse-engineering technique used to recover lost C# or VB.NET source code. What is Reflector.FileDisassembler?
In the early days of .NET development, Lutz Roeder’s free .NET Reflector was the premier tool to view the source code of compiled assemblies. However, the base application only let developers view one class or method at a time inside its UI.
To solve this, Denis Bauer created the Reflector.FileDisassembler add-in. This add-in automated the process of dumping an entire compiled DLL into separate .cs or .vb source files and generating a fully functioning .csproj or .vbproj file. This allowed developers to open the recovered project directly in Visual Studio and rebuild it. How the Process Works (Historically)
If you are working with legacy systems or using older versions of .NET Reflector, the recovery workflow generally follows these steps:
Install the Add-In: Download the Reflector.FileDisassembler.dll file. Inside .NET Reflector, navigate to Tools > Add-Ins, click Add, and select the downloaded DLL.
Load the Project DLL: Open your lost application’s compiled DLL or EXE inside .NET Reflector.
Launch the Disassembler: Select Tools > File Disassembler from the menu to open the add-in panel. Configure Output Settings: Select your target language (e.g., C# or Visual Basic).
Choose the project type (e.g., Class Library, Windows Application, Console Application). Specify a target output directory on your machine.
Generate the Project: Click Generate. The tool maps out the entire assembly structure and outputs a complete Visual Studio project file alongside the source files.
Using Reflector To Create VisualStudio Project – Stack Overflow
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