# Advanced Cheat Engine Bridge Functionality
This document outlines the advanced functionality that has been added to the Cheat Engine Bridge Module (`ce_bridge.py`).
## New Data Structures
### MemoryScanResult
- **Purpose**: Represents results from memory scanning operations
- **Fields**: address, value, data_type, size, region_info
- **Usage**: Returned by all memory scanning functions
### DisassemblyResult
- **Purpose**: Represents disassembled code instructions
- **Fields**: address, bytes_data, mnemonic, op_str, size, groups
- **Usage**: Returned by code disassembly functions
## Enhanced Memory Scanning
### 1. Value-Based Scanning
- **Method**: `scan_memory_for_value(handle, value, data_type, start_address, end_address)`
- **Supports**: int8, int16, int32, int64, uint8-64, float, double, string
- **Features**: Multi-encoding string search, typed value reading
- **Safety**: Read-only operations, result limiting
### 2. Range-Based Scanning
- **Method**: `scan_memory_range(handle, min_value, max_value, data_type, start_address, end_address)`
- **Purpose**: Find values within a numeric range
- **Optimization**: Type-aligned scanning for performance
- **Use Cases**: Health/ammo ranges, coordinate boundaries
### 3. Wildcard Pattern Search
- **Method**: `find_pattern_with_wildcards(handle, pattern_string, start_address, end_address)`
- **Format**: "48 8B ? 48 ?? 05" (? or ?? for wildcards)
- **Features**: Flexible byte pattern matching
- **Applications**: Code signature detection, API call patterns
## Advanced Code Analysis
### 1. Code Disassembly
- **Method**: `disassemble_code(handle, address, size, architecture)`
- **Engine**: Capstone disassembly framework
- **Architectures**: x86, x64
- **Features**: Instruction groups, operand analysis
- **Output**: Mnemonic, operands, instruction groups
### 2. String Reference Detection
- **Method**: `find_string_references(handle, target_string, start_address, end_address)`
- **Encodings**: UTF-8, UTF-16LE, ASCII
- **Analysis**: Finds code that references strings
- **Applications**: Function discovery, string table analysis
## Data Structure Analysis
### 1. Automated Structure Detection
- **Method**: `analyze_data_structures(handle, address, size)`
- **Detection**: Pointers, strings, repeating patterns
- **Analysis**: vtables, arrays, object structures
- **Suggestions**: Potential data type identification
### 2. Type Conversion Utilities
- **Methods**: `_value_to_bytes()`, `_bytes_to_value()`, `_read_typed_value()`
- **Support**: All standard data types
- **Features**: Multi-format string handling
- **Safety**: Error handling, bounds checking
## Advanced Pointer Analysis
### 1. Reverse Pointer Chain Discovery
- **Method**: `find_pointer_chains_to_address(handle, target_address, max_depth, max_results)`
- **Purpose**: Find all pointer chains leading to an address
- **Depth**: Configurable chain depth (default: 4 levels)
- **Optimization**: Memory region filtering, result limiting
### 2. Enhanced Pointer Resolution
- **Method**: `resolve_pointer_chain(handle, base_address, offsets)` (enhanced)
- **Features**: Better error handling, 64-bit support
- **Applications**: Dynamic address resolution
## Memory Comparison & Snapshots
### 1. Memory Snapshots
- **Method**: `create_memory_snapshot(handle, address, size)`
- **Purpose**: Capture memory state for comparison
- **Use Cases**: Change detection, state monitoring
### 2. Memory Comparison
- **Method**: `compare_memory_snapshots(handle, address, size, previous_data)`
- **Analysis**: Byte-by-byte comparison
- **Output**: Changed regions, statistics, detailed diff
- **Applications**: Memory monitoring, cheat detection
### 3. Change-Based Scanning
- **Method**: `search_for_changed_values(handle, old_value, new_value, data_type, previous_results)`
- **Purpose**: Next scan functionality
- **Features**: Filter previous results, progressive refinement
- **Use Cases**: Value tracking, dynamic analysis
## Safety and Performance Features
### Read-Only Architecture
- All functions are read-only for safety
- Write operations intentionally disabled
- Error logging and graceful failure handling
### Performance Optimizations
- Chunked memory reading (1MB chunks)
- Result limiting (10,000 max results)
- Memory region filtering
- Type-aligned scanning
### Error Handling
- Comprehensive exception catching
- Detailed error logging
- Graceful degradation
- Optional dependency handling (Capstone)
## Integration Features
### Conditional Dependencies
- **Capstone**: Optional for disassembly features
- **Graceful Fallback**: Functions work without optional dependencies
- **Runtime Detection**: Automatic capability detection
### Data Type Support
- **Integers**: 8, 16, 32, 64-bit signed/unsigned
- **Floating Point**: 32-bit float, 64-bit double
- **Strings**: UTF-8, UTF-16LE, ASCII with null termination
- **Raw Bytes**: Hex pattern support
## Usage Examples
### Basic Memory Scanning
```python
# Scan for integer value
results = bridge.scan_memory_for_value(handle, 1000, 'int32')
# Scan for value range
results = bridge.scan_memory_range(handle, 100, 200, 'int32')
# Wildcard pattern search
addresses = bridge.find_pattern_with_wildcards(handle, "48 8B ? 48 ?? 05")
```
### Code Analysis
```python
# Disassemble code
instructions = bridge.disassemble_code(handle, address, 64, 'x64')
# Find string references
refs = bridge.find_string_references(handle, "Player")
# Analyze data structure
analysis = bridge.analyze_data_structures(handle, address, 256)
```
### Advanced Operations
```python
# Find pointer chains
chains = bridge.find_pointer_chains_to_address(handle, target_addr, max_depth=3)
# Memory comparison
snapshot = bridge.create_memory_snapshot(handle, address, 1024)
# ... later ...
changes = bridge.compare_memory_snapshots(handle, address, 1024, snapshot)
# Progressive scanning
first_scan = bridge.scan_memory_for_value(handle, 100, 'int32')
# ... value changes to 150 ...
refined = bridge.search_for_changed_values(handle, 100, 150, 'int32', first_scan)
```
## Future Enhancements
The modular design allows for easy addition of:
- Hot patching detection
- Memory protection analysis
- Advanced pattern libraries
- Machine learning-based structure detection
- Multi-process analysis
- Real-time monitoring capabilities
## Dependencies
### Required
- ctypes (built-in)
- struct (built-in)
- winreg (built-in)
### Optional
- capstone: For code disassembly
- psutil: For enhanced process information
All functionality gracefully degrades when optional dependencies are unavailable.
