Skip to content

Database

database

Classes:

  • Database –

    Provides access and control over the loaded IDA database.

Database 

Database()

Provides access and control over the loaded IDA database.

Can be used as a context manager for automatic resource cleanup:

Example: 

# Open and automatically close a database
with Database() as db:
    if db.open("path/to/file.exe", save_on_close=True):
        # Work with the database
        print(f"Loaded: {db.path}")
# Database is automatically closed here

# Or use without context manager
db = Database()
if db.open("path/to/file.exe", save_on_close=True):
    # Work with database
    db.close()  # Uses save_on_close=True automatically

Constructs a new interface to the IDA database.

Note: When running inside IDA, this refers to the currently open database. Use open() to load a new database when using IDA as a library.

Classes:

Methods:

  • close –

    Closes the currently open database.

  • is_open –

    Checks if the database is loaded.

  • open –

    Opens a database from the specified file path.

Attributes:

  • architecture (Optional[str]) –

    The processor architecture.

  • base_address (Optional[ea_t]) –

    The image base address of this database.

  • basic_blocks (BasicBlocks) –

    Handler that provides access to basic block-related operations.

  • bitness (Optional[int]) –

    The application bitness (32/64).

  • bytes (Bytes) –

    Handler that provides access to byte-level memory operations.

  • comments (Comments) –

    Handler that provides access to user comment-related operations.

  • crc32 (Optional[int]) –

    The CRC32 checksum of the input file.

  • current_ea (ea_t) –

    The current effective address (equivalent to the "screen EA" in IDA GUI).

  • entries (Entries) –

    Handler that provides access to entries operations.

  • events (Events) –

    Handler that provides access to event related operations.

  • filesize (Optional[int]) –

    The input file size.

  • format (Optional[str]) –

    The file format type.

  • functions (Functions) –

    Handler that provides access to function-related operations.

  • heads (Heads) –

    Handler that provides access to user heads operations.

  • instructions (Instructions) –

    Handler that provides access to instruction-related operations.

  • load_time (Optional[str]) –

    The database load time.

  • maximum_ea (ea_t) –

    The maximum effective address from this database.

  • md5 (Optional[str]) –

    The MD5 hash of the input file.

  • metadata (Dict[str, str]) –

    Map of key-value metadata about the current database.

  • minimum_ea (ea_t) –

    The minimum effective address from this database.

  • module (Optional[str]) –

    The module name.

  • names (Names) –

    Handler that provides access to name-related operations.

  • path (Optional[str]) –

    The input file path.

  • save_on_close –
  • segments (Segments) –

    Handler that provides access to memory segment-related operations.

  • sha256 (Optional[str]) –

    The SHA256 hash of the input file.

  • signature_files (SignatureFiles) –

    Handler that provides access to signature file operations.

  • strings (Strings) –

    Handler that provides access to string-related operations.

  • types (Types) –

    Handler that provides access to type-related operations.

  • xrefs (Xrefs) –

    Handler that provides access to cross-reference (xref) operations.

architecture property 

architecture: Optional[str]

The processor architecture.

base_address property 

base_address: Optional[ea_t]

The image base address of this database.

basic_blocks property 

basic_blocks: BasicBlocks

Handler that provides access to basic block-related operations.

bitness property 

bitness: Optional[int]

The application bitness (32/64).

bytes property 

bytes: Bytes

Handler that provides access to byte-level memory operations.

comments property 

comments: Comments

Handler that provides access to user comment-related operations.

crc32 property 

crc32: Optional[int]

The CRC32 checksum of the input file.

current_ea property writable 

current_ea: ea_t

The current effective address (equivalent to the "screen EA" in IDA GUI).

entries property 

entries: Entries

Handler that provides access to entries operations.

events property 

events: Events

Handler that provides access to event related operations.

filesize property 

filesize: Optional[int]

The input file size.

format property 

format: Optional[str]

The file format type.

functions property 

functions: Functions

Handler that provides access to function-related operations.

heads property 

heads: Heads

Handler that provides access to user heads operations.

instructions property 

instructions: Instructions

Handler that provides access to instruction-related operations.

load_time property 

load_time: Optional[str]

The database load time.

maximum_ea property 

maximum_ea: ea_t

The maximum effective address from this database.

md5 property 

md5: Optional[str]

The MD5 hash of the input file.

metadata property 

metadata: Dict[str, str]

Map of key-value metadata about the current database. Dynamically built from all metadata properties.

minimum_ea property 

minimum_ea: ea_t

The minimum effective address from this database.

module property 

module: Optional[str]

The module name.

names property 

names: Names

Handler that provides access to name-related operations.

path property 

path: Optional[str]

The input file path.

save_on_close instance-attribute 

save_on_close = False

segments property 

segments: Segments

Handler that provides access to memory segment-related operations.

sha256 property 

sha256: Optional[str]

The SHA256 hash of the input file.

signature_files property 

signature_files: SignatureFiles

Handler that provides access to signature file operations.

strings property 

strings: Strings

Handler that provides access to string-related operations.

types property 

types: Types

Handler that provides access to type-related operations.

xrefs property 

xrefs: Xrefs

Handler that provides access to cross-reference (xref) operations.

IdaCommandBuilder 

IdaCommandBuilder()

Builder class for constructing IDA command line arguments.

This class provides an interface to build IDA command line arguments for passing them in the database open call.

Usage: builder = Database.IdaCommandBuilder() builder.auto_analysis(False).autonomous(True).set_loading_address(0x400000) args = builder.build_args()

Initialize the command builder with default values.

Methods:

Attributes:

auto_analysis_enabled property 
auto_analysis_enabled: bool

Check if auto analysis is enabled.

Returns: True if auto analysis is enabled, False otherwise.

add_first_pass_directive 
add_first_pass_directive(directive: str)

Add a configuration directive for the first pass (-d switch).

Configuration directives are processed at the first pass. Example: "VPAGESIZE=8192"

Args: directive: Configuration directive string.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

add_second_pass_directive 
add_second_pass_directive(directive: str)

Add a configuration directive for the second pass (-D switch).

Configuration directives are processed at the second pass.

Args: directive: Configuration directive string.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

auto_analysis 
auto_analysis(enabled=True)

Control automatic analysis (-a switch).

Args: enabled: If False, disables auto analysis (-a). If True, enables auto analysis (-a-).

Returns: Self for method chaining.

build_args 
build_args()

Build the complete command line arguments string.

Constructs the command line arguments based on all the configured options. This method processes all the settings and generates the appropriate IDA command line switches.

Returns: String containing all command line arguments separated by spaces.

compress_database 
compress_database()

Compress database to create zipped idb (-P+ switch).

Returns: Self for method chaining.

disable_fpp_instructions 
disable_fpp_instructions(disabled=True)

Disable FPP (Floating Point Processor) instructions (-f switch).

This option is specific to IBM PC only.

Args: disabled: True to disable FPP instructions.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

disable_mouse 
disable_mouse(disabled=True)

Disable mouse support (-M switch).

This option is for text mode only.

Args: disabled: True to disable mouse support.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

empty_database 
empty_database(enabled=True)

Create an empty database (-t switch).

Args: enabled: True to create an empty database.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

load_resources 
load_resources(enabled=True)

Load MS Windows exe file resources (-R switch).

Args: enabled: True to load Windows resources.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

new_database 
new_database(enabled=True)

Disassemble a new file by deleting the old database (-c switch).

Args: enabled: True to create a new database, deleting any existing one.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

no_pack_database 
no_pack_database()

Do not pack database (-P- switch).

Note: This is not recommended. See Abort command documentation.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

no_segmentation 
no_segmentation(enabled=True)

Do not create segmentation (-x switch).

Used in pair with Dump database command. This switch affects EXE and COM format files only.

Args: enabled: True to disable segmentation.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

pack_database 
pack_database()

Pack database to create unzipped idb (-P switch).

Returns: Self for method chaining.

run_debugger 
run_debugger(options: str = '')

Immediately run the built-in debugger (-r### switch).

Args: options: Debugger options string.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

run_script 
run_script(script_file: str, args: List[str] = [])

Execute a script file when the database is opened (-S### switch).

The script file extension determines which extlang will run the script. Command line arguments can be passed after the script name.

The passed parameters are stored in the "ARGV" global IDC variable: - Use "ARGV.count" to determine the number of arguments - The first argument "ARGV[0]" contains the script name

Note: This switch is not available in the IDA Home edition.

Args: script_file: Path to the script file. args: List of command line arguments to pass to the script.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_compiler 
set_compiler(name: str, abi: str = '')

Set compiler in format name:abi (-C#### switch).

Args: name: Compiler name. abi: Application Binary Interface (optional).

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_debug_flags 
set_debug_flags(flags)

Set debug flags (-z switch).

Debug flags can be specified as an integer or list of flag names.

Available debug flags: - drefs (0x00000001): Data references - offsets (0x00000002): Offsets - flirt (0x00000004): FLIRT signatures - idp (0x00000008): IDP module - ldr (0x00000010): Loader module - plugin (0x00000020): Plugin module - ids (0x00000040): IDS files - config (0x00000080): Config file - heap (0x00000100): Check heap - licensing (0x00000200): Licensing - demangler (0x00000400): Demangler - queue (0x00000800): Queue - rollback (0x00001000): Rollback - already_data_or_code (0x00002000): Already data or code - type_system (0x00004000): Type system - notifications (0x00008000): Show all notifications - debugger (0x00010000): Debugger - debugger_appcall (0x00020000): Debugger appcall - source_debugger (0x00040000): Source-level debugger - accessibility (0x00080000): Accessibility - network (0x00100000): Network - stack_analysis (0x00200000): Full stack analysis (simplex method) - debug_info (0x00400000): Handling of debug info (e.g. pdb, dwarf) - lumina (0x00800000): Lumina

Args: flags: Integer value or list of flag names.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_entry_point 
set_entry_point(address: int)

Set the program entry point (-i#### switch).

Args: address: Entry point address as hexadecimal number.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_file_type 
set_file_type(file_type: str, member: str = '')

Interpret the input file as the specified file type (-T### switch).

The file type is specified as a prefix of a file type visible in the 'load file' dialog box. IDA does not display the 'load file' dialog when this option is used.

To specify archive member, put it after the colon character. You can specify nested paths: -T[:{::}[:]]

Examples: - set_file_type("ZIP", "classes.dex") -> -TZIP:classes.dex

Args: file_type: File type prefix. member: Archive member name (optional).

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_jit_debugger 
set_jit_debugger(enabled=True)

Set IDA as just-in-time debugger (-I# switch).

Args: enabled: True to enable (1), False to disable (0).

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_loading_address 
set_loading_address(address: int)

Set the loading address (-b#### switch).

Args: address: Loading address as a hexadecimal number, in paragraphs. A paragraph is 16 bytes.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_log_file 
set_log_file(filename: str)

Set the name of the log file (-L#### switch).

Args: filename: Path to the log file.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_output_database 
set_output_database(path: str)

Specify the output database path (-o#### switch).

This automatically implies creating a new database (-c).

Args: path: Path to the output database file.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_plugin_options 
set_plugin_options(options: str)

Set options to pass to plugins (-O#### switch).

Note: This switch is not available in the IDA Home edition.

Args: options: Options string to pass to plugins.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_processor 
set_processor(processor_type: str)

Set the processor type (-p#### switch).

Args: processor_type: Processor type identifier.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

set_windows_directory 
set_windows_directory(directory: str)

Specify MS Windows directory (-W### switch).

Args: directory: Path to Windows directory.

Returns: Self for method chaining.

close 

close(save: Optional[bool] = None) -> None

Closes the currently open database.

Args: save: If provided, saves/discards changes accordingly. If None, uses the save_on_close setting from open().

Note: This function is available only when running IDA as a library. When running inside the IDA GUI, we have no control on the database lifecycle.

is_open 

is_open() -> bool

Checks if the database is loaded.

Returns: True if a database is open, false otherwise.

open 

open(
    db_path: str,
    db_args: Optional['Database.IdaCommandBuilder'] = None,
    save_on_close=False,
) -> bool

Opens a database from the specified file path.

Args: db_path: Path to the input file. db_args: Command builder responsible for passing arguments to IDA kernel. save_on_close: Default behavior for saving changes on close. Used automatically when exiting context manager, but can be overridden in explicit close() calls.

Returns: True if the database was successfully opened, false otherwise.

Note: This function is available only when running IDA as a library. When running inside the IDA GUI, simply construct a Database() instance to refer to the currently open database. Use is_open() to check if a database is loaded.