rescuing WWW folder from ipa file built with phonegap

Question

My computer was stolen on Saturday and I had done something extremely stupid: failed to back up my phonegap project for a few months.

All i have left is an .ipa file. I was hoping there is someway to extract the WWW folder from this file. It seems plausible since nothing in that folder gets compiled and i can view the contents with IExplorer http://www.macroplant.com/iexplorer/.

I have tried using IDA Pro and managed to view the .js files as binary and rescue a few lines, but no more then that. To be honest IDA Pro is way above my head.

Any help would be great.

Thanks in advance, guys.

Nathan

Answer 1

Try this method, hopefully you won't get into lots of obstacles because you are the one who built the project so you should know what is what

• http://vivianaranha.com/hacking-into-phonegap-iphoneipad-apps/
• Archive link: https://web.archive.org/web/20111002200403/http://www.vivianaranha.com/hacking-into-phonegap-iphoneipad-apps/

Steps

1. Get hold of an phonegap iPhone App. I have one, which I had created a long time back.
2. So go to – http://www.phonegap.com/apps
3. Select iPhone or iPad
4. Pick an app for which you want code (Let me pick my application)
5. Get the link to the app and open with iTunes
6. Download the app. It will save the app in your Apps Folder
7. Right Click on the app and select “Show in Finder”
8. You will see the .ipa file. TicTacToe 1.1.ipa
9. Rename it to TicTacToe 1.1.zip

10. Unzip the file and you will find something like this

    iTunesArtwork
    iTunesMetadata.plist
    Payload\TicTacToe
    

11. Right Click on TicTacToe and select “Show Package Contents”
12. There will be mostly a folder in it www which will have the entire HTML, JS and CSS files or whatever the person used.
13. Tada…. There you go thats all….