ASN.1 compilers

Question

This is my first question so please bear with me, I'm trying to find a good compiler to parse the following standard, I've tried asn1c and I wasn't able compile it successfully, the problem is that I didn't get any error, I tried with "-P" and there was no output, this is what I did

sn1c MAP-ShortMessageServiceOperations.EXP -P

The files in the link have been generated by SIEMENS and for some reason they are not the standard ASN.1

The question is how can I compile all these ASN files with asn1c or any other asn compiler?

and also I've tried snacc and didn't get anything useful from it either.

I'm trying to write a C application that will be running on Red-hat Linux

Given

This is just a general direction but OpenSSL has an ASN.1 parser. A quick google also finds asn1parse. I'm not sure what you mean by "compilers". – Xylophone

asn1c is a compiler that will generate a C files and then you can write your parser, as I mentioned asn1c is working but not with complicated structures or old ones – Given

As mentioned here #14859338 – Given

Eight years later, I would ask this on software recommendations – Laveralavergne

Answer 1

A great place to start is http://www.itu.int/ITU-T/asn1/links/index.htm which list several ASN.1 compilers (both free and commercial).

You can also try your specification in the free online compiler and encoder/decoder at http://asn1-playground.oss.com.

For 3gpp specifications, you are likely to be better off using a commercial tool rather than one of the free tools. OSS Nokalva offers free trials of its ASN.1 Tools at http://www.oss.com/asn1/products/asn1-download.html.

Shortbread

Answer 2

http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/asn1/Pages/Tools.aspx mentions two free ASN.1 compilers, one of which is

• http://lionet.info/asn1c/compiler.html which is FOSS and seems to be well received (http://lionet.info/asn1c/quotes.html)
• The second “free” compiler listed seems to have gone commercial (http://www.oss.com/asn1/products/asn1-c/asn1-c.html), BUT the same company offer a free online encode/decode service at http://asn1-playground.oss.com/
• I can’t figure out if this one is free or requires purchase - http://www.obj-sys.com/products/asn1c/index.php
• This one is FOSS and might be worth examining - https://github.com/ttsiodras/asn1scc

Laveralavergne

I've used the one from Objective Systems. It's not free. I was happy with it and their level of support. I think I prefer OSS Nokalva's C++ model though, it's much friendlier to work with than Objective Systems'. – Protolithic

Answer 3

I came across this compiler that works well for generating C code from ASN.1

https://github.com/maxime-esa/asn1scc

There is also a nice introduction that will get you started, here:

https://www.thanassis.space/asn1.html

This is the only compiler that worked for me so far.

EDIT(2023-12-19): I now use https://github.com/nokia/asn1c

Demarcate

Answer 4

Another tool for 3GPP specifications is online encoder/decoder http://3gpp-message-analyser.com It supports UTRAN RANAP SABP RNSAP NBAP PCAP RUA HNBAP, E-UTRAN S1AP X2AP M2AP M3AP

Adi

Answer 5

You can also find various free online ASN.1 decoder here: https://www.marben-products.com/decoder-asn1/

I hope it helps. Anto

Peddler