There are specialized tools (often proprietary and expensive) used by consultants that can perform "disassembly." This doesn't give you a .p file; it gives you a low-level representation of the logic flow. You then have to manually rewrite the ABL code based on that logic. The "Link" Challenge: Mapping R-Code to Source
A .r file is not machine code like an .exe file; rather, it is (portable code). When you compile a Progress program, the OpenEdge compiler translates your readable Advanced Business Language (ABL) into an intermediate format that the Progress Virtual Machine (AVM) can execute. This file contains: Action Segments: The executable logic. Text Segments: String literals and variable names. decompile progress r file link
Unlike Java or .NET, where decompilers can often recreate almost identical source files, Progress r-code compilation is a "lossy" process. When a .r file is created, much of the original "metadata" is stripped away to optimize performance and protect intellectual property. What is lost during compilation: All programmer notes are discarded. When you compile a Progress program, the OpenEdge
Understanding Progress OpenEdge R-Code: Can You Decompile It? Unlike Java or
Includes ( {...} ) and arguments are expanded before compilation, meaning the "link" to the original include file is baked into the code and cannot be easily separated back out. Available Tools and Techniques
To find which source file produced an .r file, most developers use a Deployment Log or an XREF (Cross-Reference) file generated during the build process.