topic Re: .NET Add-ins and versions compatibility in .NET Forum

.NET Add-ins and versions compatibility

btmsoftware — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 14:17:41 GMT

Hi there.

Has anybody any doc/info regarding .NET add-ins compatiblity across the versions of AutoCAD.

Basically, the story is that we're starting to port our VBA stuff into .NET Add-ins

The issue is that we have customers using from AutoCAD 2008 up to 2013

Everything before 2010 will stay VBA but we'd like to replave VBA starting at 2010

So the question is:

If I write an AutoCAD Add-in in 2010, will it work in 2011 and later ? or should westart in 2011.... Or do we need to recompile for every version of AutoCAD ?

A Ny idea/tip/info is welcomed

Re: .NET Add-ins and versions compatibility

arcticad — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:31:45 GMT

AutoCAD breaks Binary compatability every three versions and you will need to recompile your application with the current version.

http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2009/02/autocad-2010-drawing-file-api-format-compatibility.html
http://through-the-interface.typepad.com/through_the_interface/2012/03/migrating-net-applications-to-work-with-autocad-2013.html

Re: .NET Add-ins and versions compatibility

_gile — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 18:22:28 GMT

Hi,

From my side, I would say that there is no compatibility issues with version 2007 to 2012 in pure. NET (only very few classes have changed with version 2010) provided that the applications do not use later versions features. No recompilation is necessary. Things may be different for applications using the COM API, or P/Invoking some unmanaged methods.
By cons, there is a real break compatibility with version 2013 and applications must be recompiled with rarely a few changes in the codes.

Re: .NET Add-ins and versions compatibility

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 16:08:41 GMT

If you are working only in the 2D world,NanoCAD is a good option. All your code should work there with a recompile. It doesnt change its API, so no need to recompile your code every few years. Most of my .NET code I originally wrote for AutoCAD addons. I was pleased to see that it would recompile with NanoCAD just by changing out a couple of references. Since I am just a 2D guy, and do not expect to be more than that, at least for electrical and P&ID, this works for me. The commands and GUI are almost all the same also, so I did not have to relearn anything.