ObjectARX (
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application. Developed and marketed by Autodesk, AutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers. ...
Runtime eXtension) is an
API
An application programming interface (API) is a way for two or more computer programs to communicate with each other. It is a type of software interface, offering a service to other pieces of software. A document or standard that describes how ...
for customizing and extending
AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application. Developed and marketed by Autodesk, AutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers. ...
. The ObjectARX
SDK is published by Autodesk and freely available under license from Autodesk. The ObjectARX SDK consists primarily of
C++
C++ (pronounced "C plus plus") is a high-level general-purpose programming language created by Danish computer scientist Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language, or "C with Classes". The language has expanded significan ...
headers and libraries that can be used to build
Windows DLLs that can be loaded into the AutoCAD process and interact directly with the AutoCAD application. ObjectARX modules use the file extensions ''.arx'' and ''.dbx'' instead of the more common ''.dll''.
ObjectARX is the most powerful of the various AutoCAD APIs, and the most difficult to master. The typical audience for the ObjectARX SDK includes professional programmers working either as commercial application developers or as in-house developers at companies using AutoCAD.
New versions of the ObjectARX SDK are released with each new AutoCAD release, and ObjectARX modules built with a specific SDK version are typically limited to running inside the corresponding version of AutoCAD. Recent versions of the ObjectARX SDK include support for the
.NET platform by providing managed wrapper classes for native objects and functions.
The native classes and libraries that are made available via the ObjectARX API are also used internally by the AutoCAD code. As a result of this tight linkage with AutoCAD itself, the libraries are very compiler specific, and work only with the same compiler that Autodesk uses to build AutoCAD. Historically, this has required ObjectARX developers to use various versions of
Microsoft Visual Studio, with different versions of the SDK requiring different versions of Visual Studio.
Although ObjectARX is specific to AutoCAD,
Open Design Alliance
Open Design Alliance is a nonprofit organization creating software development kits (SDKs) for engineering applications. ODA offers interoperability tools for CAD, BIM, and Mechanical industries including .dwg, .dxf, .dgn, Autodesk Revit, Autode ...
announced in 2008
DRX SDK Announcement
/ref> a new API called ''DRX'' (included in their DWGdirect library) that attempts to emulate the ObjectARX API in products like IntelliCAD
IntelliCAD is a CAD editor and development platform with an Application Programming Interface API published by the IntelliCAD Technology Consortium ("ITC") through shared development. IntelliCAD emulates the basic interface and functions of AutoCA ...
that use the DWGdirect libraries.
References
See also
* Autodesk Developer Network
*Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. is an American multinational software corporation that makes software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries. Autodesk is headquartere ...
*AutoCAD
AutoCAD is a commercial computer-aided design (CAD) and drafting software application. Developed and marketed by Autodesk, AutoCAD was first released in December 1982 as a desktop app running on microcomputers with internal graphics controllers. ...
Application programming interfaces
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