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Old ObjectARX programs convert to new ver

Printed From: CAD Forum
Category: EN
Forum Name: AutoCAD
Forum Description: Discussion about AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, viewers, DWG and DWF formats, Design Review, AutoCAD 360, add-ons
URL: https://www.cadforum.cz/forum_en/forum_posts.asp?TID=7427
Printed Date: 31.May.2026 at 23:19


Topic: Old ObjectARX programs convert to new ver
Posted By: ssmallwood
Subject: Old ObjectARX programs convert to new ver
Date Posted: 01.Mar.2012 at 03:06
Please help if you can.

We have a problem that I'm sure everyone with custom ARX programs has had.  We are attempting to update our AutoCAD 2004 to 2012 (64-bit).  We've shelled out all the cash for the new computers and AutoCAD, but our ARX programs do not work.

So far we know that they have to be re-compiled to work with the new version, and we have the source code from the original programmer.  Original programmer is not available for this update, so we had 3 other programmers look at it and they cannot figure it out.

Programmers 1 and 2 are C++ programmers who have never programmed for CAD before and they both seem absolutely lost with this and cannot figure out how to get the code to compile.  Programmer 3 has CAD programming experience but says that the code references OpenGL which he has no experience with, so instead of trying he just wants to rewrite.  I really don't want to take the time to rewrite and debug 44 programs that are essential to our operation.  Pretty sure that we really need someone who specifically has experience upgrading ObjectARX who can identify the potential conflicts and get them dealt with accordingly.

This is garbaly-goo to me, but it was originally written in C++, referencing OpenGL. From what I know, all 44 programs are on one install file, but reference hundreds of libraries. 

The original programs were written between 1999-2005 and we have both AutoCAD 2000 and AutoCAD 2004 versions working fine.  These programs are absolutely necessary for my every day (yikes, every minute) of work so it is imperative that we can get them working again, and soon.  Without them we are stuck using v2004 and are getting further behind AutoCAD editions every year.

We are a surveying company and use CAD in the simplest of forms, mainly to calculate survey point locations and simple 2D drafting.  We rarely even use such "advanced" features such as Paper Space, so moving to Civil3D or other generic programs is just too much overkill and after 25 years we aren't willing to learn the complexities of such beasts.

Since we don't employ a programmer who can understand how to recompile, we are really looking for anyone who can, or can refer someone to compile the original source code to work with AutoCAD 2012 64-bit.  Of course we are willing to pay for the work, and will probably require some debugging after as well. 


Replies:
Posted By: ssmallwood
Date Posted: 04.Mar.2012 at 04:55
Hmm  4 days in moderation and still not available for forum display.  Doesn't seem like a reasonable timeframe to review one message.  2 hours is reasonable.

Posted By: Vladimir Michl
Date Posted: 07.Mar.2012 at 17:47
Updating ObjectARX applications between adjacent versions means often only a recompilation (under a proper version of the compiler). But between 2004 and 2012 there were lots of changes in the API (e.g. the whole API moved to Unicode) so porting the code won't be an easy task - specially when it refers also non-AutoCAD libraries like OpenGL.
 
PS: sorry for the late approval, your messages were buried by anti-spam filters


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Vladimir Michl (moderator)
ARKANCE - https://arkance.world" rel="nofollow - https://arkance.world - Autodesk Platinum Partner

Posted By: ssmallwood
Date Posted: 08.Mar.2012 at 02:22
Thank you, we have consulted a few ADN companies to review the source and it seems that they are saying the same.  Hopefully one of them will be able to turn it quickly enough for the upcoming busy season.  Thanks for your input.


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