With the BRX SDK developers can port their ARX-based applications to Bricscad V9 simply by recompiling their source code.

Merrimack NH, USA and Gent, Belgium, September 15, 2008 -- Bricsys today released its all-new BRX SDK software development kit. Independent developers can port their ARX-based applications to Bricscad V9 simply by recompiling their source code. This enables applications to run on two different DWG platforms using the same source code.

Large numbers of DWG-based application developers no longer wish to depend on a single software vendor for their livelihood. DWG is the standard drawing format used by the CAD industry, and consequently the related ARX API (application development interface) is the most-used API for CAD applications.

Bricsys based their BRX SDK on Open Design Alliance’s DRX SDK, and then extended its code compatibility. This guarantees easy maintenance and enhanced vendor independence. Each time an application is ported to BRX, it multiplies the power of the Bricsys platform.

About BRX

Bricscad - based on IntelliCAD - is the flagship CAD product of Bricsys, and is increasingly becoming the preferred DWG platform for application developers. Last year's Bricscad V8 introduced new engines for LISP and COM (common object model). Since then, there has been a growing demand from application developers to make porting to the Bricscad platform easier.

BRX is the answer. It is source code compatible with ARX 2007 and higher. Although it is not binary-compatible, Bricscad V9 requires only a single recompilation of the source code to run binary files.

BRX SDK completes the set of Bricsys API’s, and now allows the porting of any DWG-based application, whether COM, LISP, Diesel, CUI, ADS, or ARX.

"This is a very important step in offering choice and independence to the DWG community. Many application developers are looking for alternatives. Large application developers have found the way through Bricscad V9. Bricsys actively helps to distribute Bricscad-based applications. The combination of Bricscad V9 and the BRX SDK is important also for our users. They can expect a growing number of applications, regionally and internationally.”.
- Erik De Keyser, CEO of Bricsys

In particular, regional applications are crucial in keeping diversity among engineering solutions. This diversity contributes to a more open market and to increasing interoperability, which is beneficial for the end user and the application market.

The BRX Test Environment

Bricsys developed an extended test suite to provide a high level of quality assurance. The quality of the BRX SDK is ensured by a huge set of unit tests, to date amounting to 1000 tests and 10,000 asserts. The test suite checks success and error conditions for all supported functions. The system logs provide protection for module upgrades, such as ODA's DWGDirect and the Bricscad platform.

"We were extremely careful in the development of the BRX SDK. Some 75% of our development time was spent on writing the BRX test environment. In this way we guarantee application developers the highest possible level of quality. And we did not hold back when it came to advanced topics such as reactors, custom objects, the multiple document interface, transactions, and jig support. We want to maximize the ease-of-use for developers, and help them optimize the maintenance of their code on the short and longer term."
- Luc De Batselier, chief technical officer at Bricsys