Do ArcObjects change across versions?

Question

Hi All,

We have a contractor upgrading some tools from 10.3.1 to 10.8.1 and migrating SQL Server Enterprise GDB from 2012 to 2019.

Are there changes in ArcObjects between versions?  My understanding was that they may be enhanced with additions or fixes applied, but that the ArcObjects themselves don't change.  I haven't worked with AO since 9x, so appreciate y'all's insight!

Thanks!

JamieHammermann · Answer

Thank you @KenBuja!  I was trying to determine how much developer time to include for an upgrade, but since the objects don't change we will likely not need much.

kenbuja · Answer

Enhancements aren't added to existing ArcObjects, but to new versions of the same object with a number suffix. For example, the ILayer interface was created in the beginning. Later on, there were enhancements added to that interface, such as changing the AreaOfInterest property from read-only to read-write, as the ILayer2 interface.

One thing to note is that you can't always use the enhanced object, since it may not be implemented by all the classes of the original. Many more classes implement ILayer than ILayer2. For example, you can use ILayer on a RasterLayer, but you cannot use ILayer2 on it.