topic Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1 in ArcObjects SDK Questions

Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

FossiG_ — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 15:28:02 GMT

Hi all,

are there any experiences with ArcMap AddIns built in Version 10.2 to be used in an ArcMap 10.1 installation?

We plan to upgrade to Win8 / Visual Studio 2012. But as I learned from the system requirements, 2012 is only supported with ArcGIS 10.2.

We still have to support several 10.1 installations, which probably won't be upgraded so soon. What's the recommended solution?

Thanks in advance
Fossi

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

LeoDonahue — Sun, 19 Jan 2014 15:12:14 GMT

Speaking for the Java API, from 10.0 to 10.1 the esriLicenseProductCode constants changed.

from esriLicenseProductCodeArcInfo to esriProductCodeAdvanced

So if you are checking for licensing in your code, you might run into this.

Can't say it will change again in 10.2. The Java docs for 10.2 point to the 10.1 publication. I have no idea about the .NET API.

But then again, 10.2 "is" a 10.1 service pack, right? Are they still calling it that?

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

LeoDonahue — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 16:22:54 GMT

What is different between the dot.dot release and a service pack?

I don't know how ESRI determines that.

It adds confusion when discussing software compatibly between Arc and other software packages (especially if other software follows a similar pattern of naming their versions) ie. (some software package) Version 8 is compatible with Arc 10.0, Version 10 is compatible with Arc 10.1, and version 12 will be compatible with Arc 10.2. I know compatibility matrices are helpful, but when talking about software with people who are not familiar with all the different versions it seems like unnecessary added confusion. It also creates confusion when talking about compatibility between different pieces of ArcGIS software.

And also ArcView, ArcInfo, ArcGIS Desktop (Advanced). Product name changes are just as hard to address with non-gis people because they think it's a different product altogether.

Wouldn't it be great if GIS software was a spec, like HTML. And After HTML 5, the name just remains HTML, and all the new functionality just gets added to the spec. And it's up to the implementers of the spec to make sure it gets added? Wow...

Perhaps one day when ESRI becomes a full web platform, that might happen. Kind of like functionality in ArcGIS Online, it just shows up and I don't have to upgrade anything.

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

BruceNielsen — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 19:35:47 GMT

Back to the original question...

Addins are ArcGIS-version specific. A 10.2 compiled Addin won't work with 10.1, even if the underlying ArcObjects code is 10.1 compatible. It's also true vice-versa.

If you have clients running 10.1 you may need to keep an installation with ArcGIS 10.1 & Visual Studio 2008 or 2010 in order to develop new solutions for them.

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

LeoDonahue — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 19:44:32 GMT

Back to the original question...

Addins are ArcGIS-version specific. A 10.2 compiled Addin won't work with 10.1, even if the underlying ArcObjects code is 10.1 compatible. It's also true vice-versa.

Maybe in .NET, but in Java, I have an Add-in developed in 10.0 and it works fine in 10.2 with no code changes required.

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

KenBuja — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:00:34 GMT

Maybe in .NET, but in Java, I have an Add-in developed in 10.0 and it works fine in 10.2 with no code changes required.

I would have agreed with you last week, but I just came across an example where an Add-in I created in 10.0 didn't quite work on 10.2. I opened the project in 10.2, updated the references (but made no other code changes) and recompiled it. It then worked correctly in 10.2

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

LeoDonahue — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:04:13 GMT

Your Add-in was written in Java?

I just tested one today. A customer has an old Add-in (Java) that I gave them two years ago. I moved it to a 10.2 ArcMap to see what I needed to change and it works fine.

Full disclosure, I am not doing anything version specific in this Add-in. If I had been checking the license level, I would have had to recompile it to use the correct esriLicenseProductCode constant.

The Add-in edits a shapefile.

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

KenBuja — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:06:23 GMT

Your Add-in was written in Java?

I just tested one today. A customer has an old Add-in (Java) that I gave them two years ago. I moved it to a 10.2 ArcMap to see what I needed to change and it works fine.

Full disclosure, I am not doing anything version specific in this Add-in. If I had been checking the license level, I would have had to recompile it to use the correct esriLicenseProductCode constant.

The Add-in edits a shapefile.

This Add-in was in .NET. The problem it was having was writing output of a goeprocessing tool to a geodatabase. Once I changed the references, the output was created successfully.

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

LeoDonahue — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:24:03 GMT

I think you and Mr. Neilsen are correct when it comes to .NET Add-ins because the references you add to your project are compiled to specific versions in Visual Studio.

I don't have, haven't had so far, this problem with Java. Other than version specific changes to ArcObjects Java code that I mentioned regarding licensing constants. I'm sure this will probably change now that the cat is out of the bag.

I'm not sure why more people aren't coding in Java in the ESRI platform.

I thought about compiling a Top 10 Reasons to switch to Java for the New Year, but never got working on it.

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

KenBuja — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 12:06:37 GMT

I think you and Mr. Neilsen are correct when it comes to .NET Add-ins because the references you add to your project are compiled to specific versions in Visual Studio.

I don't have, haven't had so far, this problem with Java. Other than version specific changes to ArcObjects Java code that I mentioned regarding licensing constants. I'm sure this will probably change now that the cat is out of the bag.

I'm not sure why more people aren't coding in Java in the ESRI platform.

I thought about compiling a Top 10 Reasons to switch to Java for the New Year, but never got working on it.

Have you tested whether anything you have written for 10.2 in Java is backwards compatible?

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

LeoDonahue — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 12:49:58 GMT

I really hesitate to give this answer, but...

The same Java code that was developed in an ArcGIS 10.0 Add-in environment works in 10.2. I simply copied the 10.0 Add-in to a 10.2 workstation and it worked without issue.

Moving that Java code to an ArcGIS 10.2 environment and building the Add-in, then copying that Add-in back to a 10.0 workstation works as well.

** Note: This particular Add-in was manipulating shapefile data and I was not license checking.

I know that if I were license checking that I would have had to change the code for license checking and rebuild the Add-in for each environment, as i have to do that for other Add-ins I created that use license checking.

I have a feeling ESRI will put the kibosh to this at the next SP, now that I have blabbed.

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

FossiG_ — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 12:26:15 GMT

Back to the original question...

Addins are ArcGIS-version specific. A 10.2 compiled Addin won't work with 10.1, even if the underlying ArcObjects code is 10.1 compatible. It's also true vice-versa.

If you have clients running 10.1 you may need to keep an installation with ArcGIS 10.1 & Visual Studio 2008 or 2010 in order to develop new solutions for them.

Thanks for clarification, even though I had wished for an other anwser. 😉
Holding two environments for development doesn't make things easier. I read that I can have more than one version of Visual Studio on the same machine, even it's not the best idea.

Does anybody know, if I can have two ArcMap-Installation on the same machine? The default setup seems to enforce an update, which removes all 10.1-components. But I doubt that the ArcObjects-setup will distinguish between VS2010 and VS2012...

TIA,
Fossi

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

LeoDonahue — Fri, 24 Jan 2014 12:35:28 GMT

>> Does anybody know, if I can have two ArcMap-Installation on the same machine?
No. If you mean can you have 10.0 and 10.1 on the same machine, no. 10.1 will make you uninstall the older version of ArcMap.

But, if you have the ESRI license, you can always use a virtual machine software to spin up another instance of ArcMap on the same machine, assuming your machine is capable with resources.

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

FossiG_ — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 08:36:11 GMT

But, if you have the ESRI license, you can always use a virtual machine software to spin up another instance of ArcMap on the same machine, assuming your machine is capable with resources.

Hi Leo and Sol,

thanks for your replies. Using a VM to maintain a second machine for compiling would be no great problem. What gives me a headache is the licensing [Sorry, I know we are far from the original topic now :o].

The license agreement under http://www.esri.com/~/media/Files/Pdfs/legal/pdfs/e204_e300.pdf states

EDN server Software and Data may be installed on multiple computers for use by any Licensee
EDN developer; all other EDN Software is licensed as a Single Use License.

I am no lawyer. Is it considered single use, if I maintain two installations of ArcMap?
What argues for this position: It's physical the same machine and it's the same developer. So multi-install, but single use. And it would be installations of different versions. Not two installation of the same.

Does these accord with the common understanding of the license agreement?

TIA
Fossi

Addition:
Sorry, I was too hasty. "Single use" has a little different definition as I expected. Did I mention, that I hate license stuff? 😉

"Single Use License" means a license that allows Licensee to permit a single authorized end user to install and use the Product on a single computer for use by that end user on the computer on which the Product is installed. Licensee may permit the single authorized end user to install a second copy for end user's exclusive use on a second computer as long as only one (1) copy of Product is in use at any time. No other end user may use Product under the same license at the same time for any other purpose.

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

LeoDonahue — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 12:23:43 GMT

I'm glad you found the info on single use license as that seemed to stick in the back of my mind that you might be able to have a second install as long as you were not using both at the same time. I think it might be specific to the same version though, but I honestly don't know how ESRI manages single use licesning these days. Alot has changed over the years since I had to keep track of this.

Your original question was whether a 10.2 Add-in is backwards compatible with 10.1.

Under .NET we have determined the answer is no.

Under Java, I can show that it is possible as long as you are not using license checking code, otherwise, you simply have to recompile your code to change the constant value that was used in the different versions (at least from 10.0 to 10.1). I don't know if what I can show is intended, or if it "just happens to work because no one plugged that hole".

Check with ESRI to see if you can run a VM in a different ArcGIS version using your existing single use license, or switch to Java :cool:

Re: Backward compatibility of 10.2 ArcMap AddIns with ArcMap 10.1

LeoDonahue — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 13:54:58 GMT

Leo, why switch Java? Someone should write a technical article Top 10 reasons to Program ArcObjects using Java

<insert napolean dynamite response>Maybe I will, gosh!</>