topic Re: Backward compatibility for future releases in ArcObjects SDK Questions

Backward compatibility for future releases

MichaelDiss-Torrance — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:42:25 GMT

I must say it is frustrating when a "new" release of the ESRI software requires re-building and re-configuring customizations of previous releases of ArcMap or other ESRI products.

I just wrote a editing widget for ArcInfo to be released in a month, and ArcGIS 10 has completely redesigned it's interface and user workflow. I'll have to go through the entire user-input and redesign again, followed by any new changes to the code.

A few years ago, the JavaScript component of the ADF model was changed from one version to the next, making weeks of code useless.

I know we have to keep up with changes in technology, but having to rewrite code to adjust for new versions and "better" ways to do things does not make financial sense for my customers footing the bill for me writing these things.

Then, these new versions introduce new issues. By the time they popped up and we've adjusted our code to work around these things, a new version pops up - fixing those issues, and introducing more new issues.

I know that complaining about it doesn't help matters, but perhaps future releases could support older code a bit longer. Overall, I spend too much time trying to make old code work with new versions, than learning and creating new products.

Re: Backward compatibility for future releases

GeorgeSilva — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 23:50:33 GMT

I don't know how much ArcGis 10 is backwards compatible with 9.3.1 and 9.3, but ESRI usually show all changes made in Resource Center, in a specific page.

I found interesting that many of the 9.3.1 programs were fully compatible with 9.3 and to some extent, 9.2

And I agree, it's pain to refactor code every 10 months or so 😛

Re: Backward compatibility for future releases

MichaelDiss-Torrance — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 16:02:32 GMT

It seems that now that all our previous Web ADF web mapping applications will need to be rewritten for Silverlight, Flex, or JavaScript APIs since 10.1 will be the end of that technology.

I wonder if there is a trend whereby all my ArcObjects-COM based code may also go away soon too (version 10.2/11 ???)

Re: Backward compatibility for future releases

MichaelDiss-Torrance — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 01:17:50 GMT

It now seems that ArcIMS will be going away one version earlier than stated last month.

In this document (http://downloads2.esri.com/support/TechArticles/ArcGIS_9.3.1_and_10_Deprecation_Plan.pdf), released in April, it states that: "The next major release after ArcGIS 10.0 will be the last planned release for ArcIMS on Windows"

In this document (http://downloads2.esri.com/support/TechArticles/ArcGIS10and101Deprecation_Plan.pdf), released in October, it states that:"ArcGIS 10.0 was the last release of ArcIMS; we will no longer ship ArcIMS in releases after ArcGIS 10.0"

What is going on here?

Don't get me wrong, I think the Silverlight and JavaScript APIs are awesome! I just have 14 ArcIMS applications I need to migrate before the technology goes away. Now it seems that it will go away a lot sooner than what I had time/budgeted for.