| Applies To | |||
| Product(s): | MicroStation SDK | ||
| Version(s): | All | ||
| Environment: | N/A | ||
| Area: | N/A | ||
| Subarea: | N/A | ||
| Original Author: | Bentley Technical Support Group | ||
Are .MA applications still supported?
"Classic" MDL application development is supported, although we highly recommend taking advantage of current technologies (i.e. C++, C#, .NET, WinForms, etc.) as the environment for new application development.
How do I setup my development environment?
A MicroStation Developer Shell is accessible from Windows' Start menu after you install the MicroStation SDK. Optionally, the file mstndevvars.bat in ..\mdl\bin\ can be used as a template for configuring a custom MDL development environment.
Will applications compiled for previous edtions of MicroStation work in this version of MicroStation?
Most applications compiled under previous editions of MicroStation V8 should run with this version of MicroStation.
Will applications compiled for this version of MicroStation work in previous editions of MicroStation?
Applications that do not leverage new facilities in this version of MicroStation should run in previous MicroStation versions.
Can the MicroStation SDK be used on versions of MicroStation previous to this version?
The MicroStation SDK was designed to work with a similar #.#.# version of MicroStation. As such, its installation and use on versions of MicroStation that do not have the same #.#.# build number is not supported.
What version of Visual C/C++ should I use?
Microsoft VisualStudio .NET 2005 tools should be used. This includes VisualC/C++ 8.0.
What version of .NET framework is supported?
100% compatible Microsoft .NET framework 2.0 is required for this version of MicroStation.
Where can I find .NET examples?
Yes, the CellUtility and TextMod examples included in the MicroStation SDK demonstrate building AddIn applications.
How can I build dialogs and implement other GUI items?
MDL dialogs and GUI components can be built from source code. WinForms are supported as well and are the preferred native window environment.
Is MicroStation VBA included with the MicroStation SDK?
MicroStation VBA (e.g. Project Manager, IDE, documentation, examples, etc.) is installed with MicroStation and not with the MicroStation SDK. That said, there are components of the MicroStation SDK that can be used to complement MicroStation VBA.
What programming options are available?
The following table shows what options are available in Bentley Platform Products:
| Product | MDL | External DLL/EXE | VBA | MicroStation BASIC* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MicroStation | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MicroStation PowerDraft | Yes (runtime) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Bentley Navigator | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Bentley Redline | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Bentley View | No | No | No | No |
* Bentley highly recommends using MicroStation VBA instead of MicroStation BASIC
Text Data Types
The MicroStation API uses several data types to represent string data; please see the Text Data Types wiki page for more information.
See Also
MicroStation Desktop TechNotes and FAQs
External Links
Bentley Technical Support KnowledgeBase
Comments or Corrections?
Bentley's Technical Support Group requests that you please confine any comments you have on this Wiki entry to this "Comments or Corrections?" section. THANK YOU!