BRX

Works with Bricscad (Windows) Pro.

Bricscad Pro provides a C/C++ API, called the "BRX API". BRX stands for "Bricscad Runtime eXtension".

Code compatibility

BRX is 100% code compatible with the standard C++ interface of AutoCAD, ObjectARX. As an application developer, you only need to maintain one set of source code for your modules, to serve multiple CAD platforms:

• compile and link your code with ObjectARX to run on AutoCAD
• compile and link the same code with the BRX SDK to run on Bricscad. In a project, this can be set up easily through multiple build configurations.

Besides different header include paths and lib paths, the settings can be identical. Note that binary compatibility is not available: a module compiled with ObjectARX can not load in Bricscad, and visa versa a module compiled with the BRX SDK can not load in AutoCAD.

Features

A glimpse of the various items supported in BRX:

• common basic functionality, in categories such as AcRx, AcAp, AcCm, AcDb, AcEd, AcGe, AcGi, AcGs, AcUt, Ads, ...
• Multiple Document Interface: AcApDocument, AcApDocumentIterator, AcApDocManager, ...
• reactors: AcApDocManagerReactor, AcDbDatabaseReactor, AcEditorReactor, ...
• custom objects and entities (your objects derived from AcDbObject, AcDbEntity, ... )
• transactions: AcDbTransactionManager, AcTransactionManager, ...
• input point processing: AcEdInputPointManager, AcEdInputPointMonitor
• jigs: AcEdJig
• MFC based user interface extensions: AcUi and AdUi categories
• protocol extensions
• COM interfaces callable from C++. The COM API of Bricscad, like BRX, is code compatible with AutoCAD. The necessary *.h, *.c and *.tlb files are included in the BRX SDK.
• several "undocumented" but popular ARX functions, such as acdbSetDbmod, acedPostCommand, acedEvaluateLisp, ads_queueexpr, getCurrentPlotStyleName, GetListOfPlotStyles, ...
• load on demand, for commands registered through the AcadAppInfo interface.

Please note that this list is not limitative.

Version

BRX is code compatible with ObjectARX version 2007 (or higher), as a consequence all the interfaces support unicode.

Compiling BRX applications

Your application needs to be compiled with Visual Studio 2005 (Service Pack 1 recommended), or any higher version that is compatible with version 8.0 of the Microsoft CRT and MFC libraries.

Sample

Amongst the sample applications installed with Bricscad, you can find a BRX sample project that shows some features of the BRX API (custom entity, dockable dialog, ...). The sample contains different build configurations, targeting Bricscad and AutoCAD. The code can be compiled with the BRX SDK and ObjectARX, and the identical behavior can be checked on both CAD platforms.

Quality Assurance

Alongside with the development of the BRX SDK, Bricsys has developed an extensive suite of automated tests, to back up all supported BRX functions. Every function is checked for normal operation and error return values. By this way we maximize:

• the correct functioning across different Bricscad versions.
• compatibility with the AutoCAD platform, including the correct flow of your error handling routines.
• backward compatibility of your application across different Bricscad versions.

BRX SDK

The BRX SDK consists of:

• a set of code compatible C++ headers
• the necessary lib files to link against.
• documentation (reference guide, porting manual, change log)

The BRX SDK is not installed with Bricscad itself, but is distributed through a separate download source. You can get free access to the BRX SDK, simply by registering yourself as an application developer on the Bricsys website (www.bricsys.com). During registration, mark the check box for "ARX/BRX/DRX", and you will receive the necessary information to get started.

F.A.Q.

On the Bricsys website (www.bricsys.com), support section, check our knowledge base for frequently asked questions and answers. Search for the keyword "BRX" to find the related topics.

Final notes

• The BRX API is only supported on Bricscad Pro versions, not on Bricscad Classic versions.
• BRX is supported on Bricscad versions V8 or higher. Bricscad V7 or earlier versions do not support BRX. The higher the Bricscad version, the more BRX functions are supported.
• The BRX API has been developed by Bricsys, and is exclusively available for Bricscad only.