Official CONNECT Edition SDK

Question

Apologies if I missed an announcement somewhere, but where is the SDK? 
 I thought at first it was going to be bundled in the installer, but after downloading the new v10 build of MicroStation, it is nowhere to be found. 
 What is the best practice here for developers? Do we either: 
 
 Run the latest build (v10.00.00.25) with the last SDK beta (v8.21.05.35); or 
 Run the last beta build (v08.21.05.36) with the last SDK beta (v8.21.05.35) 
 
 Now that CONNECT has been released, I imagine a lot of users will be asking when we release our apps for it. 
 Cheers.

Robert Hook · Accepted Answer

In general we do our best to commit to providing an MDL SDK release within 2 weeks of a MicroStation product release, barring any unforeseen circumstances. The MicroStation CONNECT Edition SDK is pending a few additional changes and QA testing, then it will be signed off and then go through a release state posting process. 
 
It is recommended to continue "migrating and developing" applications for MicroStation CONNECT Edition using the existing MicroStation CONNECT Edition EAP product (v08.21.05.36) and SDK (v08.21.05.35) pair for maximum binary and source code compatibility. 
 
For those that install the MicroStation CONNECT Edition released product we recommend to wait for a binary compatible MicroStation CONNECT Edition SDK release due to be released shortly. 
 
For those that attempt to configure the MicroStation CONENCT Edition EAP SDK to build apps to run in the MicroStation CONNECT Edition released product without heading the recommendations above, you are likely to be able to compile, load, and run areas of the released API that have not undergone any significant change between releases. The most likely items you may notice when recompiling applications created for EAP vs. Release editions may include: 
 
 - Potential differences in functionality and/or terminology. 
 e.g. MicroStation Workspaces being renamed to MicroStation Worksets 
 - Potential differences with header files: moves, removed, or renames 
 - Potential differences in public API class/structure member visibility, names and/or methods 
 - Potential differences in library exports 
 
HTH, 
Bob

Phil Chouinard · Answer

Unknown said: 
 IIRC, there was a previous release of MS where the MDL headers were bundled as part of the MicroStation installer, and the SDK only included the example MDLs. I forget which version it was though (I started developing MDLs back in v5 and memory is hazy). 
 
 Yes, good memory. Previous to the V8 generation, the compilers, header files, linkers, example source code, etc. were included with MicroStation. During the early stages of the V8 generation, we determined that uncoupling the SDK from the product was beneficial in a number of ways, so we moved those parts out of the product installation (starting with help files and examples, and then the rest of the development tools). Since then, we have not had any reason to recouple them and I do not recall there being any sort of mention of the possibility of that happening... even though I fully admit to not knowing everything that everyone says everytime :). 
 Unknown said: I don't want to go to the hassle of uninstalling the current release of CE, installing the older beta and SDK, starting work and then finding out the release SDK comes out the next day, as this wastes my time. Knowing when the SDK will come out can save me this bother, and anyone else in my position.
 
 The commercial release of the MicroStation CONNECT Edition SDK is expected to happen shortly (an exact time is not determined as there are various variables that play part in the release process).

Jon Summers · Answer

Unknown said: Apologies if I missed an announcement somewhere, but where is the SDK? 
 The MicroStation CONNECT SDK is available on the SELECT CD site from 18-Sep-15.

Robert Hook · Answer

Hi Piers, Jon, et. al., 
 Makai Smith is the MicroStation and MicroStation SDK product manager. Makai posted the release details on the MicroStation > Announcements in this post: 
 MicroStation CONNECT Edition SDK 
 We are a relatively new BDN team and from our perspective we would like to provide as much advanced notice as possible while respect the product manager's ability to provide timely announcements they are entitled too. So, please forgive us (this time) and we will try to provide as much (pre) release information as possible on the BDN announcements to ensure our top developers are in the know first. 
 Please expect a BDN announcement shortly to mirror and link the announcement referenced above. 
 PS. We are still very busy at work on the MDL SDK next update (likely update 2 - U2) that would tentatively be targeted for release within 2 weeks of the related MicroStation release. Once again, the MDL SDK team is trying to ensure SDK updates will be released when a.) binary compatibility requires it, and b.) we can show value (to you) in new/changed APIs, documentation, and samples as they become available. 
 HTH, Bob