ACIS - Version Numbers and ACIS Releases

Version Numbers and ACIS Releases

ACIS is currently being developed by Spatial. They maintain the concept of a current version (release) number in ACIS, as well as a save version number. The save version allows one to create a SAT save file that can be read by a previous version of ACIS.

Beginning with ACIS Release 4.0, the SAT save file format does not change with minor releases, only with major releases. This allows applications that are based upon the same major version of ACIS to exchange data without being concerned about the save version. To provide this interoperability in a simple implementation, ACIS save files have contained a symbol that accurately identified the major version number, but not the minor version. This meant that applications created using the same major version of ACIS would produce compatible save files, regardless of their minor versions. This was accomplished by simply not incrementing the internal minor version number between major versions.

Beginning with Release 7.0, ACIS started again providing accurate major, minor, and point version numbers.

To summarize how release numbers and SAT changes are related:

• Major release: SAT file changes may be made; significant functionality changes likely; may require significant changes to existing applications
• Minor release: No SAT file changes are made; may provide new functionality; may require some minimal changes to existing applications
• Point release: Minor changes only (bug fixes). (Also known as service packs).