This is just quick note that modules will need to be re-built for Ignition 7.7, as we’ve once again had to increment the framework version.
The 7.7 SDK is available from the “early access” downloads page. There should not be any major API changes, but please let us know if you find anything that seems strange.
Your module.xml files should now specified a “requiredignitionversion” of 7.7.0, and the “requiredframeworkversion” should now be 6.
We will try to add more detailed changes to the programmer’s guide soon. However, one point that is worth stating here: The gateway now requires Java 8, while the Designer/Client require 6+. This means that you may now use Java 8 features in your gateway-scoped modules/jars.
Hi,
Will the modules build with SDK 6.4… and Ignition version 6.4…upward compatible with version 7.7? I haven’t reinstalled the Ignition 7.7… trial version and corresponding SDK 7.7… to avoid the ECLIPSE setup and migration of my previous working setup. I remember when I upgraded the sdk from version 6.3… to 6.4… I had a lot of trouble setting-up the development set up.
Can I continue with SDK 6.4 if I don’t need the features of new version? Will my modules automatically work with the new SDK 7.7? Or is it absolutely essential to migrate to new version of SDK and Ingition?
What about downward compatibility of SDK 7.7 modules (assume I migrate to it) with 6.4 version of Ignition ,in case any of the users don’t want to upgrade to 7.7?
I’m not exactly sure what you mean when you say version 6.3 and 6.4… do you mean 7.6.4 and 7.6.3?
Either way, the versioning so far has all been off that middle number: 7.3.x, 7.4.x, 7.5.x, 7.6.x, 7.7.x, etc… and each time we changed that middle number we incremented the platform version number in the SDK as well. A module’s platform version number must be an exact match. Because of this all modules so far have been required to be compiled for their specific Ignition version.
So to answer your question: no. Modules for compiled for Ignition 7.6 won’t work on Ignition 7.7, and modules for Ignition 7.7 most definitely won’t work on 7.6.
In some theoretical future where we stop incrementing the platform version number it may be possible to have a module that is backwards compatible, for example if we managed this for 7.8, then 7.7 modules would work on 7.8 without recompiling and changing the platform version. This is not a promise that it will happen for 7.8.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for detailed reply. Yes I meant version 7.6.3 to 7.6.4 if Ignition (not 6.3 to 6.4 as stated earlier). Sorry about the ambiguity. (I guess the 7 in the version stands for JDK version 1.7… Is there Ignition version 8.?.? likely to come with the advent of java 1.8?).
Regarding having to recompile the modules that are developed on SDK 7.6.4 for SDK 7.7… , what if some customers have Ignition 7.6… on their installation and they haven’t migrated to 7.7… do we need to keep our modules complied on both 7.6… and 7.7… versions of SDK for such customers? What if some of your customers are still using even earlier version of Ignition (say 7.5… etc) how do we make our module available to them? Or can we safely assume that all customer installations will have already migrated to latest version of ignition and we need to compile our module only for the latest version (and may be one previous version at the most)? Its difficult to maintain multiple versions of SDK as we have to have the setup ready on multiple machines!
Any clarifications will be appreciated.
Regards
PRAMANJ
[quote="Pramanj"]Hi Kevin,
Thanks for detailed reply. Yes I meant version 7.6.3 to 7.6.4 if Ignition (not 6.3 to 6.4 as stated earlier). Sorry about the ambiguity. (I guess the 7 in the version stands for JDK version 1.7.. Is there Ignition version 8.?.? likely to come with the advent of java 1.8?).
[/quote]
The 7 doesn't really mean anything, it's just the major version number we chose. It's not tied to Java versions in any way. I'm sure some day we'll increment the major version and there will be an Ignition 8.
You need to maintain your modules for each version of Ignition you want to support. Yes, it's difficult. We do the same. You can probably assume supporting any version before 7.5 isn't worth the effort. For 7.5 and beyond it's up to you.
Personally, I would only target latest version available at the time I released the module, then continue to compile for new versions as they are released.
Thanks a lot for the clarifications. Most of answers were as I had thought it to be.
Just one more clarification, do we need to maintain Module versions even between the subversion of a minor version (say 7.6.3 and 7.6.4), or one binary version of module will work between sub versions?
Beat Regards
PRAMANJ
so i hope the minor versions will be backward and forward compatible. i.e. modules compiled with 7.6.4 will be compatible with 7.6.3 and vice versa. Or its only backward compatible? i.e. it is best to compile with latest version of a major version which will be compatible with all previous monir versions.
regards
PRAMANJ