Which version of C# Express

[gordonp147484]

I am hoping to start playing with some API stuff in the near future, and I am wondering, will the C# Express 2008 beta be viable in RAC 2008, or is RAC still based on the .NET of the 2005 versions?

Also, much of what I heard a few years ago was that C#.NET was superior to VB.NET for Revit development, but it also seemed that most of the people saying that where professional developers who might well be both already familiar with C and doing more complex things. I on the other hand have a lot of background in LISP and VBA. Am I still better off learning C#, or could I make some useful and yet simple tools with VB.NET instead.
And yes, I do realize that VB.NET is so different from VBA that making that switch is halfway to C# anyway, but I am not sure I have time or the brains for that other half! ;)

Thanks,
Gordon

[GuyR]

I am hoping to start playing with some API stuff in the near future, and I am wondering, will the C# Express 2008 beta be viable in RAC 2008, or is RAC still based on the .NET of the 2005 versions?

RAC2008 is .NET2.0 , Vista is .NET3.0 and currently .NET is at .NET3.5 beta which introduces some new features. The big GUI change from 2.0 to 3.0 is the introduction of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). There is nothing stopping you using WPF with Revit. However all clients will have to have the >.NET3.0 runtime installed. FWIW I'm coding and running with the .NET3.5 beta installed without problems.

VS2008 is the new development environment for WPF amongst other technologies. I wouldn't hold my breath for RAC2009 moving to .NET3.0 however. For simplicity I'd stay with the vs2005 express versions unless you want to take advantage of the new functionality in teh .NET3.* versions . If the RAC2009 SDK uses VS2008 project files then you can always upgrade, by which time VS2008 will have been released.


Also, much of what I heard a few years ago was that C#.NET was superior to VB.NET for Revit development,

I'd suggest browsing some VB.NET and equivalent C# code and see which is easier to read. C# is more like other languages in syntax. VB.NET is fairly unique in it's syntax. Some will view this as a plus others not so. There is nothing stopping you using either VB.NET or c# for writing Revit commands. Command speed will be the same.

HTH,

Guy