GRX – Another ObjectARX Source Compatible SDK

Today the Chinese IntelliCAD developer, GStarSoft announced that they would be releasing GRX, an AutoCAD source compatible SDK, in a couple of months. According to the press release, “GRX, short for GstarCAD Runtime eXtension, is highly compatible with AutoCAD ARX interface. With GRX, one set of source codes can support two platforms (AutoCAD and GstarCAD).”

I think I should maintain a list of these ObjectARX source compatible SDK’s, because I don’t believe that we have seen the last of them. Here is the list:
1) BRX from Bricsys. This SDK is in production use by many AutoCAD plug-in developers.
2) FRX from Graebert. This is part of their new Argon platform which is still is Beta.
3) ObjectDRX from ZWCAD. The only information about it is as cryptic as the Chinese can make it.
4) GRX from GStarSoft. To be released in a couple of months.

The press release has a link to www.gstarsoft.com. If I remember correctly their web site was located at www.staricad.com. I wanted to see what had changed and so I clicked though and began looking around. I finally found myself on the About Us page staring in disbelief at the Autodesk Authorized Developer logo.

I thought Autodesk didn’t partner with people who make AutoCAD clones. So I searched for “GStarSoft” or “GreatStar” or whatever name they go by now at the Autodesk Partner Index page. The search turned up empty.

I smell something fishy here. Do you?