Autodesk ships industry-leading software development tools ahead of new AutoCAD release.

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 23, 1997-- Significantly accelerating the readiness of industry applications for the newest version of AutoCAD, the world's best-selling design and drafting software, Autodesk (NASDAQ/NMS:ADSK) today announced the availability of its software development kit (SDK) for AutoCAD Release 14.

The development kit -- based on the second-generation of Autodesk's unique object-oriented technology known as ObjectARX -- was shipped to over 2,000 Autodesk Developer Network members worldwide today, preceding the highly anticipated launch of AutoCAD Release 14.

Autodesk's ObjectARX software development kit (SDK) for AutoCAD Release 14 will enable the company's developers to easily and quickly produce thousands of applications which customize AutoCAD software for manufacturing, architectural, engineering, construction and other uses.

Autodesk has commitments from the 30 largest independent application developers, who will have applications available for AutoCAD Release 14 within 30 to 90 days after AutoCAD Release 14 ships. The company has said AutoCAD Release 14 will ship in Autodesk's second quarter (ending July 31, 1997).

Autodesk is the only volume CAD software company to deliver an object-based development environment. This object-based development environment enables developers to create a new generation of intelligent applications for model-based design, where doors and other design objects act as real objects, rather than just lines, circles and arcs.

"Shipping the final ObjectARX SDK to developers before AutoCAD Release 14 ships is just one of the many signs of our ongoing commitment and investments in state-of-the-art developer technology and the strongest possible support levels for our third party development partners," said Robert Carr, vice president of the AutoCAD Market Group at Autodesk. "Our partners can get a head start building robust and tightly integrated object-based applications that take advantage of the speed and features in AutoCAD Release 14. Developers can plan for and deliver applications knowing that AutoCAD Release 14 and its application programming interfaces (APIs) are stable."

"Autodesk is moving ahead of the pack with object-based CAD, which offers developers and users alike a better way to design, not simply draft," said Sharon Tan, senior CAD/CAM/CAE, GIS industry analyst at Dataquest. "Users are looking for increased productivity and more intelligent software, and applications developed using object technology will bring them one step closer to those goals."

Easier Migration with ObjectARX

"Now we have a multitude of tools within ObjectARX to speed up what we do," said Bob Palioca, president of KETIV Technologies, a leading architectural, engineering and construction developer. "The resulting application interface, the ease of use, the speed, are all things that allow us to deliver a faster, higher quality product."

The ObjectARX software development kit for AutoCAD Release 14 includes a detailed migration guide that makes it easier for application developers to port their applications to AutoCAD Release 14, and it ensures that applications will be ready soon after AutoCAD Release 14 is available.

ObjectARX technology offers numerous benefits to developers and end users, including:

-- Greater power, control, and access inside AutoCAD software for

advanced high-end applications, making them easier to create and

maintain

-- An inventive new technology, called proxy objects, which lets

AutoCAD Release 14 users edit, access, erase and manipulate

custom objects even when the parent application is not present

-- ActiveX Automation, Microsoft's common cross application

customization and integration facility, is now available for

developers to expose and leverage Windows interoperability for

their own custom objects

-- Access to photorealistic rendering, high-speed facet modeling (to

create sophisticated three-dimensional models) and technical

imaging

-- Easier programming tasks, by virtue of a new ObjectARX Development

Wizard integrated in the Microsoft Visual C++ environment and

creating much of the common application code for the developer

About ObjectARX

ObjectARX provides developer access to the core object technology of AutoCAD Release 14. With the ObjectARX API, professional developers can access and program at the core architecture of AutoCAD and share system resources and memory address space. ObjectARX technology enables applications to extend the AutoCAD drawing database (DWG) at run time giving developers the ability to add custom objects (entities) to AutoCAD software's core set of CAD objects.

ObjectARX technology provides the foundation for design software applications to share intelligent object data. As part of Autodesk's overall interoperability strategy, ObjectARX is the platform for Autodesk's A/E/C implementation of selected Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) as defined by the Industry Alliance of Interoperability (IAI).

ObjectARX is also the foundation of the Autodesk Mechanical Desktop and the basis for developers of the Mechanical Application Initiative (MAI) program to develop applications with the MCAD API.

Early Application Availability

Upcoming Autodesk applications built using ObjectARX technology, include AutoCAD Map 2.0, and the Autodesk Mechanical Desktop 2.0. Key Autodesk partner developers who have committed to have applications ready shortly after the availability of AutoCAD Release 14 software include Rebis, Ketiv, Hitachi, and NC Microproducts in the United States, and Genius, PC Vision, CADpoint and CADCraft in Europe.

For more information on the ObjectARX SDK, contact Autodesk at 800/435-7771. Everyone can obtain more detailed information on AutoCAD Release 14 by simply surfing the Internet. Look for regularly updated information about the ObjectARX SDK and AutoCAD Release 14 applications at the new AutoCAD Release 14 Web site, http://www.autodesk.com/autocad .

Availability and Pricing

There is no charge for the ObjectARX SDK that can be downloaded from the AutoCAD Web site. Autodesk Developer Network members will receive the ObjectARX SDK along with support as part of the membership subscription. All others may have the ObjectARX SDK sent on CD media with printed documentation for a nominal fee by calling 800/507-5000.

For availability information outside of the United States, local Autodesk offices should be contacted. ObjectARX for AutoCAD Release 14 requires Windows NT 4.0/3.51 and Windows 95 operating systems, on Intel microprocessor-based systems.

About Autodesk

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC design and drafting software and multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, mapping, film and video production, video game development and Web content development. Its Kinetix division is the leader in PC-based 3D modeling and animation software, providing a full range of products for digital media and design professionals.

The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in more than 150 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk Systems Centers, dealers and distributors worldwide.

For more information on Autodesk, please call 415/507-5000, or type GO ADESK on CompuServe, or visit its World Wide Web site at http://www.autodesk.com . Kinetix can be reached by calling 800/879-4233, or through its World Wide Web site at http://www.ktx.com . Autodesk shares are traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol ADSK.

The matters discussed in this news release contain forward looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These include the timely development and acceptance of AutoCAD Release 14, the impact of competitive products and pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in Autodesk's SEC reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1996. -0-

Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, and AutoCAD are registered trademarks of Autodesk Inc. in the United States and certain other countries. Mechanical Desktop, Kinetix, and ObjectARX are trademarks of Autodesk Inc. Microsoft, Windows, Windows 95 and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corp. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT: Autodesk, San Rafael

Jennifer Reidy, 415/507-6536

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