Open Design Alliance

The Open Design Alliance is a non-profit, membership-based consortium of software companies, developers and users committed to provide the ODA Technology Platform to its members, giving them the tools to create a wide range of technical graphics applications, including custom data access and editing utilities, visualization tools, and even full-scale CAD systems. The platform also supports the use of both DWG and DGN files, with import and export capabilities to other file formats.

• DWGdirect™ — A full-featured development platform for CAD and technical graphics applications. It features a versatile and powerful object-oriented C++ API, suitable for applications of any size from simple utilities up to full CAD systems. DWGdirect reads and writes DWG files based on the OpenDWG® specification and is continually updated, providing compatibility with all versions of DWG from 2.5 to 2009. In addition to C++, DWGdirect is available using the .NET and ActiveX programming languages, and also includes the ability to read and write architectural and civil 3D custom objects.
• DGNdirect™ — A full-featured development platform for CAD and technical graphics applications. It features a versatile and powerful object oriented C++ API, suitable for applications of any size. DGNdirect reads and writes DGN files, based on the OpenDGN initiative by Bentley® Systems and is, therefore, compatible with Bentley MicroStation®.

The ODA utilizes membership fees to fund software development of the ODA platform, which is available to its members. With the ODA platform, members can focus their efforts on developing solutions, rather than on the difficulties of reading and writing complex CAD files. The software is provided free of charge to educational institutes and students to encourage and advance research in computer-aided design and technical graphics software.