Important Changes to the DevExpress.Data and Other Assemblies for .NET Core 3, .NET Standard, .NET Framework Apps (v20.1)

The New DevExpress.Data.Desktop Library with Platform-Specific Functionality

1. DevExpress.Data assemblies for .NET Core 3 (WinForms & WPF) and .NET Framework apps have been split into the following:
• DevExpress.Data.Desktop for NET Core 3 (WinForms & WPF) and .NET Framework apps
• DevExpress.Data for .NET Standard.
2. Certain DevExpress.Data-based cross-platform libraries for .NET Core 3 (WinForms & WPF) have been replaced with corresponding .NET Standard versions (for instance, DevExpress.Xpo.v20.1.dll). Associated functionality is now either cross-platform or moved to platform-dependent assembly versions.
3. Certain .NET Standard assembly versions have been removed. These assemblies are now available only for .NET Core 3 (WinForms & WPF) and .NET Framework (for instance, DevExpress.XtraScheduler.v20.1.Core.dll).

Why This Was Done and How Will It Affect You

These changes were done for easier maintenance, clearer dependencies, and future code extension for .NET Core apps and corresponding NuGet packages. These changes also help simplify common development tasks such as sharing Class Libraries with DevExpress.Data or DevExpress.Xpo dependencies across different Target Frameworks (learn more). We received lots of feedback from early .NET Core 3 adopters interested in these scenarios.

These changes will not affect the majority of users, as our Project Converter tool will automatically add DevExpress.Data.Desktop and other required assembly references to individual projects. This change may affect your application if you are building a complex framework that relies on full assembly or type names.

For more information on affected assemblies and product-specific breaking changes, please see the following:

• Common: The DevExpress.Data and other cross-platform assemblies for .NET Core 3 (WinForms & WPF), .NET Standard, and.NET Framework apps have been split or removed
• WinForms: API changes in WinForms components resulting from support for .NET Standard by DevExpress.Data library
• Printing: Multiple APIs have been moved to other assemblies and have changed their types, namespaces, or signatures
• Reporting: Multiple APIs have been moved to other assemblies and have changed their types, namespaces, or signatures
• Charting: Multiple APIs in the DevExpress.XtraCharts assembly have changed their types and have been moved to other assemblies
• Office File API & Office-Inspired UI Controls: Multiple API members have been moved to other assemblies and have changed their types, namespaces, or signatures
• eXpressApp Framework (XAF): Multiple APIs have been moved to other assemblies, changed their types, namespaces or signatures
• eXpress Persistent Objects (XPO): Recommended Xamarin Linker Options
  

Your Feedback Matters

As always, we welcome your feedback. We’d love to know more about your .NET Core 3 experiences and whether you expect to port an existing WinForms and/or WPF app over the next six months? 

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