StaadPro.Interop NuGet: install, connect and choose the right preview

[cofounder]

Installing StaadPro.Interop from NuGet: requirements, first connection and version checks

This thread covers consuming StaadPro.Interop in an application. It complements the repository overview, which focuses on architecture, source builds and contributions.

Package: StaadPro.Interop on NuGet
Verified public version, checked 2 November 2026: 1.0.0-preview.20261102.1
Current repository: StruXllence/StaadPro.Interop

1. What is installed?

StaadPro.Interop is a strongly typed managed wrapper for STAAD.Pro's OpenSTAAD interface. The verified public archive contains the net481 assembly, XML documentation and accompanying guides. Its metadata declares Newtonsoft.Json 13.0.3 as a dependency. NuGet normally restores the dependency automatically.

The package does not install STAAD.Pro, supply a Bentley license or replace the native structural-analysis engine. Installing the DLL successfully does not establish that an OpenSTAAD session is available or that a particular native operation is supported by the installed STAAD build.

2. Requirements before running the sample

• Windows and a project targeting .NET Framework 4.8.1 (net481), with the appropriate targeting tools.
  
• A separately installed and licensed STAAD.Pro application exposing the required OpenSTAAD APIs.
  
• An open, controlled model for the initial connection check.
  
• An STA entry point or an existing STA application thread, with coordinated/serialized access to the connected session.
  

The main package's target framework is net481. A recent .NET SDK does not make a net8.0 application compatible with that asset. The separately named Core.Testing preview has a different purpose; do not substitute it silently or reference both packages as if they were independent assemblies.

3. Install an exact public version

For a suitable existing project:

Code:

dotnet add YourApp.csproj package StaadPro.Interop --version 1.0.0-preview.20261102.1 --source https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json dotnet restore YourApp.csproj dotnet build YourApp.csproj -c Release

The relevant project settings are:

Code:

<PropertyGroup> <TargetFramework>net481</TargetFramework> </PropertyGroup> <ItemGroup> <PackageReference Include="StaadPro.Interop" Version="1.0.0-preview.20261102.1" /> </ItemGroup>

In Visual Studio, open Manage NuGet Packages, select nuget.org, enable Include prerelease, search for StaadPro.Interop and choose the exact version. In Package Manager Console:

Code:

Install-Package StaadPro.Interop -Version 1.0.0-preview.20261102.1 -Source https://api.nuget.org/v3/index.json

Pinning a preview version makes a build reproducible. Check the release notes before upgrading, then rebuild and restart the consuming application so it actually loads the new DLL.

4. First connection: read the model path

Code:

using System; using StaadPro.Interop.Services; internal static class Program { [STAThread] private static void Main() { using (var wrapper = OpenStaadWrapperProvider.GetRunning()) { if (wrapper == null) { Console.WriteLine("No usable running OpenSTAAD session was found."); return; } Console.WriteLine(wrapper.Root.GetStaadFileFullPath()); } } }

Start with read-only queries, confirm the connected model and make units explicit. Use the selected version's IntelliSense and guides for Geometry, Load, Property, Output and the other adapters. Keep StaadPro.Interop.xml beside the DLL if copying assemblies outside the normal NuGet restore process.

5. How to distinguish a public release from a prepared archive

The public feed can be checked directly:

Code:

$feed = Invoke-RestMethod 'https://api.nuget.org/v3-flatcontainer/staadpro.interop/index.json' $feed.versions

At the time of this post, the latest listed public version is 1.0.0-preview.20261102.1. This exact version is listed in the feed and its archive was downloaded for the checks behind this post. For future releases, do not treat a local archive, README or package-cache entry as proof that a version is downloadable from nuget.org.

For troubleshooting a feed issue, restore into a fresh package-cache directory with an explicit NuGet.Config containing the intended source. Avoid changing package IDs merely because a version has not been published.

6. Common problems and what to check

• Package not found: verify the exact package ID, prerelease version and configured source. Enable prerelease packages in Visual Studio.
  
• Framework incompatibility: inspect TargetFramework; the package's net481 target and the installed SDK are different requirements.
  
• No running session: open licensed STAAD.Pro and a usable model, and verify that the application can access that session in the correct Windows context.
  
• Unexpected native return value: record the exact STAAD build, method and arguments. Native contracts can differ across versions; do not convert every nonempty result into success.
  
• Wrong numbers: check model identity, active/load-case selection, result availability, coordinate systems, signs and units before drawing an engineering conclusion.
  
• Old behavior after upgrade: rebuild, restart and inspect the loaded DLL/package version rather than relying only on the package-manager UI.
  

7. Preview scope, licensing and responsible use

This is a preview. Managed tests and documented examples do not certify all live COM behavior or engineering acceptance. Native model changes can have partial effects; save a separate controlled copy before trying mutation workflows, and do not assume that disposing a wrapper saves or closes STAAD.Pro.

The downloaded 1.0.0-preview.20261102.1 archive declares Apache License 2.0 and StruXllence copyright in its NuGet metadata, and retains a notice for MIT-origin code. Earlier public versions, including 1.0.0-preview.20261028.4, shipped under their original terms. Follow the notices shipped with your exact package or source revision rather than assuming that current main-branch metadata describes every older release.

StaadPro.Interop is independent of Bentley Systems and is not an officially endorsed Bentley SDK. Bentley software and licensing remain separate.

For a package defect, open a reproducible GitHub issue with versions and a minimal nonconfidential example. For workflow questions, continue the discussion here and describe the engineering checks you need.