1. Before You Get Started

1.1. What is Connext DDS?

RTI® Connext® DDS is a connectivity framework for building distributed applications with requirements for high performance and scalability. It includes these components:

• An SDK that provides you with APIs to help you send and receive data using the communication patterns described in this documentation (see Next Steps). These APIs allow you to connect your own applications to other applications on the databus.

• Tools that help you visualize your data and debug your distributed system.

• Infrastructure Services that can perform dedicated functions in your system, such as recording, bridging, and persisting data.

1.2. Downloading Connext DDS

If you haven’t already purchased a Connext bundle, you can follow this Getting Started guide with an evaluation bundle. To obtain an evaluation bundle, click the Free Trial button at https://www.rti.com/. Fill out the brief form, and you will receive an evaluation package shortly.

1.3. Installing Connext DDS

To develop Python applications, you will need the following Connext bundles:

• A host bundle that contains files such as documentation, the code generator, other tools, and infrastructure services executables. The host bundle is provided in a .run or .exe file that will run an installer.
  

  Host bundles are named:

  LinuxmacOSWindows

  rti_connext_dds-<version>-<package_type>-host-<host-platform>.run

  The <package_type> is usually pro.
  

  The <host_platform> depends on your development platform, such as x64Win64 for a 64-bit Windows® platform.
  
  

• A target bundle that contains SDK libraries you will use to build the Python API for your platform. The target bundle is only required to build the Python API (next step), not to run your Python applications afterward.

  A target bundle is an “RTI Package” (*.rtipkg) file that must be installed on top of your host bundle. After you install the host bundle, you will have a script called bin/rtipkginstall[.bat]. You can use this script to install one or more target bundles. Or you can use RTI Launcher to install the target bundles. (Launcher is installed as part of the host bundle.) See Installing additional packages with a GUI.
  

  Target bundles are named:
  rti_connext_dds-<version>-<package_type>-target-<architecture>.rtipkg. The <architecture> depends on your target machine (where you will deploy your completed application). Your architecture is the combination of a processor, OS, and compiler version that you will use to build your application. For example, if you have a 64-bit Windows machine with Visual Studio® 2017, use x64Win64VS2017. For a 64-bit Linux machine with gcc version 5.4.0, use x64Linux3gcc5.4.0. To see the full list of available architectures, see the “RTI Architecture Abbreviation” columns in the RTI Connext DDS Core Libraries Platform Notes.
  
  

• The Python API, which in this release is distributed as buildable source. See Building and Installing.

  Once you have built and installed the Python API, you can import it on any Python application on your machine.
  

  Note

  In the future, the Python API will be available via pip, so the steps to install the target and build the API won’t be necessary.

1.3.1. Installing a Host

The host bundle is an application; thus, it can be started from a GUI or command line. To install the host bundle, do either of the following:

• Double-click the installer.

• Run the installation script from a command prompt. See Installing RTI Connext DDS, in the RTI Connext DDS Installation Guide.

1.3.2. Installing additional packages with a GUI

After you install the host bundle, you’ll have a tool called RTI Launcher. (See Starting Launcher, in the RTI Launcher User’s Manual.)

To install additional packages from the Launcher tool, open the Configuration tab, and select “Install RTI Packages.” This will open a dialog that allows you to select one or more .rtipkg files that you would like to install.

1.3.3. Installing additional packages from a Command Line

To install additional packages from the command line, type:

LinuxmacOSWindows

$ <installdir>/bin/rtipkginstall <path to rtipkg>

1.3.4. Paths Mentioned in Documentation

This documentation refers to the following directories, depending on your operating system:

LinuxmacOSWindows

$NDDSHOME This refers to the installation directory for Connext.

The default installation paths are:

• Non-root user:

  /home/<your user name>/rti_connext_dds-<version>

• Root user:

  /opt/rti_connext_dds-<version>

$NDDSHOME is an environment variable set to the installation path.

Sometimes this documentation uses <NDDSHOME> to refer to the installation path. Whenever you see <NDDSHOME> used in a path, replace it with $NDDSHOME for Linux or macOS systems, with %NDDSHOME% for Windows systems, or with your installation path.

1.4. Setting Up a License

Most installations require a license file to run the tools or features included in the Connext platform. If your distribution requires a license file, you will receive one from RTI via e-mail.

The easiest way to configure your license file is using Launcher, as shown below:

If you do not want to use Launcher, you can also install a license by placing it in one of these two locations:

• <installation directory>/rti_license.dat

• <workspace directory>/rti_license.dat

The workspace directory is in this location by default, depending on your operating system:

LinuxmacOSWindows

/home/<your username>/rti_workspace/

A third way to install a license is to configure the environment variable RTI_LICENSE_FILE to point to your license file.

If you’re using the Connext NuGet packages from nuget.org, you will also need the license file to run your applications. You can copy the rti_license.dat file to the location where you run your application, set the RTI_LICENSE_FILE environment variable, or set its location in the DomainParticipantQos.

For more details on how to install a license file, see the License Management section in the RTI Connext DDS Installation Guide.

1.5. Checking What is Installed

To find out what target libraries or add-ons you have installed, you can use the Launcher tool. See Starting Launcher, in the RTI Launcher User’s Manual. Once in Launcher, open the Configuration tab.

1.6. Where Do I Get More Help?

Advanced installation help can be found in the RTI Connext DDS Installation Guide, which explains:

• Installer command-line options

• Controlling the location of the RTI Workspace directory

• Additional license management options

• Special backup of RTI libraries

• How to uninstall Connext

Continue to Publish/Subscribe to start learning about the capabilities and features of Connext.

Additional documentation and user forums can be found on community.rti.com.