*************
Release Notes
*************

Supported Platforms
===================

Each ROS 2 version is built and tested with a specific |CONNEXT| version to
ensure functional and ABI compatibility. Using the versions in the table below
guarantees that all libraries and tools work together as intended.

.. list-table:: ROS 2 and Connext Compatibility
    :name: release-notes-ros2-connext-compatibility
    :header-rows: 1

    * - ROS 2 Version
      - Connext Version
    * - Lyrical
      - 7.7.0
    * - Kilted
      - 7.3.0
    * - Jazzy
      - 6.0.1
    * - Humble
      - 6.0.1

Connext RMW
===========

What's new in the Lyrical Connext RMW (2026/05)
-----------------------------------------------

Lyrical Connext RMW is now compiled against Connext Professional 7.7.0
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The Lyrical release of the |CONNEXT| RMW has been updated to compile against
|CONNEXT| *Professional* 7.7.0.

Enabled topic and type name demangling by default, improving interoperability with Connext applications
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Starting with the Lyrical release, the |CONNEXT| RMW enables the 
``dds.ros.demangle_topic_and_type_names`` property by default. This allows the
RMW to announce demangled topic names as aliases, ensuring seamless
out-of-the-box communication with |CONNEXT| 7.7.0+ applications.

.. [RTI Issue ID ROS2-142]

Debian package rti_connext_dds-7.7.0-ros now depends on official RTI Connext 7.7 Debian packages
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

In previous releases, the ROS 2-hosted Debian package
(``rti_connext_dds-x.y.z-ros``) bundled all |CONNEXT| Core Libraries required 
to compile the RMW. Now, this package uses APT dependencies on the standard
`Connext Debian packages
<https://community.rti.com/static/documentation/connext-dds/7.7.0/doc/manuals/debian_packages/introduction.html>`__. 

This change streamlines the installation process, enabling simultaneous
installation of both standard |CONNEXT| and |CONNEXT| ROS 2 Debian packages.

.. _ROS2-228:

Introduced new variable to better manage publication mode selection 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

You can now configure how user topics are published by utilizing the new
``RMW_CONNEXT_USER_TOPICS_PUBLISH_MODE`` variable in the *Connext* RMW.
For information on how to use this variable, see the 
`Connext RMW GitHub readme <https://github.com/ros2/rmw_connextdds?tab=readme-ov-file#user-content-rmw_connext_user_topics_publish_mode>`__.

This new variable replaces ``RMW_CONNEXT_USE_DEFAULT_PUBLISH_MODE``, which
has been deprecated in this release. See :ref:`deprecations-and-removals` for 
more information.

.. [RTI Issue ID ROS2-228]

.. _deprecations-and-removals:

Deprecations and removals
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This section describes items that are deprecated or removed in the Lyrical 
release of the |CONNEXT| RMW, compared to the Kilted release. 

Deprecated means that the item is still supported in this release, but
will be removed in a future release. Removed means that the item is
discontinued or no longer supported.

Any deprecations or removals noted in RTI's documentation serve as
notice under the Real-Time Innovations, Inc., Maintenance Policy #4220
and/or any other agreements by and between RTI and customer regarding
maintenance and support of RTI's software. RTI's current standard terms
and support and maintenance policies are available at
`https://www.rti.com/terms <https://www.rti.com/terms>`__.

RMW_CONNEXT_USE_DEFAULT_PUBLISH_MODE environment variable no longer supported
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

The ``RMW_CONNEXT_USE_DEFAULT_PUBLISH_MODE`` variable has been deprecated 
and will be removed in a future release. This variable previously determined 
the value of a DataWriter's publish mode. If set in this release, it triggers 
a warning and is ignored. 

``RMW_CONNEXT_USE_DEFAULT_PUBLISH_MODE`` has been replaced by the new 
``RMW_CONNEXT_USER_TOPICS_PUBLISH_MODE`` variable, which allows you 
to specify the default publish mode directly. See :ref:`ROS2-228` for more 
information.

.. [RTI Issue ID ROS2-228]

What's fixed in the Lyrical Connext RMW (2026/05)
-------------------------------------------------

Serialized key size calculation error caused DDS sample writes to fail
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
The *Connext* RMW did not calculate the correct size for a serialized keyed
sample. This error caused the middleware to reserve less memory than needed
when writing a sample for certain types, which prevented the sample from
being written.

The *Connext* RMW now uses the correct callback to calculate the size of a
serialized keyed sample.

[RTI Issue ID ROS2-170]


RTI Connext Robotic Toolkit
===========================

What's new in the RTI Connext Robotics Toolkit Lyrical 7.7.0 (2026/05)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

*RTI Connext Robotics Toolkit Lyrical* packages are built on
`RTI Connext 7.7.0
<https://community.rti.com/documentation/rti-connext-770/>`__.