RFA Jar upgrade from version 5.2 to 8.2 for JAVA technology/API

If you are migrating from the legacy RFA version 5, I strongly suggest you migrate to the strategic Enterprise Message API (EMA API) of the Real-Time SDK Java edition. The EMA is the open-source Message level API that can connect and consume data from the LSEG Real-Time Platform via the RSSL connection (the same as RFA 8). The EMA API let you interact with the connection and OMM data via easier to use API interfaces than the RFA API.

Choosing a Real-time Streaming API
Migrating from the Legacy Robust Foundation API (RFA) to the Enterprise Message API (EMA)<-- Recommend reading.
RTSDK Java - GitHub
EMA Consumer Tutorials
Developer Webinar: Introduction to Enterprise App Creation With Open-Source Enterprise Message API<-- Recommend checking

The example code of the EMA Consumer API is as follows:

// Process Incoming Data
class AppClient implements OmmConsumerClient{
    public void onRefreshMsg(RefreshMsg refreshMsg, OmmConsumerEvent event){
        //Process Refresh Msg
    }
    
    public void onUpdateMsg(UpdateMsg updateMsg, OmmConsumerEvent event) {
        //Process Update Msg
    }


    public void onStatusMsg(StatusMsg statusMsg, OmmConsumerEvent event) {
        //Process Status Msg
    }
    
    public void onGenericMsg(GenericMsg genericMsg, OmmConsumerEvent consumerEvent){}
    public void onAckMsg(AckMsg ackMsg, OmmConsumerEvent consumerEvent){}
    public void onAllMsg(Msg msg, OmmConsumerEvent consumerEvent){}
    
}


public class Consumer {
    public static void main(String[] args){
        OmmConsumer consumer = null;
        try
        {
            AppClient appClient = new AppClient();
            
            //Establish a connection and send OMM Login Request to the Real-Time Platform
            consumer  = EmaFactory.createOmmConsumer(EmaFactory.createOmmConsumerConfig().host("localhost:14002").username("user"));
            
            //Send Item Request to to the Real-Time Platform
            consumer.registerClient(EmaFactory.createReqMsg().serviceName("IDN_RDF").name("IBM.N"), appClient);
            
            Thread.sleep(60000);            // API calls onRefreshMsg(), onUpdateMsg() and onStatusMsg()
        }
        catch (InterruptedException | OmmException excp)
        {
            System.out.println(excp.getMessage());
        }
        finally 
        {
            if (consumer != null) consumer.uninitialize();
        }
    }
}

You may notice that the EMA API uses the callback methods to process each message type as follows:

Refresh/Image message: onRefreshMsg()
Update messages: onUpdateMsg()
Status messages: onStatusMsg()

An application can choose to let the API automatic dispatches incoming messages to those callback methods, or an application can dispatch them manually. The suggested examples to check ares:

Please note that the RFA MarketFeed class cannot be compared to the EMA (and RFA) OMM class one-by-one. However, some comparisons are as follows:

### Event.MARKET_DATA_SVC_EVENT ###

Like I said above, the EMA API automatic dispatches messages to a valid callback methods.

Refresh/Image message: onRefreshMsg()
Update messages: onUpdateMsg()
Status messages: onStatusMsg()
Ack messages: onAckMsg()
Generic Messages: onGenericMsg

However, there is the com.refinitiv.ema.access.Msg class that represents all message types. It has the domainType() method that returns the message's domain type information.

### MarketDataItemEvent.IMAGE ###

In the EMA, the Refresh message class is com.refinitiv.ema.access.RefreshMsg.

### Market DataItemEvent.UPDATE ###

In the EMA, the Refresh message class is com.refinitiv.ema.access.UpdateMsg.

### MarketDataItemEvent.UNSOLICITED_IMAGE ###

The Unsolicited or Solicited information is now part of the Refresh Message attributes:

Please see EMA J RDM Usage Guide for more detail

### CORRECTION, CLOSING_RUN, etc. ###

This information as now part of the Update Message UpdateTypeNum component. Please see my colleague answer on this How to detect closing run events? old post for more detail.

Hi @wasin.w ,

Thank you for your detailed feedback on my question. Based on your input, I understand that we need to use EMA (Open-source Message Level API) JAR, but it is not an option for my project at this time, and that I have to implement the solution using RFA version 8.2.4.

Additionally, in your previous explanation, you did not cover TibMsg and TibField. We have to implement alternatives to these fields as well. We are using this fields to retrieve data in String or Double format. But Now we can get it in OMM layer?

Existing Implementation:

TibMsg tibMsg = new TibMsg();
tibMsg.UnPack(data);


TibField tibField = tibMsg.Get("string");

String resData = tibField.StringData();

Sorry for late replay but due to some enhancement on LSEG Community website, I'm not able to post new comment or post.

Thank You
Bhavya Dudhia

Please be informed that the RFA 8 OMM interfaces are not compatible with the RFA MarketFeed interfaces, so you need to re-write an application anyway, so that why I suggested to migrate to the easier path like the EMA API.

However, the RFA MarketFeed and OMM interfaces cannot be mapping because the data structure is so much difference.

The pseudo code for getting the OMM String data with RFA Java are as follows:

OMMFieldEntry fe = (OMMFieldEntry)entry;
...
data = fe.getData();
short dataType = data.getDataType(); // data is OMMData object to be decoded
switch(dataType){
	case OMMTypes.BUFFER:
	case OMMTypes.UTF_STRING:
	case OMMTypes.ASCII_STRING:
	String s = ((OMMDataBuffer)data).toString();

You can find a full detail on Chapther 10 OMM Data of the RFA Java Developer Guide document. The file is available in the API package and RFA Java documents page.

Please be informed that the latest version of the RFA Java is 8.2.5.

If you are using OpenDACS API alongside RFA with Java 17, please use RFA Java version 8.2.5.E1
If not, please use RFA Java 8.2.5.L1

Again, Thanks @wasin.w for the quick and detailing answer, it's helping me a lot.

I have implemented code to successfully connect to Reuters and send requests. However, I am currently facing challenges in decoding the response data.

Previously, we used TibMsg for decoding, but as suggested, I am now working with OMMFieldList and OMMFieldEntry. Unfortunately, I am unable to retrieve the correct data.

When parsing the message using GenericOMMParser Class, I receive the following response:

I need assistance in decoding the following fields:

ASK
BSK
TRAD_DATE
Q

While debugging, I observe the following:

OMMFieldEntry.getDataType() always returns 0 (UNKNOWN).
OMMFieldEntry.getType() always returns 257 (FIELD_ENTRY).

I suspect this might be due to the absence of a Field Dictionary. Could you confirm:

Do I need to initialize and load a Field Dictionary to decode these responses?
If yes, where can I obtain the dictionary files (e.g., RDMFieldDictionary and enumtype.def)?
Are there any specific configurations or steps I need to follow to use these dictionaries in my code?

Your guidance on how to decode the FIELD_ENTRY data and retrieve the required fields will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your support.

Note - RFA Version: 8.2.4.L2.all

Again, Thanks @wasin.w for your quick and detailed answer, it's helping me a lot.

I have implemented code to successfully connect to Reuters and send requests. However, I am currently facing challenges in decoding the response data.

Previously, we used TibMsg for decoding, but as suggested, I am now working with OMMFieldList and OMMFieldEntry. Unfortunately, I am unable to retrieve the correct data.

When parsing the message using GenericOMMParser, I receive the following response:

I need assistance in decoding the following fields:

ASK
BSK
TRAD_DATE
Q

While debugging, I observe the following:

OMMFieldEntry.getDataType() always returns 0 (UNKNOWN).
OMMFieldEntry.getType() always returns 257 (FIELD_ENTRY).

I suspect this might be due to the absence of a Field Dictionary. Could you confirm:

Do I need to initialize and load a Field Dictionary to decode these responses?
If yes, where can I obtain the dictionary files (e.g., RDMFieldDictionary and enumtype.def)?
Are there any specific configurations or steps I need to follow to use these dictionaries in my code?

Your guidance on how to decode the FIELD_ENTRY data and retrieve the required fields will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your support.

Note - RFA Version: 8.2.4.L2.all

https://community.developers.refinitiv.com/discussion/11390/download-dictionary-and-load-data-using-rfa

Question 1: Do I need to initialize and load a Field Dictionary to decode these responses?

Answer: Yes, you need to init and load Field Dictionary data to decode incoming FID data.

Question 2: If yes, where can I obtain the dictionary files (e.g., RDMFieldDictionary and enumtype.def)?

Answer: About the dictionary, an application can load from local files (RDMFieldDictionary and enumtype.def files) or download from the ADS server.

By default, the Dictionary files are available in the <API package>\etc\RDM\ folder as follows:

However, the files must be the same version as the ADS server, so you need to copy the files from the ADS machine. Please contact your Market Data team to help you on this.

To download from the ADS, an application needs to write code to download Dictionary Data from the ADS server. You can check the DictionaryClient class example in <API package>\Examples\com\reuters\rfa\example\omm\dictionary folder.

Question 3: Are there any specific configurations or steps I need to follow to use these dictionaries in my code?

Answer: Please check my colleague answer on this old post.

By default, the API requests all fields' data for a consumer application. To request only specific fields, an application can use the View feature to specify only interested FIDs.

You can find the View example on the StarterConsumer_BatchView example in the <RFA API Package>\Examples\com\reuters\rfa\example\omm\batchviewcons folder.

Note: That example also demonstrates how to use the Batch feature (request multiple items via a single message). The Batch feature can be combined with the View feature.

About how to decode the field data, I highly recommend you check the GenericOMMParser.java class in the <RFA API Package>\Examples\com\reuters\rfa\example\utility folder.

Minh_Hoang

Hi @bhavya.dudhia

Our project is also migrating from RFA 6.3 to RFA 8.2.5, and we cannot use the new EMA (Open-source Message Level API) due to client request.

I see you have successfully implemented the RFA 8.2 and able to connect to Reuters and send requests.

Can you please briefly share what needs to be done for migrating to RFA 8.2? Especially for the processEvent method on Client and MarketDataSubscriber on Server.

Your support will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.