RETS Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to a listing that is published to the Internet and then withdrawn by the agent or office?
An agent just disabled the publish to Internet setting on a listing and it is still showing up in RETS. Why did it not update?
How do I get the metadata?
What is a "User-Agent header" and how do I get one?
I'm a developer and I need access to a Rapattoni RETS server. What is the process?
I don't currently have a RETS client. How do I get or build one?
I know how to retrieve a photo for a listing, but is there a way to grab more than one photo or all available photos in one query?
I have been given a username and password and I have received confirmation from both Rapattoni and the MLS that my User-Agent headers are registered. How come I still cannot log in?

Question 1:	What happens to a listing that is published to the Internet and then withdrawn by the agent or office?
Answer:	If the agent or office removes the publish to Internet flag, then that listing is no longer available on the RETS interface unless the RETS client is specifically allowed by the association to access the non-published listings. If a RETS client is maintaining an offline database, then the appropriate action for the offline database would be to remove it from the offline database.
Question 2:	An agent just disabled the Publish to Internet setting on a listing and it is still showing up in RETS. Why did it not update?
Answer:	There is generally a one- to two-hour delay before the RETS database is synchronized with the MLS. If a listing does not update within a couple hours, please submit a RETS Support Request.
Question 3:	How do I get the metadata?
Answer:	The RETS Specification explains in detail the process by which the metadata can be pulled. For a quick tutorial on how to pull metadata with the Rapattoni RETS interface please refer to our Tutorial on How to Retrieve RETS Metadata.
Question 4:	What is a "User-Agent header" and how do I get one?
Answer:	A "User-Agent header" is a field defined in your RETS Client header that describes your RETS Client. It is a string you create and should be unique to your client. Please refer to section 3.4 (page 3-2) of the RETS 1.5 Standard for details on creating a compliant User-Agent header.
Question 5:	I'm a developer and I need access to a Rapattoni RETS Server. What is the process?
Answer:	The first step is to contact either the broker or the association you are working for to obtain a User ID and Password you will need for accessing the MLS. The next step is to contact the MLS and ask to enter the User-Agent value that will be used with your client into their system. Once you have the necessary login credentials, and your User-Agent header has been entered, you will need the MLS' RETS Login URL, available on the Server Information page. At this point, you should be able to access the MLS' RETS server. Please contact the Rapattoni RETS Support department if you have any questions or experience issues accessing the RETS server.
Question 6:	I don't currently have a RETS client. How do I get or build one?
Answer:	There are a number of RETS 1.5 client implementations. See the RETS Wiki Site for external resources and tutorials regarding RETS clients.
Question 7:	I know how to retrieve a photo for a listing, but is there a way to grab more than one photo or all available photos in one query?
Answer:	Yes, to both. Append your string with ":1:2:3 "to retrieve the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd picture. If you want to grab all of them use " :*" (be sure to remove the double quotes).
Question 8:	I have been given a username and password and I have received confirmation from both Rapattoni and the MLS that my User-Agent header is registered. How come I still cannot log in?
Answer:	Most likely, one or more of the values you are using in your MD5 authentication has is improperly cased, spelt, or referenced. Verify the values you are using are in accordance with what is specified in section 4.1.2 (page 4-1) of the RETS 1.5 Standard, and RFC 2617.