re: FIX Repository (aka FIX Schema)
Charles Kilkenny / Actuare Software <>
2 Sep 2004 4:58AM ET
Hi Kevin,
Thank you for your informative answer.
On the subject of schema, perhaps we should clarify. My understanding is that "FIX Schema" means all that defines the tag=value syntax. I.e. the FIX message tables, components, fields (data dictionary), standard header and trailer, semantic checks, and associated descriptions. This is different from the "FIXML Schema" ("FIXML XML Schema"), but there is no reason why "FIX Schema" could not also include the "FIXML Schema". This is also independent of the MS Word, PDF and FIXimate publications. Is this your understanding?
I can see that it probably makes sense to keep MS Word formatting outside of the schema, but what else does the "FIX Repository" have that the schema doesn't? Do we really need to specially format the publications anyway? I guess "Repository" is derived from the fact that you are using a database and, indeed, "FIX Repository" may be better for naming in order to avoid confusion with XML Schema. So, does "FIX Repository" = "database"; and "FIX Schema" = "XML document(s) generated from the database"?
In any case, I look forward to finding out more details about the FIX Repository and the XML documents when they are available on the new website.
Cheers, Charles
--------------------
Charles Kilkenny
Actuare Software
charles.kilkenny@actuare.com
> Hi Charles
>
> The FIX Schema and the FIX repository are in fact two separate things. The FIX Schema is generated from the repository. The repository contains information that is not in the Schema. For example the Word objects that make up each entry in the tables in the Word Documents.
>
> The initial XML documents for the FIX Repository where designed by an evolutionary process based on the construction of the repository. Details will be available on the new website.
>
> The repository has been produced from the existing documents; it has then been manually checked against the existing documents and is already used as the master for certain parts of the 4.4 specification. In future it will represent the master for the data dictionary and message tables. These entries in the Word document will be generated from the repository.
>
> The repository contains everything in the FIX message tables and the Data dictionary but not, in the external version, the formatting of the text. This is a size issues with the Word objects the database is currently 70MB.
>
> It does not build on the structure of QuickFIX's XML Data dictionary but you could easily create QuickFIX's XML Data dictionary from it with an XSLT script.
>
> I'm afraid I'm not familiar enough with Javelin's FIXionary or B2BITS's FIXopaedia to say where it includes everything these contain. However FIXimate was generate from the repository so it certainly contains everything FIXimate contains.
>
> Hope this helps
> Kevin
> > Hi Kevin,
> >
> > Who is deciding the layout of the XML document for the "FIX Repository" (aka "FIX Schema")? Is there a Working Group? Would you like some help with it and/or some initial feedback? I guess the GTC will be producing the XML document from the existing data and documentation, but does the GTC plan to migrate to it and subsequently adopt it as the master specification?
> >
> > Also, will the FIX Repository include everything from the Word documents in XML format? Does it build upon the structure of QuickFIx's XML Data Dictionary? Will it include everything in Javelin's FIXionary, B2BITS' FIXopaedia, etc.?
> >
> > Thanks, Charles
> >
> > --------------------
> > Charles Kilkenny
> > Actuare Software
> > charles.kilkenny@actuare.com
> >
> > > John
> > >
> > > 1) The FIX Repository and additional details about the repository will be available in September following the launch of the new FIX website.
> > >
> > > 2) The FIX Global Technical Committee (GTC) uses the FIX Repository to generate parts of the specification documents, for example parts of Volume 6 in 4.4, which as you pointed out uses Microsoft Word as the document preparation tool. The GTC envisions expanding the role of the FIX Repository in the specification development process in the future. Note
> > > that the FIX Protocol specification documents are provided in PDF (Portable Document Format) format. Microsoft Access and associated scripting technology has simply been used as the tool to both manage the data and produce portions of the FIX Protocol specification Word documents (i.e. formatted text) and to produce the FIXimate tool as well as FIXML Schema and DTD files. The FIX Repository data itself is provided in XML format in the same fashion as the spec is provided in PDF format. The use of
> > > specific tools by the GTC is intended to simplify the task at hand, not to make a political statement.
> > >
> > > As a point of clarification, the FIX Protocol is not an open source product but an open protocol. There are open source and commercial implementations of the FIX Protocol.
> > >
> > > Hope this help
> > >
> > > Cheers
> > > Kevin Houstoun, Consultant, Citigroup
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > This is likely the wrong place for the subject, but Kevin provided the info on a thread on this list, so I'm putting it here initially.
> > > >
> > > > First, is the FIX repository available publicly now? If so, where is it?
> > > >
> > > > Second, regarding the repository, Kevin said, "The repository comes in two flavors an Access mdb file and a series of XML files." Can this be? Would the FIX folks really use an MS db for an open source (FIX) repository? With all due respect, why wouldn't a cross-platform open d-base format be used? I thought is was bad enough that the official FIX spec is distributed in a MS Word doc! Why wouldn't the open-source FIX spec be distributed via an open XML file format? I know there's people who have already had issues with NOT being able to easily and accurately parse the FIX spec out of a Word doc. Our group wouldn't even want to have to begin to do that, or would we.
> > > >
> > > > I know there are plenty of MS users out there, but that's not the point, nor is it a debate about what platform is better. It's about FIX, an open standard. Let's face it, using MS proprieatry file formats to communicate an open xml standard doesn't make much sense. IMHO, it's contradictory. The most important thing is the principle of the matter and the message it sends.
> > > >
> > > > I think FIX and open standards in general are the greatest thing since computers mainstreamed, not to mention the future of most development technology. I also think this might have potential to impact FIXML in some way, as we don't want MS-XML, just XML. It's a slippery slope, even if there's no negative impact right now.
> > > >
> > > > I hope many will pipe in on this, as I'm very curious to know what others think about it!
> > > >
> > > > Respectfully, John
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
