FIX version types and headers

Imported from previous forum

HI,
I am reading FIX messages. For tag 8 (BeginString) I am seeing different things come up like “OTFIX” . What does “OTFIX” mean and is there a place I can find all of the possible FIX versions? Is there any standard way of knowing what fields are in the header, body, and trailer of message regardless of type/version?

Hi Jonathan,

just look here: http://fixprotocol.org/FIXimate3.0/

The select FIX version presents all available versions to you:

FIX.4.0, FIX.4.1, FIX.4.2, FIX.4.3, FIX.4.4

Starting with FIX 5.0 there is a separation between transport level and application level. Now the tag 8 contains the transport level version (always FIXT.1.1).

Older versions are e.g. FIX.3.7 (not sure about this).

But I never heard of “OTFIX” – perhaps some proprietary invention?

If you want to read FIX messages, check for some free services
presenting nicely formatted FIX messages using JavaScript etc.
E.g.

http://fixsanity.targetcompid.com/

Regards, Jörg

I agree with Jorg that OTFIX is most likely a proprietary/bastardised version somewhere. Intrigued to know where you have seen this though?

Hi Jonathan,

just look here: http://fixprotocol.org/FIXimate3.0/

The select FIX version presents all available versions to you:

FIX.4.0, FIX.4.1, FIX.4.2, FIX.4.3, FIX.4.4

Starting with FIX 5.0 there is a separation between transport level and application level. Now the tag 8 contains the transport level version (always FIXT.1.1).

Older versions are e.g. FIX.3.7 (not sure about this).

But I never heard of “OTFIX” – perhaps some proprietary invention?

If you want to read FIX messages, check for some free services
presenting nicely formatted FIX messages using JavaScript etc.
E.g.

http://fixsanity.targetcompid.com/

Regards, Jörg

FIXwiki (http://fixwiki.org/) is another tool that you might find useful.

For every message or component you see what it looked like for each version.

For example, tag 8 is part of the standard header. Welcome fixwiki.org - BlueHost.com shows what the header looks like (including tag 8) for each version.

A value of OTFIX is a nasty non standard value - run a mile from whoever is outputting it if at all possible. This sort of thing negates the whole value of FIX as a standard way we can all communicate.

Best regards

John Cameron

Hi Jonathan,

just look here: http://fixprotocol.org/FIXimate3.0/

The select FIX version presents all available versions to you:

FIX.4.0, FIX.4.1, FIX.4.2, FIX.4.3, FIX.4.4

Starting with FIX 5.0 there is a separation between transport level and application level. Now the tag 8 contains the transport level version (always FIXT.1.1).

Older versions are e.g. FIX.3.7 (not sure about this).

But I never heard of “OTFIX” – perhaps some proprietary invention?

If you want to read FIX messages, check for some free services
presenting nicely formatted FIX messages using JavaScript etc.
E.g.

http://fixsanity.targetcompid.com/

Regards, Jörg

Thanks all for the help!
I believe the output came from CME

FIXwiki (http://fixwiki.org/) is another tool that you might find useful.

For every message or component you see what it looked like for each version.

For example, tag 8 is part of the standard header. Welcome fixwiki.org - BlueHost.com shows what the header looks like (including tag 8) for each version.

A value of OTFIX is a nasty non standard value - run a mile from whoever is outputting it if at all possible. This sort of thing negates the whole value of FIX as a standard way we can all communicate.

Best regards

John Cameron

Hi Jonathan,

just look here: http://fixprotocol.org/FIXimate3.0/

The select FIX version presents all available versions to you:

FIX.4.0, FIX.4.1, FIX.4.2, FIX.4.3, FIX.4.4

Starting with FIX 5.0 there is a separation between transport level and application level. Now the tag 8 contains the transport level version (always FIXT.1.1).

Older versions are e.g. FIX.3.7 (not sure about this).

But I never heard of “OTFIX” – perhaps some proprietary invention?

If you want to read FIX messages, check for some free services
presenting nicely formatted FIX messages using JavaScript etc.
E.g.

http://fixsanity.targetcompid.com/

Regards, Jörg

That is strange – could you post the actual message if possible?

Thanks all for the help!
I believe the output came from CME

FIXwiki (http://fixwiki.org/) is another tool that you might find useful.

For every message or component you see what it looked like for each version.

For example, tag 8 is part of the standard header. http://fixwiki.org/fixwiki/Category:StandardHeader shows what the header looks like (including tag 8) for each version.

A value of OTFIX is a nasty non standard value - run a mile from whoever is outputting it if at all possible. This sort of thing negates the whole value of FIX as a standard way we can all communicate.

Best regards

John Cameron

Hi Jonathan,

just look here: http://fixprotocol.org/FIXimate3.0/

The select FIX version presents all available versions to you:

FIX.4.0, FIX.4.1, FIX.4.2, FIX.4.3, FIX.4.4

Starting with FIX 5.0 there is a separation between transport level and application level. Now the tag 8 contains the transport level version (always FIXT.1.1).

Older versions are e.g. FIX.3.7 (not sure about this).

But I never heard of “OTFIX” – perhaps some proprietary invention?

If you want to read FIX messages, check for some free services
presenting nicely formatted FIX messages using JavaScript etc.
E.g.

http://fixsanity.targetcompid.com/

Regards, Jörg

Heartbeat example (all mesg types are like this though): 8=OTFIX|9=55|35=0|56=FR.OTFIX|49=user1|52=20121108-00:00:12|34=4711|10=200|

That is strange – could you post the actual message if possible?

Thanks all for the help!
I believe the output came from CME

FIXwiki (http://fixwiki.org/) is another tool that you might find useful.

For every message or component you see what it looked like for each version.

For example, tag 8 is part of the standard header. http://fixwiki.org/fixwiki/Category:StandardHeader shows what the header looks like (including tag 8) for each version.

A value of OTFIX is a nasty non standard value - run a mile from whoever is outputting it if at all possible. This sort of thing negates the whole value of FIX as a standard way we can all communicate.

Best regards

John Cameron

Hi Jonathan,

just look here: http://fixprotocol.org/FIXimate3.0/

The select FIX version presents all available versions to you:

FIX.4.0, FIX.4.1, FIX.4.2, FIX.4.3, FIX.4.4

Starting with FIX 5.0 there is a separation between transport level and application level. Now the tag 8 contains the transport level version (always FIXT.1.1).

Older versions are e.g. FIX.3.7 (not sure about this).

But I never heard of “OTFIX” – perhaps some proprietary invention?

If you want to read FIX messages, check for some free services
presenting nicely formatted FIX messages using JavaScript etc.
E.g.

http://fixsanity.targetcompid.com/

Regards, Jörg

This looks like a market data heartbeat message and it is most likely not from CME – we don’t use Tag 8 in our standard header for market data messages – we use Tag 1128 instead to indicate version. Also the sender comp ID is not “CME”.

http://www.cmegroup.com/confluence/display/EPICSANDBOX/Market+Data+-+FIX+Header+Across+Messages

Heartbeat example (all mesg types are like this though): 8=OTFIX|9=55|35=0|56=FR.OTFIX|49=user1|52=20121108-00:00:12|34=4711|10=200|

That is strange – could you post the actual message if possible?

Thanks all for the help!
I believe the output came from CME

FIXwiki (http://fixwiki.org/) is another tool that you might find useful.

For every message or component you see what it looked like for each version.

For example, tag 8 is part of the standard header. http://fixwiki.org/fixwiki/Category:StandardHeader shows what the header looks like (including tag 8) for each version.

A value of OTFIX is a nasty non standard value - run a mile from whoever is outputting it if at all possible. This sort of thing negates the whole value of FIX as a standard way we can all communicate.

Best regards

John Cameron

Hi Jonathan,

just look here: http://fixprotocol.org/FIXimate3.0/

The select FIX version presents all available versions to you:

FIX.4.0, FIX.4.1, FIX.4.2, FIX.4.3, FIX.4.4

Starting with FIX 5.0 there is a separation between transport level and application level. Now the tag 8 contains the transport level version (always FIXT.1.1).

Older versions are e.g. FIX.3.7 (not sure about this).

But I never heard of “OTFIX” – perhaps some proprietary invention?

If you want to read FIX messages, check for some free services
presenting nicely formatted FIX messages using JavaScript etc.
E.g.

http://fixsanity.targetcompid.com/

Regards, Jörg

Never seen that coming in from CME on any session I have with them, so I find that very odd.

Thanks all for the help!
I believe the output came from CME

FIXwiki (http://fixwiki.org/) is another tool that you might find useful.

For every message or component you see what it looked like for each version.

For example, tag 8 is part of the standard header. Welcome fixwiki.org - BlueHost.com shows what the header looks like (including tag 8) for each version.

A value of OTFIX is a nasty non standard value - run a mile from whoever is outputting it if at all possible. This sort of thing negates the whole value of FIX as a standard way we can all communicate.

Best regards

John Cameron

Hi Jonathan,

just look here: http://fixprotocol.org/FIXimate3.0/

The select FIX version presents all available versions to you:

FIX.4.0, FIX.4.1, FIX.4.2, FIX.4.3, FIX.4.4

Starting with FIX 5.0 there is a separation between transport level and application level. Now the tag 8 contains the transport level version (always FIXT.1.1).

Older versions are e.g. FIX.3.7 (not sure about this).

But I never heard of “OTFIX” – perhaps some proprietary invention?

If you want to read FIX messages, check for some free services
presenting nicely formatted FIX messages using JavaScript etc.
E.g.

http://fixsanity.targetcompid.com/

Regards, Jörg