Tidying up the FIX specification documents using customized spell checking

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Imported from previous forum

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Spell checking driven by a custom dictionary containing all standard FIX names can be used to help tidy up the FIX specification documents. It should also be useful to anyone who is writing any kind of documentation that is FIX related.

A file containing all standard FIX names, together with instructions for importing the names into a Microsoft Word custom dictionary, is freely available from http://www.cameronedge.com/services.html.

Often we turn off spell checking when we are writing FIX documentation because of the large number of spelling “errors” triggered by FIX names for things like messages and fields. For example, the standard FIX message name “ExecutionReport” will normally be reported as a spelling error. You can usually add words manually to a custom dictionary one at a time as you encounter them but this is tedious and you may mistakenly add non standard names - for example “ExecutionRpt”.

However, most text editors (including Microsoft Word) do allow you to import a whole file of new words into a custom dictionary.

Over the years, the FIX specification has accumulated numerous typing errors as well as references to non existent, obsolete or non standard FIX names.

For example, the execution report message is sometimes referred to as “ExecutionRpt”, sometimes as “Execution Report”, sometimes it is just misspelled altogether. The standard name for this message in the FIX repository is “ExecutionReport”. All references in the specification should be corrected to use this.

Spell checking the spec will have the following advantages:

  • It will immediately pick up numerous errors

  • The spec will become clearer for the reader - there can be no confusion about what FIX artifact is being referred to

  • Forced use of standard FIX names will facilitate automated detection of hyperlinks - useful in tools such as FIXwiki and FIXimate. The spec itself could be processed to increase the use of hyperlinks within itself - eg click directly to a message definition from wherever that message is referred to.

  • It will significantly reduce the chance of new errors being introduced into the specification in future

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John,

excellent idea, thanks for the contribution. We should try to use it already for errata versions of FIX 5.0 SP2 and definitely as of SP3 going forward.

FIX Gap Analysis proposals and new/updated Rules of Engagement docs should immediately make use of it.

Regards,
Hanno.

Spell checking driven by a custom dictionary containing all standard FIX
names can be used to help tidy up the FIX specification documents. It
should also be useful to anyone who is writing any kind of documentation
that is FIX related.

A file containing all standard FIX names, together with instructions for
importing the names into a Microsoft Word custom dictionary, is freely
available from Cameron Edge | FIX Services - FIXwiki - FromTheProducer.

Often we turn off spell checking when we are writing FIX documentation
because of the large number of spelling “errors” triggered by FIX names
for things like messages and fields. For example, the standard FIX
message name “ExecutionReport” will normally be reported as a spelling
error. You can usually add words manually to a custom dictionary one at
a time as you encounter them but this is tedious and you may mistakenly
add non standard names - for example “ExecutionRpt”.

However, most text editors (including Microsoft Word) do allow you to
import a whole file of new words into a custom dictionary.

Over the years, the FIX specification has accumulated numerous typing
errors as well as references to non existent, obsolete or non standard
FIX names.

For example, the execution report message is sometimes referred to as
“ExecutionRpt”, sometimes as “Execution Report”, sometimes it is just
misspelled altogether. The standard name for this message in the FIX
repository is “ExecutionReport”. All references in the specification
should be corrected to use this.

Spell checking the spec will have the following advantages:

  • It will immediately pick up numerous errors

  • The spec will become clearer for the reader - there can be no
    confusion about what FIX artifact is being referred to

  • Forced use of standard FIX names will facilitate automated detection
    of hyperlinks - useful in tools such as FIXwiki and FIXimate. The spec
    itself could be processed to increase the use of hyperlinks within
    itself - eg click directly to a message definition from wherever that
    message is referred to.

  • It will significantly reduce the chance of new errors being introduced
    into the specification in future

4

The spell checking dictionary is now generated automatically by FIXwiki.

It is available at Welcome fixwiki.org - BlueHost.com

John,

excellent idea, thanks for the contribution. We should try to use it already for errata versions of FIX 5.0 SP2 and definitely as of SP3 going forward.

FIX Gap Analysis proposals and new/updated Rules of Engagement docs should immediately make use of it.

Regards,
Hanno.

Spell checking driven by a custom dictionary containing all standard FIX
names can be used to help tidy up the FIX specification documents. It
should also be useful to anyone who is writing any kind of documentation
that is FIX related.

A file containing all standard FIX names, together with instructions for
importing the names into a Microsoft Word custom dictionary, is freely
available from Cameron Edge | FIX Services - FIXwiki - FromTheProducer.

Often we turn off spell checking when we are writing FIX documentation
because of the large number of spelling “errors” triggered by FIX names
for things like messages and fields. For example, the standard FIX
message name “ExecutionReport” will normally be reported as a spelling
error. You can usually add words manually to a custom dictionary one at
a time as you encounter them but this is tedious and you may mistakenly
add non standard names - for example “ExecutionRpt”.

However, most text editors (including Microsoft Word) do allow you to
import a whole file of new words into a custom dictionary.

Over the years, the FIX specification has accumulated numerous typing
errors as well as references to non existent, obsolete or non standard
FIX names.

For example, the execution report message is sometimes referred to as
“ExecutionRpt”, sometimes as “Execution Report”, sometimes it is just
misspelled altogether. The standard name for this message in the FIX
repository is “ExecutionReport”. All references in the specification
should be corrected to use this.

Spell checking the spec will have the following advantages:

  • It will immediately pick up numerous errors

  • The spec will become clearer for the reader - there can be no
    confusion about what FIX artifact is being referred to

  • Forced use of standard FIX names will facilitate automated detection
    of hyperlinks - useful in tools such as FIXwiki and FIXimate. The spec
    itself could be processed to increase the use of hyperlinks within
    itself - eg click directly to a message definition from wherever that
    message is referred to.

  • It will significantly reduce the chance of new errors being introduced
    into the specification in future