Debugging and diagnostic tools for C2 API

C2 Software Development
1

Hello,

I am trying to integrate my software to receive signals with C2ATI API. so far it seems to me that your debugging and diagnostic tools are poor. The only way to simulate signals I found is to create new account and new system, then subscribe to it. Still the features are really limited. I would like to ask you:

  1. how can I set up some test system to run end-to-end integration tests for signals. I need to simulate all order types separately. I would like to simulate signals for all asset classes separately. I expect no limit on number of orders/signals I simulate - debugging may take longer time than expected. How can I do this?

  2. I would like to simulate errors happening on C2 side as well as my side. e.g. MISSINGORINCORRECTPARAMS, SESSION TIMED OUT, etc. How can I do this?

  3. where can I get server side logs with precise xml packets sent to my software and received from it?

  4. do you have any technical personnel allocated for support (and debug together) those integrating with your website?

  5. Off-topic question: Do you have any plans for OSI support for options on C2? for now it seems that you support DTN version only, while 23 chars version (e.g. “LAMR 150117C00052500”) is not supported. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Option_symbol

Looking forward to your prompt reply.

Best regards,
Pavel.

2

Hello? Looking forward to your reply.

3

Hi, Quant1729:

I agree with your assessment that our debugging and diagnostic tools for software developers using our APIs is currently poor. I’m afraid it’s one of the costs of being a small company with limited resources and larger ambitions: a lot of worthy projects, not enough man-hours to go around.

In any case, I think you’ll be glad to learn that we’re currently working on a version 2.0 of our APIs – a much better documented, much more modern set of interfaces to our various API services. Unfortunately, we started this effort recently, so I am unable to promise any sort of timeframe for completing it.

In the meantime, my advice is to just muddle through as best you can. (Sorry – not very useful advice, but the truth.) We don’t have any ways to simulate errors to most API calls at this time (however this will be available for the version 2.0 of the API).

We don’t allocate any full-time technical support to any API project by third-party software developers, but we’ll try to be as responsive as we can through normal Help Desk channels (help@collective2.com).

You mentioned wanting a test system to run end-to-end integration tests. The most I can suggest is that you set up a trading system on Collective2 and designate it a test system. This allows you to send as many signals as you like, and to reset the system back to zero as often as you like. (Yes, we do ask you to pay a Listing Fee for this system, but I don’t think the $120 price is out of reach for most software developers.)

I don’t have any plans to change options symbology at this time, but it’s a reasonable suggestion, and I’ll see if it’s possible to implement it in the newer versions of the APIs.

Matthew