At the top of every file is a version key for when the file was last updated.

Example: 
# Version: 2008040301

The version key is CCYYMMDDVV

CC - Century
YY - Year
MM - Month
DD - Day
VV - Version 


File: barxcon.txt

Contains a pre-fixed list of high volume futures contracts separated into different groupings, designed to be used on an overview quote page with about a dozen contracts per grouping.

Example: 
W:Grains (Day Session):Wheat:WK8,WN8

Translation:
Commodity Code: Grouping: Commodity Name: Featured Contracts (comma delimited if more than one)

Where the grouping can be one of: Currencies, Energies, Grains, Financials, Indices, Meats, Metals, Softs


File: barxfut.txt

Contains all the information for every futures contracts.

Example:
AD: Australian Dollar:imm:4:4:Currencies:75804:$100,000:$1,000:M08;74519;06/16/2008:U08;520;09/15/2008:Z08;693;12/15/2008:H09;60;03/16/2009:M09;12;06/15/2009:U09;0;09/14/2009

Translation:
Commodity Code: Name: Exchange: Futures Processing Type: Options Processing Type: Grouping: Open Interest: Value of One Futures Unit: Value of One Options Unit: (Contract; Open Interest; Expiration Date - repeated for each contract).

The futures processing type can be either 6,5,4,3,2,1,0,-1,-2,-3,-4,-5 which corresponds to 6 decimal places, 5 decimals places, ... 1 decimal place, 0 decimal places, 1/8ths, 1/16ths, 1/32nds, 1/64ths or 1/128ths.

So in the example above for TY which has a value of 1 unit of $1000 and trades in processing type 64ths then each tic is worth ($1,000/64) $15.625.
In the example above for AD which has a value of 1 unit of $100,000 and trades in processing type 4 decimals then the tic size is 0.0001 and each tic is worth $10.

N.B. Different rules for processing types below zero and above.


File: barxcom.txt

Exactly the same as barxfut.txt but for NYMEX Swaps and CME Weather which have a 3 character commodity code. 

Example:
JEL:European ULSD 50 PPM FOB MED Swap:NYMEX:2:2:Futures:0:$100:$100:J08;0;04/01/2008

Translation:
Commodity Code: Name: Exchange: Futures Processing Type: Options Processing Type: Grouping: Open Interest: Value of One Futures Unit: Value of One Options Unit: (Contract; Open Interest; Expiration Date - repeated for each contract).


File: barxopt.txt

Contains all the information you need on options contracts.

* - represents the start of a new commodity code.

Example:
EDM8:EDK08:05/02/2008:EDK9737C:EDK9737P

Translation:
Underlying Futures Contract: Options contract: Expiration Date: (Options Strikes - repeated for all available strikes)

N.B. The underlying futures contract can be a different contract month, and even commodity from the options contract.


File: barxopc.txt

Exactly the same as barxopt.txt but for NYMEX Swaps and CME Weather which have a 3 character commodity code. 

Example:
CLX2:JAOX12:11/01/2012:JAOX2|11000C:JAOX2|6000P:JAOX2|7500P:JAOX2|8000P

Translation:
Underlying Futures Contract: Options contract: Expiration Date: (Options Strikes - repeated for all available strikes)

The options strike is different for these contracts. The format is

CCCMY|SSSSSC

CCC - commodity code
M - commodity month
Y - commodity year
| - delimiter
SSSSS - strike value (up to 5)
C - (C)all or (P)ut letter


File: futexp.txt

Contains the futures expiration dates for all active contracts. This information is also contained in barxfut.txt

Example:
AM,F2009,fex,12/29/2008

Translation:
Commodity Code, Contract Month and Year, Spare, Expiration Date

The expiration date is MM/DD/CCYY

MM - Month
DD - Day
CC - Century
YY - Year


File: optexp.txt

Contains the options expiration dates for all active contracts. This information is also contained in barxopt.txt

Example:
AB,V2008,oex,09/26/2008

Translation:
Commodity Code, Contract Month and Year, Spare, Expiration Date

The expiration date is MM/DD/CCYY

MM - Month
DD - Day
CC - Century
YY - Year