diff --git a/include/msg.h b/include/msg.h
index 57a513017..02f7fa4e9 100644
--- a/include/msg.h
+++ b/include/msg.h
@@ -14,45 +14,57 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "node.h"
 
+#if PROTOCOL == 0
 /**
- * The structure of a message (OPAL-RT example format)
+ * The format of a message (OPAL-RT example format)
  *
- * This struct defines the format of a message.
+ * This struct defines the format of a message (protocol version 0)
  * Its declared as "packed" because it represents the "on wire" data.
  */
 
-#if PROTOCOL != 0
-  #error "Unknown protocol version!"
-#endif
-
 struct msg
 {
 	/// Sender device ID
-	uint16_t dev_id;
+	uint16_t device;
 	/// Message ID
-	uint32_t msg_id;
-	/// Message length (data only)
-	uint16_t msg_len;
+	uint32_t sequence;
 	/// Message length (data only)
+	uint16_t length;
+	/// Message data
 	double data[MAX_VALUES];
 } __attribute__((packed));
+/**
+ * @brief Print a raw UDP packge in human readable form
+ *
+ * @param f The file stream
+ * @param msg A pointer to the message
+ * @return
+ *  - 0 on success
+ *  - otherwise an error occured
+ */
+int msg_fprint(FILE *f, struct msg *m);
 
 /**
- * Print a raw UDP packge in human readable form
+ * @brief Read a message from a file stream
  *
- * @param fd The file descriptor
- * @param msg A pointer to the UDP message
+ * @param f The file stream
+ * @param m A pointer to the message
+ * @return
+ *  - 0 on success
+ *  - otherwise an error occured
  */
-void msg_fprint(FILE *f, struct msg *m);
+int msg_fscan(FILE *f, struct msg *m);
 
 /**
- * Craft message with random-walking values
+ * @brief Change the values of an existing message in a random fashion
+ *
+ * @param msg A pointer to the message whose values will be updated
+ */
+void msg_random(struct msg *m);
+
+/**
+ *
  *
- * NOTE: random-walking behaviour is not reentrant!
- *
- * @param msg A pointer to a struct msg
- * @param dev_id The device id of the message
  */
-void msg_random(struct msg *m, short dev_id);
 
 #endif /* _MSG_H_ */
diff --git a/src/msg.c b/src/msg.c
index 70c1bc8c4..b71946252 100644
--- a/src/msg.c
+++ b/src/msg.c
@@ -7,31 +7,43 @@
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
-#include <assert.h>
 
 #include "msg.h"
 
-void msg_fprint(FILE *f, struct msg *msg)
+int msg_fprint(FILE *f, struct msg *msg)
 {
-	fprintf(f, "p: dev_id = %u, msg_id = %4u, data", msg->dev_id, msg->msg_id);
+	fprintf(f, "%-8u %-8u", msg->device, msg->sequence);
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < msg->msg_len / sizeof(double); i++)
-		fprintf(f, "%8.3f", msg->data[i]);
+	for (int i = 0; i < msg->length / sizeof(double); i++) {
+		fprintf(f, "%-12.6f ", msg->data[i]);
+	}
 
 	fprintf(f, "\n");
+
+	return 0;
 }
 
-void msg_random(struct msg *msg, short dev_id)
+int msg_fscan(FILE *f, struct msg *msg)
 {
-	static uint16_t msg_id;
-	static double data[4];
+	fscanf(f, "%8u %8u ", &msg->device, &msg->sequence);
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < MAX_VALUES; i++)
-		data[i] += (double) random() / RAND_MAX - .5;
+	for (int i = 0; i < msg->length / sizeof(double); i++) {
+		fscanf(f, "%12lf ", &msg->data[i]);
+	}
 
-	msg->msg_id = ++msg_id;
-	msg->dev_id = dev_id;
-	msg->msg_len = sizeof(data);
-	memcpy(&msg->data, data, msg->msg_len);
+	fscanf(f, "\n");
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void msg_random(struct msg *m)
+{
+	int values = m->length / sizeof(double);
+
+	for (int i = 0; i < values; i++) {
+		m->data[i] += (double) random() / RAND_MAX - .5;
+	}
+
+	m->sequence++;
 }