diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 34f40b1b98..f216c67a71 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ help:
 	@echo "  test      to run all tests"
 	@echo
 
-all: deps-generator c python javascript java haskell docs
+all: deps-generator c python javascript java docs haskell
 docs: verify-prereq-docs deps-generator pdf html
 
 c:          deps-c          gen-c          test-c
diff --git a/c/include/libsbp/settings.h b/c/include/libsbp/settings.h
index 75f94229d5..b79273d036 100644
--- a/c/include/libsbp/settings.h
+++ b/c/include/libsbp/settings.h
@@ -17,13 +17,32 @@
 
 /** \defgroup settings Settings
  *
- *  * Messages for reading and writing the device's device settings.
+ *  * 
+ * Messages for reading, writing, and discovering device settings. Settings
+ * with a "string" field have multiple values in this field delimited with a
+ * null character (the c style null terminator).  For instance, when querying
+ * the 'firmware_version' setting in the 'system_info' section, the following
+ * array of characters needs to be sent for the string field in
+ * MSG_SETTINGS_READ: "system_info\0firmware_version\0", where the delimiting 
+ * null characters are specified with the escape sequence '\0' and all
+ * quotation marks should be omitted. 
  * 
- * Note that some of these messages share the same message type ID for both the
- * host request and the device response. See the accompanying document for
- * descriptions of settings configurations and examples:
  * 
- * https://github.com/swift-nav/piksi\_firmware/blob/master/docs/settings.pdf
+ * In the message descriptions below, the generic strings SECTION_SETTING and
+ * SETTING are used to refer to the two strings that comprise the identifier
+ * of an individual setting.In firmware_version example above, SECTION_SETTING
+ * is the 'system_info', and the SETTING portion is 'firmware_version'. 
+ * 
+ * See the "Software Settings Manual" on support.swiftnav.com for detailed
+ * documentation about all settings and sections available for each Swift
+ * firmware version. Settings manuals are available for each firmware version
+ * at the following link: https://support.swiftnav.com/customer/en/portal/articles/2628580-piksi-multi-specifications#settings.
+ * The latest settings document is also available at the following link: 
+ * http://swiftnav.com/latest/piksi-multi-settings .
+ * See lastly https://github.com/swift-nav/piksi_tools/blob/master/piksi_tools/settings.py , 
+ * the open source python command line utility for reading, writing, and
+ * saving settings in the piksi_tools repository on github as a helpful
+ * reference and example.
  * \{ */
 
 #ifndef LIBSBP_SETTINGS_MESSAGES_H
@@ -42,14 +61,18 @@
 
 /** Write device configuration settings (host => device)
  *
-* The setting message writes the device configuration.
+ * The setting message writes the device configuration for a particular
+ * setting via A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes 
+ * the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. A device will
+ * only process to this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+ * An example string that could be sent to a device is
+ * "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
  */
 #define SBP_MSG_SETTINGS_WRITE              0x00A0
 typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
-  char setting[0]; /**< A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only
-process to this message when it is received from sender ID
-0x42.
+  char setting[0]; /**< A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
  */
 } msg_settings_write_t;
 
@@ -58,38 +81,55 @@ process to this message when it is received from sender ID
  *
  * Return the status of a write request with the new value of the
  * setting.  If the requested value is rejected, the current value
- * will be returned.
+ * will be returned. The string field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited
+ * string with contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0'
+ * escape sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks
+ * are omitted. An example string that could be sent from device is
+ * "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
  */
 #define SBP_MSG_SETTINGS_WRITE_RESP         0x00AF
 typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
   u8 status;     /**< Write status */
   char setting[0]; /**< A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" 
  */
 } msg_settings_write_resp_t;
 
 
 /** Read device configuration settings (host => device)
  *
-* The setting message reads the device configuration.
+ * The setting message that reads the device configuration. The string
+ * field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes the
+ * NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An example
+ * string that could be sent to a device is "solution\0soln_freq\0". A
+ * device will only respond to this message when it is received from
+ * sender ID 0x42. A device should respond with a MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP
+ * message (msg_id 0x00A5).
  */
 #define SBP_MSG_SETTINGS_READ_REQ           0x00A4
 typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
-  char setting[0]; /**< A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING]. A device will only respond to
-this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+  char setting[0]; /**< A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0"
  */
 } msg_settings_read_req_t;
 
 
 /** Read device configuration settings (host <= device)
  *
-* The setting message reads the device configuration.
+ * The setting message wich which the device responds after a
+ * MSG_SETTING_READ_REQ is sent to device. The string field is a
+ * NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence
+ * denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An
+ * example string that could be sent from device is
+ * "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
  */
 #define SBP_MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP          0x00A5
 typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
-  char setting[0]; /**< A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+  char setting[0]; /**< A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
+ 
  */
 } msg_settings_read_resp_t;
 
@@ -97,10 +137,8 @@ typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
 /** Read setting by direct index (host => device)
  *
  * The settings message for iterating through the settings
- * values. It will read the setting at an index, returning a
- * NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
- * [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only respond to
- * this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+ * values. A device will respond to this message with a 
+ * "MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_RESP".
  */
 #define SBP_MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_REQ  0x00A2
 typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
@@ -112,10 +150,16 @@ typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
 
 /** Read setting by direct index (host <= device)
  *
- * The settings message for iterating through the settings
- * values. It will read the setting at an index, returning a
- * NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
- * [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+ * The settings message that reports the value of a setting at an index.
+ * 
+ * In the string field, it reports NULL-terminated and delimited string
+ * with contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0". where
+ * the '\0' escape sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation
+ * marks are omitted. The FORMAT_TYPE field is optional and denotes
+ * possible string values of the setting as a hint to the user. If
+ * included, the format type portion of the string has the format
+ * "enum:value1,value2,value3". An example string that could be sent from
+ * the device is "simulator\0enabled\0True\0enum:True,False\0"
  */
 #define SBP_MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_RESP 0x00A7
 typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
@@ -123,7 +167,7 @@ typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
 0 to length(settings)
  */
   char setting[0]; /**< A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0"
  */
 } msg_settings_read_by_index_resp_t;
 
@@ -144,7 +188,7 @@ typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
 #define SBP_MSG_SETTINGS_REGISTER           0x00AE
 typedef struct __attribute__((packed)) {
   char setting[0]; /**< A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE".
  */
 } msg_settings_register_t;
 
diff --git a/docs/sbp.pdf b/docs/sbp.pdf
index 33d64e8493..f55d446a76 100644
Binary files a/docs/sbp.pdf and b/docs/sbp.pdf differ
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/c.py b/generator/sbpg/targets/c.py
index 8b86fb46ee..ba1f137749 100755
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/c.py
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/c.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 """
 
 from sbpg.targets.templating import *
+from sbpg.utils import markdown_links
 
 MESSAGES_TEMPLATE_NAME = "sbp_messages_template.h"
 VERSION_TEMPLATE_NAME = "sbp_version_template.h"
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ def commentify(value):
   """
   Builds a comment.
   """
+  value = markdown_links(value)
   if value is None:
     return
   if len(value.split('\n')) == 1:
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/haskell.py b/generator/sbpg/targets/haskell.py
index 5c8a86d14a..56a1c24b7b 100755
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/haskell.py
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/haskell.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 import string
 import copy
 from sbpg.targets.templating import *
+from sbpg.utils import comment_links
 
 MESSAGES_TEMPLATE_NAME = "SbpMessagesTemplate.hs"
 CABAL_TEMPLATE_NAME = "sbp-template.cabal"
@@ -143,6 +144,9 @@ def to_put(f, type_map=PUT_CONSTRUCT_CODE):
     return "mapM_ %s" % to_put(f_, type_map)
   return type_map.get(name, "put")
 
+def comment_links_hsk(s):
+  return '\<' + comment_links(s) + '\>'
+
 def max_fid_len(m):
   """
   Max field id length.
@@ -156,6 +160,7 @@ def max_fid_len(m):
 JENV.filters['to_put'] = to_put
 JENV.filters['max_fid_len'] = max_fid_len
 JENV.filters['camel_case'] = camel_case
+JENV.filters['comment_links'] = comment_links_hsk
 
 def render_source(output_dir, package_spec):
   """
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/java.py b/generator/sbpg/targets/java.py
index cce92ae3bd..5bfb6a42d5 100755
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/java.py
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/java.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 import os
 import os.path
 from sbpg.targets.templating import JENV, ACRONYMS
-
+from sbpg.utils import comment_links
 
 TEMPLATE_NAME = "sbp_java.java.j2"
 TEMPLATE_TABLE_NAME = "MessageTable.java.j2"
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ def commentify(value):
   """
   Builds a comment.
   """
+  value = comment_links(value)
   if value is None:
     return
   if len(value.split('\n')) == 1:
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/javascript.py b/generator/sbpg/targets/javascript.py
index d7c52756c7..0b6fd0f2eb 100644
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/javascript.py
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/javascript.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 """
 
 from sbpg.targets.templating import JENV
+from sbpg.utils import comment_links
 import copy
 import textwrap
 
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@ def islist(x):
 JENV.filters['arrayLength'] = array_length
 JENV.filters['construct_js'] = construct_format
 JENV.filters['jsdoc'] = jsdoc_format
+JENV.filters['comment_links'] = comment_links
 JENV.filters['starWordWrap'] = star_wordwrap
 JENV.filters['starWordWrapIndent'] = star_wordwrap_indent
 
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/latex.py b/generator/sbpg/targets/latex.py
index d36996352e..5e28029f68 100755
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/latex.py
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/latex.py
@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ def no_us(value):
 LATEX_SUBS = (
     (re.compile(r'\\'), r'\\textbackslash'),
     (re.compile(r'([{}_#%&$])'), r'\\\1'),
+    (re.compile(r'@@(\S+)\[(.+)\]'), r'\href{\1}{\2}'),
     (re.compile(r'~'), r'\~{}'),
     (re.compile(r'\^'), r'\^{}'),
-    (re.compile(r'_'), r'_'),
     (re.compile(r'"'), r"''"),
     (re.compile(r'\.\.\.+'), r'\\ldots'),
 )
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/python.py b/generator/sbpg/targets/python.py
index 38eddcd5d9..1d8ffad891 100755
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/python.py
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/python.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 """
 
 from sbpg.targets.templating import JENV, ACRONYMS
+from sbpg.utils import comment_links
 import copy
 
 TEMPLATE_NAME = "sbp_construct_template.py.j2"
@@ -97,6 +98,7 @@ def classnameify(s):
 JENV.filters['construct_py'] = construct_format
 JENV.filters['classnameify'] = classnameify
 JENV.filters['pydoc'] = pydoc_format
+JENV.filters['comment_links'] = comment_links
 
 
 def render_source(output_dir, package_spec, jenv=JENV):
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/SbpMessagesTemplate.hs b/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/SbpMessagesTemplate.hs
index f2446cdd5a..ac6a1d9d72 100644
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/SbpMessagesTemplate.hs
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/SbpMessagesTemplate.hs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 -- Stability:   experimental
 -- Portability: portable
 --
--- (((description | replace("\n", " ") | wordwrap(width=76, wrapstring="\n-- "))))
+-- (((description | comment_links | replace("\n", " ") | wordwrap(width=76, wrapstring="\n-- " ))))
 
 module (((module_name)))
   ( module (((module_name)))
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_construct_template.py.j2 b/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_construct_template.py.j2
index b978da57f1..03e421b8c2 100755
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_construct_template.py.j2
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_construct_template.py.j2
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 
 """
-(((description)))
+(((description|comment_links)))
 """
 
 import json
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_js.js.j2 b/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_js.js.j2
index 135f8e16a0..414f110de5 100644
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_js.js.j2
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_js.js.j2
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  **********************
  * Package description:
  *
- * (((description | starWordWrap)))
+ * (((description | comment_links | starWordWrap)))
 ***********************/
 
 var SBP = require('./sbp');
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_messages_desc.tex b/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_messages_desc.tex
index 76c2ca9c3d..a43490b7d2 100644
--- a/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_messages_desc.tex
+++ b/generator/sbpg/targets/resources/sbp_messages_desc.tex
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@
 \section{Stable Message Definitions}
 ((*- for m in msgs *))
 ((*- if m.pkg *))
-\subsection{(((m.pkg|packagenameify|header_write)))}
+\subsection{(((m.pkg|packagenameify|header_write|no_us)))}
 \begin{large}
-(((m.pkg_desc | escape_tex | no_us)))
+(((m.pkg_desc | escape_tex )))
 \end{large}
 ((* endif *))
 \subsubsection{(((m.name|escape_tex))) --- ((('0x%04X'|format(m.sbp_id)))) --- (((m.sbp_id)))}
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ \subsection{(((m.pkg|packagenameify|no_us|header_write)))}
 (((m.pkg_desc)))
 \end{large}
 ((* endif *))
-\subsubsection*{(((m.name|escape_tex))) --- ((('0x%04X'|format(m.sbp_id)))) --- (((m.sbp_id)))}
+\subsubsection*{(((m.name|escape_tex|no_us))) --- ((('0x%04X'|format(m.sbp_id)))) --- (((m.sbp_id)))}
 \label{sec:(((m.name)))}
 \begin{minipage}{\textwidth}
 \begin{large}
diff --git a/generator/sbpg/utils.py b/generator/sbpg/utils.py
index d4577aae25..3cfac09cd2 100755
--- a/generator/sbpg/utils.py
+++ b/generator/sbpg/utils.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 # WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
 
 import pprint
-
+import re
 def fmt_repr(obj):
   """
   Return pretty printed string representation of an object.
@@ -52,3 +52,11 @@ def rejig_bitfields(bfs):
             'len': bf_len,
         }))
     return new_bfs, n_with_values
+
+def comment_links(input_string):
+   pattern = re.compile(r'@@(\S+)\[(.+)\]')
+   return pattern.sub( r'\1', input_string) 
+
+def markdown_links(input_string):
+   pattern = re.compile(r'@@(\S+)\[(.+)\]')
+   return pattern.sub( r'[\2](\1)', input_string) 
diff --git a/haskell/src/SwiftNav/SBP/Settings.hs b/haskell/src/SwiftNav/SBP/Settings.hs
index 2e7efc3a8f..c5615318d1 100644
--- a/haskell/src/SwiftNav/SBP/Settings.hs
+++ b/haskell/src/SwiftNav/SBP/Settings.hs
@@ -11,11 +11,28 @@
 -- Stability:   experimental
 -- Portability: portable
 --
--- Messages for reading and writing the device's device settings.  Note that
--- some of these messages share the same message type ID for both the host
--- request and the device response. See the accompanying document for
--- descriptions of settings configurations and examples:  https://github.com
--- /swift-nav/piksi\_firmware/blob/master/docs/settings.pdf
+--  Messages for reading, writing, and discovering device settings. Settings
+-- with a "string" field have multiple values in this field delimited with a
+-- null character (the c style null terminator).  For instance, when querying
+-- the 'firmware_version' setting in the 'system_info' section, the following
+-- array of characters needs to be sent for the string field in
+-- MSG_SETTINGS_READ: "system_info\0firmware_version\0", where the delimiting
+-- null characters are specified with the escape sequence '\0' and all
+-- quotation marks should be omitted.    In the message descriptions below, the
+-- generic strings SECTION_SETTING and SETTING are used to refer to the two
+-- strings that comprise the identifier of an individual setting.In
+-- firmware_version example above, SECTION_SETTING is the 'system_info', and
+-- the SETTING portion is 'firmware_version'.   See the "Software Settings
+-- Manual" on support.swiftnav.com for detailed documentation about all
+-- settings and sections available for each Swift firmware version. Settings
+-- manuals are available for each firmware version at the following link:
+-- https://support.swiftnav.com/customer/en/portal/articles/2628580-piksi-
+-- multi-specifications#settings. The latest settings document is also
+-- available at the following link:  http://swiftnav.com/latest/piksi-multi-
+-- settings . See lastly https://github.com/swift-
+-- nav/piksi_tools/blob/master/piksi_tools/settings.py ,  the open source
+-- python command line utility for reading, writing, and saving settings in the
+-- piksi_tools repository on github as a helpful reference and example.
 
 module SwiftNav.SBP.Settings
   ( module SwiftNav.SBP.Settings
@@ -64,12 +81,16 @@ msgSettingsWrite = 0x00A0
 
 -- | SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_WRITE (0x00A0).
 --
--- The setting message writes the device configuration.
+-- The setting message writes the device configuration for a particular setting
+-- via A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+-- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes
+-- the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. A device will only
+-- process to this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42. An example
+-- string that could be sent to a device is "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
 data MsgSettingsWrite = MsgSettingsWrite
   { _msgSettingsWrite_setting :: !Text
-    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING,
-    -- SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only process to this message when it is
-    -- received from sender ID 0x42.
+    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+    -- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
   } deriving ( Show, Read, Eq )
 
 instance Binary MsgSettingsWrite where
@@ -90,13 +111,17 @@ msgSettingsWriteResp = 0x00AF
 -- | SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_WRITE_RESP (0x00AF).
 --
 -- Return the status of a write request with the new value of the setting.  If
--- the requested value is rejected, the current value will be returned.
+-- the requested value is rejected, the current value will be returned. The
+-- string field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+-- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes
+-- the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An example string
+-- that could be sent from device is "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
 data MsgSettingsWriteResp = MsgSettingsWriteResp
   { _msgSettingsWriteResp_status :: !Word8
     -- ^ Write status
   , _msgSettingsWriteResp_setting :: !Text
-    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING,
-    -- SETTING, VALUE].
+    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
+    -- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
   } deriving ( Show, Read, Eq )
 
 instance Binary MsgSettingsWriteResp where
@@ -118,12 +143,17 @@ msgSettingsReadReq = 0x00A4
 
 -- | SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_READ_REQ (0x00A4).
 --
--- The setting message reads the device configuration.
+-- The setting message that reads the device configuration. The string field is
+-- a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+-- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes the NULL
+-- character and where quotation marks are omitted. An example string that
+-- could be sent to a device is "solution\0soln_freq\0". A device will only
+-- respond to this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42. A device
+-- should respond with a MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP message (msg_id 0x00A5).
 data MsgSettingsReadReq = MsgSettingsReadReq
   { _msgSettingsReadReq_setting :: !Text
-    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING,
-    -- SETTING]. A device will only respond to this message when it is received
-    -- from sender ID 0x42.
+    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+    -- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0"
   } deriving ( Show, Read, Eq )
 
 instance Binary MsgSettingsReadReq where
@@ -143,11 +173,16 @@ msgSettingsReadResp = 0x00A5
 
 -- | SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP (0x00A5).
 --
--- The setting message reads the device configuration.
+-- The setting message wich which the device responds after a
+-- MSG_SETTING_READ_REQ is sent to device. The string field is a NULL-
+-- terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+-- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes
+-- the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An example string
+-- that could be sent from device is "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
 data MsgSettingsReadResp = MsgSettingsReadResp
   { _msgSettingsReadResp_setting :: !Text
-    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING,
-    -- SETTING, VALUE].
+    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+    -- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
   } deriving ( Show, Read, Eq )
 
 instance Binary MsgSettingsReadResp where
@@ -167,10 +202,8 @@ msgSettingsReadByIndexReq = 0x00A2
 
 -- | SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_REQ (0x00A2).
 --
--- The settings message for iterating through the settings values. It will read
--- the setting at an index, returning a NULL-terminated and delimited string
--- with contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only respond
--- to this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+-- The settings message for iterating through the settings values. A device
+-- will respond to this message with a  "MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_RESP".
 data MsgSettingsReadByIndexReq = MsgSettingsReadByIndexReq
   { _msgSettingsReadByIndexReq_index :: !Word16
     -- ^ An index into the device settings, with values ranging from 0 to
@@ -194,16 +227,22 @@ msgSettingsReadByIndexResp = 0x00A7
 
 -- | SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_RESP (0x00A7).
 --
--- The settings message for iterating through the settings values. It will read
--- the setting at an index, returning a NULL-terminated and delimited string
--- with contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+-- The settings message that reports the value of a setting at an index.  In
+-- the string field, it reports NULL-terminated and delimited string with
+-- contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0". where the '\0'
+-- escape sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks are
+-- omitted. The FORMAT_TYPE field is optional and denotes possible string
+-- values of the setting as a hint to the user. If included, the format type
+-- portion of the string has the format "enum:value1,value2,value3". An example
+-- string that could be sent from the device is
+-- "simulator\0enabled\0True\0enum:True,False\0"
 data MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp = MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp
   { _msgSettingsReadByIndexResp_index :: !Word16
     -- ^ An index into the device settings, with values ranging from 0 to
     -- length(settings)
   , _msgSettingsReadByIndexResp_setting :: !Text
-    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING,
-    -- SETTING, VALUE].
+    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
+    -- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0"
   } deriving ( Show, Read, Eq )
 
 instance Binary MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp where
@@ -249,8 +288,8 @@ msgSettingsRegister = 0x00AE
 -- setting to set the initial value.
 data MsgSettingsRegister = MsgSettingsRegister
   { _msgSettingsRegister_setting :: !Text
-    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING,
-    -- SETTING, VALUE].
+    -- ^ A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
+    -- "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE".
   } deriving ( Show, Read, Eq )
 
 instance Binary MsgSettingsRegister where
diff --git a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadByIndexReq.java b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadByIndexReq.java
index 9b2b2a712b..cecaa81814 100644
--- a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadByIndexReq.java
+++ b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadByIndexReq.java
@@ -29,10 +29,8 @@
  * fields.
  *
  * The settings message for iterating through the settings
- * values. It will read the setting at an index, returning a
- * NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
- * [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only respond to
- * this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42. */
+ * values. A device will respond to this message with a 
+ * "MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_RESP". */
 
 public class MsgSettingsReadByIndexReq extends SBPMessage {
     public static final int TYPE = 0x00A2;
diff --git a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp.java b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp.java
index 16d1b4b08a..6655f9df68 100644
--- a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp.java
+++ b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp.java
@@ -28,10 +28,16 @@
  * an inherited SBP object, or construct it inline using a dict of its
  * fields.
  *
- * The settings message for iterating through the settings
- * values. It will read the setting at an index, returning a
- * NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
- * [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. */
+ * The settings message that reports the value of a setting at an index.
+ * 
+ * In the string field, it reports NULL-terminated and delimited string
+ * with contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0". where
+ * the '\0' escape sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation
+ * marks are omitted. The FORMAT_TYPE field is optional and denotes
+ * possible string values of the setting as a hint to the user. If
+ * included, the format type portion of the string has the format
+ * "enum:value1,value2,value3". An example string that could be sent from
+ * the device is "simulator\0enabled\0True\0enum:True,False\0" */
 
 public class MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp extends SBPMessage {
     public static final int TYPE = 0x00A7;
@@ -43,7 +49,7 @@ public class MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp extends SBPMessage {
     public int index;
     
     /** A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0"
  */
     public String setting;
     
diff --git a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadReq.java b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadReq.java
index 66685d465d..760bd3181a 100644
--- a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadReq.java
+++ b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadReq.java
@@ -28,15 +28,21 @@
  * an inherited SBP object, or construct it inline using a dict of its
  * fields.
  *
-* The setting message reads the device configuration. */
+ * The setting message that reads the device configuration. The string
+ * field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes the
+ * NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An example
+ * string that could be sent to a device is "solution\0soln_freq\0". A
+ * device will only respond to this message when it is received from
+ * sender ID 0x42. A device should respond with a MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP
+ * message (msg_id 0x00A5). */
 
 public class MsgSettingsReadReq extends SBPMessage {
     public static final int TYPE = 0x00A4;
 
     
-    /** A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING]. A device will only respond to
-this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+    /** A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0"
  */
     public String setting;
     
diff --git a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadResp.java b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadResp.java
index c0ddf3d956..f634329a78 100644
--- a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadResp.java
+++ b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsReadResp.java
@@ -28,14 +28,21 @@
  * an inherited SBP object, or construct it inline using a dict of its
  * fields.
  *
-* The setting message reads the device configuration. */
+ * The setting message wich which the device responds after a
+ * MSG_SETTING_READ_REQ is sent to device. The string field is a
+ * NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence
+ * denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An
+ * example string that could be sent from device is
+ * "solution\0soln_freq\010\0". */
 
 public class MsgSettingsReadResp extends SBPMessage {
     public static final int TYPE = 0x00A5;
 
     
-    /** A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+    /** A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
+ 
  */
     public String setting;
     
diff --git a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsRegister.java b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsRegister.java
index 94df067fed..c0868c2272 100644
--- a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsRegister.java
+++ b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsRegister.java
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ public class MsgSettingsRegister extends SBPMessage {
 
     
     /** A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE".
  */
     public String setting;
     
diff --git a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsWrite.java b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsWrite.java
index deeac39ee5..b699449591 100644
--- a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsWrite.java
+++ b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsWrite.java
@@ -28,16 +28,20 @@
  * an inherited SBP object, or construct it inline using a dict of its
  * fields.
  *
-* The setting message writes the device configuration. */
+ * The setting message writes the device configuration for a particular
+ * setting via A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes 
+ * the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. A device will
+ * only process to this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+ * An example string that could be sent to a device is
+ * "solution\0soln_freq\010\0". */
 
 public class MsgSettingsWrite extends SBPMessage {
     public static final int TYPE = 0x00A0;
 
     
-    /** A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only
-process to this message when it is received from sender ID
-0x42.
+    /** A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
  */
     public String setting;
     
diff --git a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsWriteResp.java b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsWriteResp.java
index 0bd1cfd112..94112679ec 100644
--- a/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsWriteResp.java
+++ b/java/src/com/swiftnav/sbp/settings/MsgSettingsWriteResp.java
@@ -30,7 +30,11 @@
  *
  * Return the status of a write request with the new value of the
  * setting.  If the requested value is rejected, the current value
- * will be returned. */
+ * will be returned. The string field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited
+ * string with contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0'
+ * escape sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks
+ * are omitted. An example string that could be sent from device is
+ * "solution\0soln_freq\010\0". */
 
 public class MsgSettingsWriteResp extends SBPMessage {
     public static final int TYPE = 0x00AF;
@@ -40,7 +44,7 @@ public class MsgSettingsWriteResp extends SBPMessage {
     public int status;
     
     /** A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" 
  */
     public String setting;
     
diff --git a/javascript/sbp/settings.js b/javascript/sbp/settings.js
index 415c528a40..2c71ace173 100644
--- a/javascript/sbp/settings.js
+++ b/javascript/sbp/settings.js
@@ -15,11 +15,28 @@
  **********************
  * Package description:
  *
- * Messages for reading and writing the device's device settings.  Note that some
- * of these messages share the same message type ID for both the host request and
- * the device response. See the accompanying document for descriptions of settings
- * configurations and examples:  https://github.com/swift-
- * nav/piksi\_firmware/blob/master/docs/settings.pdf
+ *  Messages for reading, writing, and discovering device settings. Settings with a
+ * "string" field have multiple values in this field delimited with a null
+ * character (the c style null terminator).  For instance, when querying the
+ * 'firmware_version' setting in the 'system_info' section, the following array of
+ * characters needs to be sent for the string field in MSG_SETTINGS_READ:
+ * "system_info\0firmware_version\0", where the delimiting  null characters are
+ * specified with the escape sequence '\0' and all quotation marks should be
+ * omitted.    In the message descriptions below, the generic strings
+ * SECTION_SETTING and SETTING are used to refer to the two strings that comprise
+ * the identifier of an individual setting.In firmware_version example above,
+ * SECTION_SETTING is the 'system_info', and the SETTING portion is
+ * 'firmware_version'.   See the "Software Settings Manual" on support.swiftnav.com
+ * for detailed documentation about all settings and sections available for each
+ * Swift firmware version. Settings manuals are available for each firmware version
+ * at the following link:
+ * https://support.swiftnav.com/customer/en/portal/articles/2628580-piksi-multi-
+ * specifications#settings. The latest settings document is also available at the
+ * following link:  http://swiftnav.com/latest/piksi-multi-settings . See lastly
+ * https://github.com/swift-nav/piksi_tools/blob/master/piksi_tools/settings.py ,
+ * the open source python command line utility for reading, writing, and saving
+ * settings in the piksi_tools repository on github as a helpful reference and
+ * example.
 ***********************/
 
 var SBP = require('./sbp');
@@ -53,12 +70,16 @@ MsgSettingsSave.prototype.fieldSpec = [];
 /**
  * SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_WRITE (0x00A0).
  *
- * The setting message writes the device configuration.
+ * The setting message writes the device configuration for a particular setting via
+ * A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes  the
+ * NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. A device will only process
+ * to this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42. An example string that
+ * could be sent to a device is "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
  *
  * Fields in the SBP payload (`sbp.payload`):
- * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING,
- *   VALUE]. A device will only process to this message when it is received from
- *   sender ID 0x42.
+ * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ *   "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
  *
  * @param sbp An SBP object with a payload to be decoded.
  */
@@ -83,12 +104,16 @@ MsgSettingsWrite.prototype.fieldSpec.push(['setting', 'string', null]);
  * SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_WRITE_RESP (0x00AF).
  *
  * Return the status of a write request with the new value of the setting.  If the
- * requested value is rejected, the current value will be returned.
+ * requested value is rejected, the current value will be returned. The string
+ * field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes the
+ * NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An example string that
+ * could be sent from device is "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
  *
  * Fields in the SBP payload (`sbp.payload`):
  * @field status number (unsigned 8-bit int, 1 byte) Write status
- * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING,
- *   VALUE].
+ * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
+ *   "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
  *
  * @param sbp An SBP object with a payload to be decoded.
  */
@@ -114,12 +139,17 @@ MsgSettingsWriteResp.prototype.fieldSpec.push(['setting', 'string', null]);
 /**
  * SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_READ_REQ (0x00A4).
  *
- * The setting message reads the device configuration.
+ * The setting message that reads the device configuration. The string field is a
+ * NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes the NULL
+ * character and where quotation marks are omitted. An example string that could be
+ * sent to a device is "solution\0soln_freq\0". A device will only respond to this
+ * message when it is received from sender ID 0x42. A device should respond with a
+ * MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP message (msg_id 0x00A5).
  *
  * Fields in the SBP payload (`sbp.payload`):
- * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING].
- *   A device will only respond to this message when it is received from sender ID
- *   0x42.
+ * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ *   "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0"
  *
  * @param sbp An SBP object with a payload to be decoded.
  */
@@ -143,11 +173,15 @@ MsgSettingsReadReq.prototype.fieldSpec.push(['setting', 'string', null]);
 /**
  * SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP (0x00A5).
  *
- * The setting message reads the device configuration.
+ * The setting message wich which the device responds after a MSG_SETTING_READ_REQ
+ * is sent to device. The string field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited
+ * string with contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape
+ * sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An
+ * example string that could be sent from device is "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
  *
  * Fields in the SBP payload (`sbp.payload`):
- * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING,
- *   VALUE].
+ * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+ *   "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
  *
  * @param sbp An SBP object with a payload to be decoded.
  */
@@ -171,10 +205,8 @@ MsgSettingsReadResp.prototype.fieldSpec.push(['setting', 'string', null]);
 /**
  * SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_REQ (0x00A2).
  *
- * The settings message for iterating through the settings values. It will read the
- * setting at an index, returning a NULL-terminated and delimited string with
- * contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only respond to this
- * message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+ * The settings message for iterating through the settings values. A device will
+ * respond to this message with a  "MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_RESP".
  *
  * Fields in the SBP payload (`sbp.payload`):
  * @field index number (unsigned 16-bit int, 2 bytes) An index into the device settings, with values ranging from 0 to
@@ -202,15 +234,20 @@ MsgSettingsReadByIndexReq.prototype.fieldSpec.push(['index', 'writeUInt16LE', 2]
 /**
  * SBP class for message MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_RESP (0x00A7).
  *
- * The settings message for iterating through the settings values. It will read the
- * setting at an index, returning a NULL-terminated and delimited string with
- * contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+ * The settings message that reports the value of a setting at an index.  In the
+ * string field, it reports NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
+ * "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0". where the '\0' escape sequence
+ * denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. The
+ * FORMAT_TYPE field is optional and denotes possible string values of the setting
+ * as a hint to the user. If included, the format type portion of the string has
+ * the format "enum:value1,value2,value3". An example string that could be sent
+ * from the device is "simulator\0enabled\0True\0enum:True,False\0"
  *
  * Fields in the SBP payload (`sbp.payload`):
  * @field index number (unsigned 16-bit int, 2 bytes) An index into the device settings, with values ranging from 0 to
  *   length(settings)
- * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING,
- *   VALUE].
+ * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
+ *   "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0"
  *
  * @param sbp An SBP object with a payload to be decoded.
  */
@@ -263,8 +300,8 @@ MsgSettingsReadByIndexDone.prototype.fieldSpec = [];
  * to set the initial value.
  *
  * Fields in the SBP payload (`sbp.payload`):
- * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING,
- *   VALUE].
+ * @field setting string A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
+ *   "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE".
  *
  * @param sbp An SBP object with a payload to be decoded.
  */
diff --git a/python/sbp/settings.py b/python/sbp/settings.py
index e03128ff2d..f997e49d2a 100644
--- a/python/sbp/settings.py
+++ b/python/sbp/settings.py
@@ -11,13 +11,32 @@
 
 
 """
-Messages for reading and writing the device's device settings.
 
-Note that some of these messages share the same message type ID for both the
-host request and the device response. See the accompanying document for
-descriptions of settings configurations and examples:
-
-https://github.com/swift-nav/piksi\_firmware/blob/master/docs/settings.pdf
+Messages for reading, writing, and discovering device settings. Settings
+with a "string" field have multiple values in this field delimited with a
+null character (the c style null terminator).  For instance, when querying
+the 'firmware_version' setting in the 'system_info' section, the following
+array of characters needs to be sent for the string field in
+MSG_SETTINGS_READ: "system_info\0firmware_version\0", where the delimiting 
+null characters are specified with the escape sequence '\0' and all
+quotation marks should be omitted. 
+
+
+In the message descriptions below, the generic strings SECTION_SETTING and
+SETTING are used to refer to the two strings that comprise the identifier
+of an individual setting.In firmware_version example above, SECTION_SETTING
+is the 'system_info', and the SETTING portion is 'firmware_version'. 
+
+See the "Software Settings Manual" on support.swiftnav.com for detailed
+documentation about all settings and sections available for each Swift
+firmware version. Settings manuals are available for each firmware version
+at the following link: https://support.swiftnav.com/customer/en/portal/articles/2628580-piksi-multi-specifications#settings.
+The latest settings document is also available at the following link: 
+http://swiftnav.com/latest/piksi-multi-settings .
+See lastly https://github.com/swift-nav/piksi_tools/blob/master/piksi_tools/settings.py , 
+the open source python command line utility for reading, writing, and
+saving settings in the piksi_tools repository on github as a helpful
+reference and example.
 
 """
 
@@ -87,17 +106,22 @@ class MsgSettingsWrite(SBP):
   of its fields.
 
   
-  The setting message writes the device configuration.
+  The setting message writes the device configuration for a particular
+setting via A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes 
+the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. A device will
+only process to this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+An example string that could be sent to a device is
+"solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
+
 
   Parameters
   ----------
   sbp : SBP
     SBP parent object to inherit from.
   setting : string
-    A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only
-process to this message when it is received from sender ID
-0x42.
+    A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
 
   sender : int
     Optional sender ID, defaults to SENDER_ID (see sbp/msg.py).
@@ -173,7 +197,11 @@ class MsgSettingsWriteResp(SBP):
   
   Return the status of a write request with the new value of the
 setting.  If the requested value is rejected, the current value
-will be returned.
+will be returned. The string field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited
+string with contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0'
+escape sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks
+are omitted. An example string that could be sent from device is
+"solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
 
 
   Parameters
@@ -184,7 +212,7 @@ class MsgSettingsWriteResp(SBP):
     Write status
   setting : string
     A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" 
 
   sender : int
     Optional sender ID, defaults to SENDER_ID (see sbp/msg.py).
@@ -261,16 +289,23 @@ class MsgSettingsReadReq(SBP):
   of its fields.
 
   
-  The setting message reads the device configuration.
+  The setting message that reads the device configuration. The string
+field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes the
+NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An example
+string that could be sent to a device is "solution\0soln_freq\0". A
+device will only respond to this message when it is received from
+sender ID 0x42. A device should respond with a MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP
+message (msg_id 0x00A5).
+
 
   Parameters
   ----------
   sbp : SBP
     SBP parent object to inherit from.
   setting : string
-    A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING]. A device will only respond to
-this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+    A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0"
 
   sender : int
     Optional sender ID, defaults to SENDER_ID (see sbp/msg.py).
@@ -344,15 +379,23 @@ class MsgSettingsReadResp(SBP):
   of its fields.
 
   
-  The setting message reads the device configuration.
+  The setting message wich which the device responds after a
+MSG_SETTING_READ_REQ is sent to device. The string field is a
+NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence
+denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An
+example string that could be sent from device is
+"solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
+
 
   Parameters
   ----------
   sbp : SBP
     SBP parent object to inherit from.
   setting : string
-    A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+    A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
+ 
 
   sender : int
     Optional sender ID, defaults to SENDER_ID (see sbp/msg.py).
@@ -427,10 +470,8 @@ class MsgSettingsReadByIndexReq(SBP):
 
   
   The settings message for iterating through the settings
-values. It will read the setting at an index, returning a
-NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only respond to
-this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+values. A device will respond to this message with a 
+"MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_RESP".
 
 
   Parameters
@@ -513,10 +554,16 @@ class MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp(SBP):
   of its fields.
 
   
-  The settings message for iterating through the settings
-values. It will read the setting at an index, returning a
-NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+  The settings message that reports the value of a setting at an index.
+
+In the string field, it reports NULL-terminated and delimited string
+with contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0". where
+the '\0' escape sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation
+marks are omitted. The FORMAT_TYPE field is optional and denotes
+possible string values of the setting as a hint to the user. If
+included, the format type portion of the string has the format
+"enum:value1,value2,value3". An example string that could be sent from
+the device is "simulator\0enabled\0True\0enum:True,False\0"
 
 
   Parameters
@@ -529,7 +576,7 @@ class MsgSettingsReadByIndexResp(SBP):
 
   setting : string
     A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0"
 
   sender : int
     Optional sender ID, defaults to SENDER_ID (see sbp/msg.py).
@@ -662,7 +709,7 @@ class MsgSettingsRegister(SBP):
     SBP parent object to inherit from.
   setting : string
     A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-[SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+"SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE".
 
   sender : int
     Optional sender ID, defaults to SENDER_ID (see sbp/msg.py).
diff --git a/spec/yaml/swiftnav/sbp/settings.yaml b/spec/yaml/swiftnav/sbp/settings.yaml
index fced970b44..d146437eca 100644
--- a/spec/yaml/swiftnav/sbp/settings.yaml
+++ b/spec/yaml/swiftnav/sbp/settings.yaml
@@ -10,13 +10,33 @@
 
 package: swiftnav.sbp.settings
 description: |
-  Messages for reading and writing the device's device settings.
+  
+  Messages for reading, writing, and discovering device settings. Settings
+  with a "string" field have multiple values in this field delimited with a
+  null character (the c style null terminator).  For instance, when querying
+  the 'firmware_version' setting in the 'system_info' section, the following
+  array of characters needs to be sent for the string field in
+  MSG_SETTINGS_READ: "system_info\0firmware_version\0", where the delimiting 
+  null characters are specified with the escape sequence '\0' and all
+  quotation marks should be omitted. 
 
-  Note that some of these messages share the same message type ID for both the
-  host request and the device response. See the accompanying document for
-  descriptions of settings configurations and examples:
+  
+  In the message descriptions below, the generic strings SECTION_SETTING and
+  SETTING are used to refer to the two strings that comprise the identifier
+  of an individual setting.In firmware_version example above, SECTION_SETTING
+  is the 'system_info', and the SETTING portion is 'firmware_version'. 
+  
+  See the "Software Settings Manual" on support.swiftnav.com for detailed
+  documentation about all settings and sections available for each Swift
+  firmware version. Settings manuals are available for each firmware version
+  at the following link: @@https://support.swiftnav.com/customer/en/portal/articles/2628580-piksi-multi-specifications#settings[Piksi Multi Specifications].
+  The latest settings document is also available at the following link: 
+  @@http://swiftnav.com/latest/piksi-multi-settings[Latest settings document] .
+  See lastly @@https://github.com/swift-nav/piksi_tools/blob/master/piksi_tools/settings.py[settings.py] , 
+  the open source python command line utility for reading, writing, and
+  saving settings in the piksi_tools repository on github as a helpful
+  reference and example.
 
-  https://github.com/swift-nav/piksi\_firmware/blob/master/docs/settings.pdf
 stable: True
 public: True
 include:
@@ -33,15 +53,20 @@ definitions:
  - MSG_SETTINGS_WRITE:
     id: 0x00A0
     short_desc: Write device configuration settings (host => device)
-    desc: The setting message writes the device configuration.
+    desc: |
+      The setting message writes the device configuration for a particular
+      setting via A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+      "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes 
+      the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. A device will
+      only process to this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+      An example string that could be sent to a device is
+      "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
     fields:
       - setting:
           type: string
           desc: |
-            A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-            [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only
-            process to this message when it is received from sender ID
-            0x42.
+            A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+            "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
 
  - MSG_SETTINGS_WRITE_RESP:
     id: 0x00AF
@@ -49,7 +74,11 @@ definitions:
     desc: |
       Return the status of a write request with the new value of the
       setting.  If the requested value is rejected, the current value
-      will be returned.
+      will be returned. The string field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited
+      string with contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0'
+      escape sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks
+      are omitted. An example string that could be sent from device is
+      "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
     fields:
       - status:
           type: u8
@@ -65,40 +94,53 @@ definitions:
           type: string
           desc: |
             A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-            [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+            "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" 
 
  - MSG_SETTINGS_READ_REQ:
     id: 0x00A4
     short_desc: Read device configuration settings (host => device)
-    desc: The setting message reads the device configuration.
+    desc: |
+       The setting message that reads the device configuration. The string
+       field is a NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+       "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0" where the '\0' escape sequence denotes the
+       NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An example
+       string that could be sent to a device is "solution\0soln_freq\0". A
+       device will only respond to this message when it is received from
+       sender ID 0x42. A device should respond with a MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP
+       message (msg_id 0x00A5).
     fields:
       - setting:
           type: string
           desc: |
-            A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-            [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING]. A device will only respond to
-            this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+            A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+            "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0"
 
  - MSG_SETTINGS_READ_RESP:
     id: 0x00A5
     short_desc: Read device configuration settings (host <= device)
-    desc: The setting message reads the device configuration.
+    desc: |
+      The setting message wich which the device responds after a
+      MSG_SETTING_READ_REQ is sent to device. The string field is a
+      NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+      "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0" where the '\0' escape sequence
+      denotes the NULL character and where quotation marks are omitted. An
+      example string that could be sent from device is
+      "solution\0soln_freq\010\0".
     fields:
       - setting:
           type: string
           desc: |
-            A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-            [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+            A NULL-terminated and NULL-delimited string with contents
+            "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0"
+             
 
  - MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_REQ:
     id: 0x00A2
     short_desc: Read setting by direct index (host => device)
     desc: |
       The settings message for iterating through the settings
-      values. It will read the setting at an index, returning a
-      NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-      [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE]. A device will only respond to
-      this message when it is received from sender ID 0x42.
+      values. A device will respond to this message with a 
+      "MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_RESP".
     fields:
       - index:
           type: u16
@@ -110,10 +152,16 @@ definitions:
     id: 0x00A7
     short_desc: Read setting by direct index (host <= device)
     desc: |
-      The settings message for iterating through the settings
-      values. It will read the setting at an index, returning a
-      NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-      [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+      The settings message that reports the value of a setting at an index.
+     
+      In the string field, it reports NULL-terminated and delimited string
+      with contents "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0". where
+      the '\0' escape sequence denotes the NULL character and where quotation
+      marks are omitted. The FORMAT_TYPE field is optional and denotes
+      possible string values of the setting as a hint to the user. If
+      included, the format type portion of the string has the format
+      "enum:value1,value2,value3". An example string that could be sent from
+      the device is "simulator\0enabled\0True\0enum:True,False\0"
     fields:
       - index:
           type: u16
@@ -124,7 +172,7 @@ definitions:
           type: string
           desc: |
             A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-            [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+            "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE\0FORMAT_TYPE\0"
 
  - MSG_SETTINGS_READ_BY_INDEX_DONE:
     id: 0x00A6
@@ -145,5 +193,5 @@ definitions:
           type: string
           desc: |
             A NULL-terminated and delimited string with contents
-            [SECTION_SETTING, SETTING, VALUE].
+            "SECTION_SETTING\0SETTING\0VALUE".