PDDB Path Conventions

A PDDB Path may be a dict, a dict + a key, a basis + dict, or a basis + dict + key. In the following examples, the given Basis, Dict, and Key are as follows:

• Basis: .System
• Dict: wlan.networks
• Key: Home Wifi

A canonical path looks like:

[:BASIS:]DICT1:DICT2:DICT3[:KEY]

Examples

• :Home Wifi -- A basis named "Home Wifi"
• :.System: -- A basis named ".System"
• wlan.networks -- A dict named "wlan.networks" in the default basis
• wlan.networks:recent -- A dict named "wlan.networks:recent", which may be considered a path, in the default basis. This also desecribes a key called "recent" in the dict "wlan.networks", depending on whether
• :.System:wlan.networks -- A dict named "wlan.networks" in the basis ".System"
• :.System:wlan.networks:recent -- a fully-qualified path, describing a key "recent" in the dict "wlan.networks" in the basis ".System". Also describes a dict "wlan.networks:recent" in the basis ".System" when
• : -- The root, which lists every basis. Files cannot be created here. "Directories" can be created and destroyed, which corresponds to creating and destroying bases.
• :: -- An empty basis is a synonym for all bases, so this corresponds to listing all dicts in the root of the default basis.
• -- An empty string corresponds to listing all dicts in root the union basis.

Corner cases

• : : -- A basis named " ". Legal, but questionable
• -- A dict named " " in the default basis. Legal, but questionable.
• : -- Also a dict named " " in the default basis.
• : -- A key named " " in a dict called " ". Legal.
• baz: -- A dict named "baz" in the default basis with an extra ":" following. Legal.
• baz:foo: -- Currently illegal, but may become equal to baz:foo in the future.
• ::: -- An key named ":" in an empty dict in the default basis. Illegal.
• :::: -- An key named "::" in an empty dict in the default basis. Illegal.
• ::foo -- A key "foo" in the default basis.
• :lorem.ipsum:foo:baz -- A key called "foo:baz" in the basis "lorem.ipsum". May also describe a dict "foo:baz" in the basis "lorem.ipsum" if treated as a directory.
• :bar:lorem.ipsum:foo:baz -- A key called "baz" in the dict "lorem.ipsum:foo" in the basis "bar", or a dict called "lorem.ipsum:foo:baz". Legal.

Any reference to "default basis" depends on whether the operation is a "read" or a "write":

• "Read" operations come from a union, with the most-recently-added basis taking precedence
• "Write" operations go to the most-recently-added basis that contains the key. If the key does not exist and "Create" was specified, then the file is created in the most-recently-added basis.