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Element Naming Conventions

Certain names in SST that are used as part of input configuration must follow naming conventions which essentially require that they be valid Python variable names.

These restrictions apply to:

  • User-provided names for Links and Components in input configurations.
    • Example: The names given in a Python input file via sst.Link(name) and sst.Component(name, lib.element).
  • Developer-provided names for Element Library Info (ELI) types for:
    • Elements (library, component, subcomponent, etc.)
    • Parameters
    • SubComponent slot names
    • Statistics
    • Ports

Restrictions​

  • Names must start with a letter or single underscore.
  • Names may only contain alphanumeric characters and underscores.
    • Exception: An integer format specifier is allowed for port and parameter names and is treated as a number. See below.
  • Names may be scoped using a period/dot (.). Names on either side of the dot must be valid names (i.e., a dot may not be followed immediately by a number or multiple underscores).

Valid Examples​

  • link_bw
  • _latency
  • output.vc
  • port5

Invalid Examples​

  • 4example (begins with a number)
  • port.5 (5 is not by itself a valid name)
  • __vn (begins with more than one underscore)

Exception for integer format specifiers​

Parameters and port names may include an integer format specifier %d which allows for a set of names with slight variations. In this case %d is considered a number and must follow the naming restrictions for numbers (i.e., may not follow a dot). For example, an ELI name of port%d is valid and would allow ports named port0, port1, etc. However, a port named port.%d would not be allowed as the number follows a dot.