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SST Naming Conventions

SST Naming Conventions

SST Naming Conventions

Starting with SST 12, SST Core will enforce a naming convention for various items that require names. Most of these names are supplied by the library developer, but some are supplied by the end user. These items are:

Names specified in python input
- Component names
- Link names
Names specified in ELI:
- Element names (i.e. lib.name format specified in ELI registration macro)
- Parameters
- Slot names
- Statistics
- Ports

With the exception of indexed names described afterward, all these items will use the same naming convention, which parallels the legal names of python variables.

Name must start with a letter or a single underscore
The name can only contain alphanumeric characters and underscores
Names may be scoped using a period/dot (.) and the names on either side of the dot must be valid names (i.e., you cannot have a number or multiple underscores immediately following a dot)
Examples:
- valid names: link_bw, _latency, output.vc, port5
- invalid names: 4example, port.5, __vn

Exception for indexed names:

Additionally, parameters and ports can have formatted names. This allows the user to specify a set of valid names with slight variations. Currently, you can only create formatted names with integers. This is done by placing a %d where a number can be used. Note that a %d is considered a number in the naming convention and must not be used at the beginning of a name or directly after a dot. For example, port%d allows for port0, port1, etc. However, port.%d would not be allowed.

Roll-out:

Starting with the SST repositories after the SST 11 release and extending to any 11.x point releases, SST core will print warnings for names that do not follow the naming conventions. For SST 13 and later, invalid names will generate a fatal error.