The new optional 'slash' scoping syntax is now the default and provides a more
intuitive and flexible syntax than the previous 'dot' syntax, corresponding to
the common directory/file access syntax used in UNIX, providing support for
reading entries from other dictionary files.
In the 'slash' syntax
'/' is the scope operator
'../' is the parent dictionary scope operator
'!' is the top-level dictionary scope operator
Examples:
internalField 3.4;
active
{
type fixedValue;
value.air $internalField;
}
inactive
{
type anotherFixedValue;
value $../active/value.air;
anotherValue $!active/value.air;
sub
{
value $../../active/value.air;
anotherValue $!active/value.air;
}
}
"U.*"
{
solver GAMG;
}
e.air
{
$U.air;
}
external
{
value $testSlashDict2!active/value.air;
}
active2
{
$testSlashDict2!active;
}
If there is a part of the keyword before the '!' then this is taken to be the
file name of the dictionary from which the entry will be looked-up using the
part of the keyword after the '!'. For example given a file testSlashDict containing
internalField 5.6;
active
{
type fixedValue;
value.air $internalField;
}
entries from it can be read directly from another file, e.g.
external
{
value $testSlashDict2!active/value.air;
}
active2
{
$testSlashDict2!active;
}
which expands to
external
{
value 5.6;
}
active2
{
type fixedValue;
value.air 5.6;
}
These examples are provided in applications/test/dictionary.
The the default syntax can be changed from 'slash' to 'dot' in etc/controlDict
to revert to the previous behaviour:
OptimisationSwitches
{
.
.
.
// Default dictionary scoping syntax
inputSyntax slash; // Change to dot for previous behaviour
}
or within a specific dictionary by adding the entry
See applications/test/dictionary/testDotDict.
A new optional "slash" scoping syntax is now provided which is more intuitive
than the current "dot" syntax as it corresponds to the common directory/file
access syntax used in UNIX, and avoids limitations of the "dot" (see below)
e.g.
internalField 3.4;
active
{
type fixedValue;
value.air $internalField;
}
inactive
{
type anotherFixedValue;
value $../active/value.air;
anotherValue $:active/value.air;
sub
{
value $../../active/value.air;
anotherValue $:active/value.air;
}
}
"U.*"
{
solver GAMG;
}
e.air
{
// This does expand
$U.air;
}
"#inputSyntax slash;" selects the new "slash" syntax.
"../" refers to the parent directory.
":" refers to the top-level directory.
The corresponding dictionary using the current "dot" syntax is
internalField 3.4;
active
{
type fixedValue;
value.air $internalField;
}
inactive
{
type anotherFixedValue;
value $..active.value.air;
anotherValue $:active.value.air;
sub
{
value $...active.value.air;
anotherValue $:active.value.air;
}
}
"U.*"
{
solver GAMG;
}
e.air
{
// This doesn't expand
$U.air;
}
Note that the "$U.air" expansion does not work in this case due to the
interference between the use of '.' for scoping and phase-name.
This is a fundamental problem which prompted the development of the new more
intuitive and flexible "slash" syntax.
The new syntax also allows a for planned future development to access entries
in directories in other files, e.g.
active
{
type fixedValue;
value.air $FOAM_CASE/internalFieldValues/value.air;
}
or
active
{
type fixedValue;
value.air :../internalFieldValues/value.air;
}
