Data Paths

How to Identify the Exact Data you want to bind

A Data Path is a string which identifies the specific data you want. Data paths are central to data-binding, to identify the data we want bound.

You can think of it like a physical mailing address, or a URL.

Examples

Simple Data Paths

A simple data path typically consists of a Data Source Type and a Data Source Name.

e.g.;

Data Path	Data Source Type	Value Source
$query.foo	Query string	The value of the query string param named foo
$cookie.foo	Cookie	The value of the cookie named foo
$local.bar	Local storage	The value of the localStorage string with key bar
$session.bat	Session storage	The value of the sessionStorage string with key bat

Complex Data Paths

Complex Data Paths involve referencing arrays ( typically collection lists ) or values within an object.

e.g.;

Data Path	Data Source Type	Value Source
$user.name	User object	The User's name
$user.data.custom-url	User object	The User's custom attribute named custom-url
$db.my-db.my-record.my-field	Database	Describes a more complex referencing within an SA5 Data "Database".

Database Data Paths

SA5's Database concept is being revisited based on use case feedback.

SA5 typically structures and references values using a named object array.

e.g.

$db.db-name.object-id...field-name 

Here we have;

• $db indicates the Data Source Type

  • db-name is the Data Source Name, indicating which database, by name

    • object-id is the specific named object, within the array. In an SA5 Database constructed from a Collection List, this is typically the slug of the item.

      • ( optional path ) within a complex object, you may need a path to navigate to the item

        • field-name the name of the item you wish to bind to

Currently, Data Paths always identify a single point value, which can be bound to a single-value item such as a text element, an input field, a {{ macro }} expansion, etc. However in the future, it may also be used to retrieve full objects or even object-sets for list-binding and table-binding operations.