Index: abstract.c
===================================================================
--- abstract.c	(revision 10091)
+++ abstract.c	(revision 10092)
@@ -151,6 +151,39 @@
 	}
 }
 
+csch_ascope_t csch_split_name_scope(const char **name)
+{
+	const char *nm = *name;
+
+	if (nm[0] == '/') {
+		(*name) += 1;
+		return CSCH_ASCOPE_GLOBAL;
+	}
+
+	/* check this so nm[1] is safe to address */
+	if (nm[0] == '\0')
+		return CSCH_ASCOPE_AUTO;
+
+	if (nm[1] == '/') {
+		if (nm[0] == '.') {
+			(*name) += 2;
+			return CSCH_ASCOPE_AUTO;
+		}
+		if (nm[0] == '^') {
+			(*name) += 2;
+			return CSCH_ASCOPE_SUBTREE_AUTO;
+		}
+		if (nm[0] == 'v') {
+			(*name) += 2;
+			return CSCH_ASCOPE_SUBTREE_LOCAL;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* no usable prefix */
+	return CSCH_ASCOPE_AUTO;
+}
+
+
 csch_anet_t *csch_anet_get(csch_abstract_t *abs, const char *netname)
 {
 	csch_anet_t *net;