Index: trunk/src/libcschem/abstract.c
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/libcschem/abstract.c	(revision 10092)
+++ trunk/src/libcschem/abstract.c	(revision 10093)
@@ -30,9 +30,11 @@
 #include <genht/htsp.h>
 #include <genht/hash.h>
 
-#include "abstract.h"
 #include <librnd/core/compat_misc.h>
+#include <librnd/core/error.h>
 
+#include "abstract.h"
+
 static const char *atype_names[] = {
 	"<invalid>",
 	"net",
@@ -184,14 +186,51 @@
 }
 
 
-csch_anet_t *csch_anet_get(csch_abstract_t *abs, const char *netname)
+csch_anet_t *csch_anet_get_at(csch_abstract_t *abs, csch_hlevel_t *hlev, csch_ascope_t scope, const char *netname)
 {
 	csch_anet_t *net;
+	csch_ascope_t prefix_scope;
+	const char *orig_name = netname;
 
-	net = htsp_get(&abs->nets, netname);
-	return net;
+	prefix_scope = csch_split_name_scope(&netname);
+	if (scope != CSCH_ASCOPE_unknown) {
+		if ((prefix_scope != CSCH_ASCOPE_AUTO) && (prefix_scope != scope)) {
+			rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "Failed to resolve net '%s': conflicting scopes\n", orig_name);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+	}
+	else
+		scope = prefix_scope;
+
+
+	switch(scope) {
+		case CSCH_ASCOPE_AUTO:
+TODO("hierarchy: implement me; at the moment we fall back to global for compatibility");
+		case CSCH_ASCOPE_GLOBAL:           return htsp_get(&abs->nets, netname);
+		case CSCH_ASCOPE_SHEET_LOCAL:      return htsp_get(&hlev->nets, netname);
+		case CSCH_ASCOPE_SUBTREE_LOCAL:
+		case CSCH_ASCOPE_SUBTREE_AUTO:
+			if (hlev == NULL) {
+				rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "Failed to resolve net '%s': scope requires hierarchy which is not available\n", orig_name);
+				return NULL;
+			}
+
+			rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "TODO: scope resolver not yet implemented for '%s'\n", orig_name);
+			return NULL;
+
+		case CSCH_ASCOPE_unknown:
+			rnd_message(RND_MSG_ERROR, "Failed to resolve net '%s': unknown scope\n", orig_name);
+			return NULL;
+	}
+	return NULL;
 }
 
+csch_anet_t *csch_anet_get(csch_abstract_t *abs, const char *netname)
+{
+	return csch_anet_get_at(abs, NULL, CSCH_ASCOPE_unknown, netname);
+}
+
+
 csch_anet_t *csch_anet_new(csch_abstract_t *abs, const char *netname, int set_no_uname)
 {
 	csch_anet_t *net = calloc(sizeof(csch_anet_t), 1);
Index: trunk/src/libcschem/abstract.h
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/libcschem/abstract.h	(revision 10092)
+++ trunk/src/libcschem/abstract.h	(revision 10093)
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@
 const char *csch_atype_name(csch_atype_t type);
 
 typedef enum csch_ascope_e {   /* implements {des6:8} */
-	CSCH_ASCOPE_GLOBAL,          /* syntax: /name */
+	CSCH_ASCOPE_unknown = -1,
+	CSCH_ASCOPE_GLOBAL=1,        /* syntax: /name */
 	CSCH_ASCOPE_SUBTREE_LOCAL,   /* syntax: v/name */
 	CSCH_ASCOPE_SHEET_LOCAL,     /* syntax: ./name */
 	CSCH_ASCOPE_AUTO,            /* syntax: name */
@@ -206,6 +207,7 @@
 
 /*** net ***/
 csch_anet_t *csch_anet_get(csch_abstract_t *abs, const char *netname);
+csch_anet_t *csch_anet_get_at(csch_abstract_t *abs, csch_hlevel_t *hlev, csch_ascope_t scope, const char *netname);
 csch_anet_t *csch_anet_new(csch_abstract_t *abs, const char *netname, int set_no_uname);
 
 /*** component and port ***/