<commit_before>---
title: "Branch Entry"
date: 2019-07-31T15:27:36+02:00
weight: 1
---

A branch entry describes a tree branch (or node) containing other branches and
signals.

A branch entry example is given below:

```YAML
Trunk:
  type: branch
  description: All signals related to the rear trunk
  aggregate: false
```

The following elements are defined:

**`Body.Trunk`**  
The list element name defines the dot-notated signal name to the signal.
Please note that all parental branches included in the name must be defined as
well.

**```type```**  
The value ```branch``` specifies that this is a branch entry (as
opposed to a signal entry). This is the default, in case ```type``` is omitted.

**```description```**  
Describes the meaning and content of the branch.
Recommended to start with a capital letter and end with a dot (`.`).

**```comment ```**  *[optional]* `since version 3.0`
A comment can be used to provide additional informal information on a branch.
This could include background information on the rationale for the branch,
references to related branches, standards and similar.
Recommended to start with a capital letter and end with a dot (`.`).

**```aggregate```** *[optional]*  
Defines whether or not this branch is an aggregate.
If not defined, this defaults to ```false```.
An aggregate is a collection of signals that make sense to handle together in a system.
A typical example could be GNSS location, where latitude and longitude make sense to read
and write together. This is supposed to be deployment and tool specific,
and for that reason no branches are aggregates by default in VSS.<commit_msg>Clarifying combination of instances and aggregate for branches<commit_after>---
title: "Branch Entry"
date: 2019-07-31T15:27:36+02:00
weight: 1
---

A branch entry describes a tree branch (or node) containing other branches and
signals.

A branch entry example is given below:

```YAML
Trunk:
  type: branch
  description: All signals related to the rear trunk
  aggregate: false
```

The following elements are defined:

**`Body.Trunk`**  
The list element name defines the dot-notated signal name to the signal.
Please note that all parental branches included in the name must be defined as
well.

**```type```**  
The value ```branch``` specifies that this is a branch entry (as
opposed to a signal entry). This is the default, in case ```type``` is omitted.

**```description```**  
Describes the meaning and content of the branch.
Recommended to start with a capital letter and end with a dot (`.`).

**```comment ```**  *[optional]* `since version 3.0`
A comment can be used to provide additional informal information on a branch.
This could include background information on the rationale for the branch,
references to related branches, standards and similar.
Recommended to start with a capital letter and end with a dot (`.`).

**```instances```** *[optional]*  
For specifying that multiple instances of this branch exist, for more information see documentation on
[instances](/vehicle_signal_specification/rule_set/instances/).

**```aggregate```** *[optional]*  
Defines whether or not this branch is an aggregate.
If not defined, this defaults to ```false```.
An aggregate is a collection of signals that make sense to handle together in a system.
A typical example could be GNSS location, where latitude and longitude make sense to read
and write together. This is supposed to be deployment and tool specific,
and for that reason no branches are aggregates by default in VSS.
For branches that both have `instances` defined and `aggregate: true`, then aggregate refers to the signals for
individual instances, i.e. signals for different instances can be handled separately.
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