lantern

loom-dimensions

Loom Dimensions

The coordinate system for the document universe.

The Four Dimensions

T:
  name: Time
  description: Versions and generations through history
  addressing: "@v3" or "@-1" (relative) or "@2026-01-11T20:00"
  examples:
    - "@v0" # Original version
    - "@v-1" # Previous version
    - "@head" # Current (default)
    - "@diff:v1:v2" # The edge between versions

L:
  name: Layer
  description: Cache levels through transformation
  addressing: "#L0" through "#L4"
  levels:
    L0: "Tokens - raw parsed stream"
    L1: "Evolved - viruses resolved, includes spliced"
    L2: "Rendered - fences executed"
    L3: "Projected - filtered/reshaped"
    L4: "Presented - final format"
  examples:
    - "#L0" # Raw tokens
    - "#L2" # With execution
    - "#diff:L0:L2" # Transform edge

S:
  name: Space
  description: Graph position in the node network
  addressing: "slug:section.fence.key"
  examples:
    - "ana" # Full node
    - "ana:character-data" # Section
    - "ana:character-data.yaml.todays-gender" # Deep path

A:
  name: Ana
  description: Accumulated edges in observer context
  addressing: "~edge-id" or "~context.path"
  examples:
    - "~ctx.fills" # All fills in current context
    - "~ctx.edges[0]" # First captured edge
    - "~trail" # Full edge trail

Full Coordinate Syntax

[space]@[time]#[layer]~[ana]

Examples:

  • ana:character-data.yaml.todays-gender - Just space (current time, default layer)
  • ana:character-data@v-1 - Previous version
  • ana:character-data#L0 - Raw tokens
  • ana:character-data@v-2#L2 - Version 2 generations ago, rendered
  • ~trail - Just the edge trail (ana dimension only)

Dimensional Transitions (Edges)

Every transition between coordinates creates an edge.

time_edges:
  description: "Changes through versions"
  syntax: "@diff:from:to"
  captures:
    - before_hash
    - after_hash
    - snipped_tokens
    - spliced_tokens

layer_edges:
  description: "Transformations through cache levels"
  syntax: "#diff:L0:L2"
  captures:
    - source_level
    - target_level
    - transforms_applied
    - execution_results

space_edges:
  description: "Navigation through graph"
  syntax: "from→to"
  captures:
    - direction
    - relationship
    - context_carried

ana_edges:
  description: "Attention fills in observer context"
  syntax: "~fill"
  captures:
    - hole_path
    - fill_source
    - surface_source

Coordinate Resolution Order

When resolving a full coordinate:

  • Space (S) - Locate the node/section/path
  • Time (T) - Navigate to version (default: head)
  • Layer (L) - Transform to cache level (default: L4)
  • Ana (A) - Apply/capture attention context

The Observer Window

The observer sees through a window defined by coordinates.

current_space: null  # Where we are
current_time: head   # When we are
current_layer: L4    # How deep we see
current_ana: []      # What edges we've accumulated

# The window can be:
# - Fixed: specific coordinates
# - Relative: offsets from current position
# - Differential: showing edges between coordinates

Dimensional Queries

Query across dimensions:

# All versions of a value
multi_time: "ana:character-data.yaml.todays-gender@v*"

# Same value at different layers
multi_layer: "ana:character-data#L0,L2,L4"

# Diff between times
time_diff: "ana@diff:v-2:head"

# Diff between layers
layer_diff: "ana#diff:L0:L4"

# Full coordinate query
full: "ana:character-data.yaml@v-1#L2~ctx.fills"

Implementation Notes

Time Dimension

Backed by:

  • Git commits (system level)
  • Diff cache (loom level)
  • Version index per node

Layer Dimension

Backed by:

  • Layer stack cache
  • Transform pipeline
  • Middleware edges

Space Dimension

Backed by:

  • Node graph
  • Address parser
  • Section/fence/key extraction

Ana Dimension

Backed by:

  • Attention surface
  • Compositor edge capture
  • Observer context accumulation

The Lebowski Corollary in 4D

L0 is the rug. Everything else is opinion across dimensions.

  • Time: Opinions about what the rug was/will be
  • Layer: Opinions about how to see the rug
  • Space: Opinions about which part of the rug
  • Ana: Opinions accumulated while looking at the rug

The rug (L0@head) is truth. Navigate dimensions to form views. Capture edges to remember how you got there.

Provenance

Document

  • Status: 🔴 Unverified

Changelog

  • 2026-01-11 21:09: Node created by mcp - Documenting the 4D coordinate system for loom's document universe

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