code: public static void newRecord(HashMap m, String path) {
          if( path != null ) {
              String[] paths = path.split(",");
              int l = paths.length;
              for(int i=0; i < l; i++) {
                  if( paths[i].contains("@") ) {
                      String temp[] = paths[i].split("[@!]");
                      buildPath(m, paths[i]);
                      HashMap pointer = traverseToPoint(m, temp[0]);
                      ArrayList a = (ArrayList) pointer.get(temp[1]);
                      a.add(new HashMap());
                  } 
              }
          } 
      }
docs: Creates a new record in a series, such as daily
  weather records, soil layers, etc. If the multi-line dataset space
  is not already in the <pre>m</pre> parameter, it will be created.
  
  @param m The {@link HashMap} to be modified.
  @param path The path to lookup and see if a multi-line record is
  supported for this field.