code: public static Instance findInstanceByPath( AbstractApplication application, String instancePath ) {
  
  		Collection<Instance> currentList = new ArrayList<> ();
  		if( application != null )
  			currentList.addAll( application.getRootInstances());
  
  		List<String> instanceNames = new ArrayList<> ();
  		if( instancePath != null )
  			instanceNames.addAll( Arrays.asList( instancePath.split( "/" )));
  
  		if( instanceNames.size() > 0
  				&& Utils.isEmptyOrWhitespaces( instanceNames.get( 0 )))
  			instanceNames.remove( 0 );
  
  		// Every path segment points to an instance
  		Instance result = null;
  		for( String instanceName : instanceNames ) {
  
  			result = null;
  			for( Instance instance : currentList ) {
  				if( instanceName.equals( instance.getName())) {
  					result = instance;
  					break;
  				}
  			}
  
  			// The segment does not match any instance
  			if( result == null )
  				break;
  
  			// Otherwise, prepare the next iteration
  			currentList = result.getChildren();
  		}
  
  		return result;
  	}
docs: Finds an instance by name.
  @param application the application
  @param instancePath the instance path
  @return an instance, or null if it was not found