diff --git a/pylot/core/readdata/types.py b/pylot/core/readdata/types.py
index 619e4547..b4b9dbec 100644
--- a/pylot/core/readdata/types.py
+++ b/pylot/core/readdata/types.py
@@ -20,9 +20,19 @@ class GenericDataBase(object):
         self.dataBaseDict = kwargs
 
 
-class SeiscompDataStructure(GenericDataBase):
+class SeiscompDataStructure(object):
 
-    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, dataType='waveform', **kwargs):
+        '''
+        Object initialization method:
+
+        :type dataType: str
+        :param dataType: Desired data type. Default: ``'waveform'``
+        '''
+        # imports
+        from obspy.core import UTCDateTime
+
+        now = UTCDateTime()
         # Data type options
         self.__typeOptions = {'waveform': 'D',  # Waveform data
                               'detect': 'E',  # Detection data
@@ -32,19 +42,51 @@ class SeiscompDataStructure(GenericDataBase):
                               'resp': 'R',  # Response data
                               'opaque': 'O'  # Opaque data
                               }
+
+        if dataType in self.__typeOptions.keys():
+            self.dataType = dataType
+        else:
+            self.dataType = 'waveform'  # default value for dataType
+
         # SDS fields' default values
         # definitions from
         # http://www.seiscomp3.org/wiki/doc/applications/slarchive/SDS
-        self.__sdsFields = {'SDSdir': ['data', 'SDS'],  # base directory list
-                            'YEAR': '1970',  # 4 digits
-                            'NET': 'XX',  # up to 8 characters
-                            'STA': 'XXXX',  # up to 8 characters
-                            'CHAN': 'HHZ',  # up to 8 characters
-                            'TYPE': self.getType('waveform'),  # 1 character
+        self.__sdsFields = {'SDSdir': '/data/SDS',  # base directory
+                            'YEAR': '{0:04d}'.format(now.year),  # 4 digits
+                            'NET': '??',  # up to 8 characters
+                            'STA': '????',  # up to 8 characters
+                            'CHAN': 'HH?',  # up to 8 characters
+                            'TYPE': self._getType(),  # 1 character
                             'LOC': '',  # up to 8 characters
-                            'DAY': '001'  # 3 digit day of year
+                            'DAY': '{0:03d}'.format(now.julday)  # 3 digit doy
                             }
-        pass
+        self.modifiyFields(**kwargs)
 
-    def getType(self, typeName=None):
-        pass
+    def modifiyFields(self, **kwargs):
+        if kwargs and isinstance(kwargs, dict):
+            for key, value in kwargs.iteritems():
+                try:
+                    if key in self.__sdsFields.keys():
+                        self.__sdsFields[key] = str(value)
+                    else:
+                        raise KeyError('unknown SDS wildcard: %s.' % key)
+                except KeyError, e:
+                    errmsg = ''
+                    errmsg += 'WARNING:\n'
+                    errmsg += 'unable to set values for SDS fields\n'
+                    errmsg += '%s; desired value was: %s\n' % (e, value)
+                    print errmsg
+
+    def _getType(self):
+        return self.__typeOptions[self.dataType]
+
+    def expandDataPath(self):
+        fullChan = '{0}.{1}'.format(self.__sdsFields['CHAN'], self._getType())
+        dataPath = os.path.join(self.__sdsFields['SDSdir'],
+                                self.__sdsFields['YEAR'],
+                                self.__sdsFields['NET'],
+                                self.__sdsFields['STA'],
+                                fullChan,
+                                '*{0}'.format(self.__sdsFields['DAY'])
+                                )
+        return dataPath