I am trying to create a menu using code in D7 ([see my related question][1]) and have found that these two Drupal API functions have different arrays for the $item variable. My intent is to create a three level menu hierarchy but with all of the associated paths being the same format `/name/%/something` so that I can use views to refine the content.  In hook menu, the parents are defined using the Path name (eg. `parent/child/something`).  In menu_save_link, the hierarchy appears to be established using the `pid` array value in $item. Hook_menu is called when my custom module is read by drupal and the menu links are established.  What I am wondering is if `menu_link_save`, could be used to do the same thing but with the same path style for all links, rather than a parent-child pattern?

I have been trying to trace the logic between the two functions in the API, but have not found the link between them.  My thinking is that `menu_link_save`is used by `hook_menu` after some preprocessing and that I might be able to define a uniform paths and establish the hierarchy through the `pid`.  Failing that, is there another way to alter the paths and preserve the hierarchy? 

  [1]: http://drupal.stackexchange.com/questions/24131