OPC Studio User's Guide and Reference
BrowseProperties Method (_EasyDAClient)
Example 



OpcLabs.EasyOpcClassic Assembly > OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.ComTypes Namespace > _EasyDAClient Interface : BrowseProperties Method
The OPC server involved in the operation.

Because the OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor has an implicit conversion from System.Guid, System.String and OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerElement, in languages that support implicit conversion operators (such as C# or VB.NET), you can simply use a GUID (representing the CLSID of the server), a string (representing the so-called OPC server descriptor string, such as a ProgID or the URL of the server), or a OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerElement object (result from OPC browsing), in place of this parameter, and the corresponding OPC server descriptor will be constructed automatically. When the implicit conversion operators are not supported (such as with Python.NET), you can use the OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor.FromGuid, OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor.FromString or OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor.FromServerElement static method instead.

The value of this parameter cannot be null (Nothing in Visual Basic).

Descriptor of the node for which the properties will be browsed.

Because the OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.DANodeDescriptor has an implicit conversion from System.String and OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace.DANodeElement, in languages that support implicit conversion operators (such as C# or VB.NET), you can simply use a string (representing the qualified name of the node), or a OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace.DANodeElement object (result from OPC browsing), in place of this parameter, and the corresponding OPC DA node descriptor will be constructed automatically. When the implicit conversion operators are not supported (such as with Python.NET), you can use the OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.DANodeDescriptor.FromString or OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.DANodeDescriptor.FromDANodeElement static method instead.

The value of this parameter cannot be null (Nothing in Visual Basic).

Browse for available item properties of a specified OPC item. Specify server descriptor, and node descriptor.
Syntax
'Declaration
 
<NotNullAttribute()>
Function BrowseProperties( _
   ByVal serverDescriptor As Object, _
   ByVal nodeDescriptor As Object _
) As DAPropertyElementCollection
'Usage
 
Dim instance As _EasyDAClient
Dim serverDescriptor As Object
Dim nodeDescriptor As Object
Dim value As DAPropertyElementCollection
 
value = instance.BrowseProperties(serverDescriptor, nodeDescriptor)

Parameters

serverDescriptor
The OPC server involved in the operation.

Because the OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor has an implicit conversion from System.Guid, System.String and OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerElement, in languages that support implicit conversion operators (such as C# or VB.NET), you can simply use a GUID (representing the CLSID of the server), a string (representing the so-called OPC server descriptor string, such as a ProgID or the URL of the server), or a OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerElement object (result from OPC browsing), in place of this parameter, and the corresponding OPC server descriptor will be constructed automatically. When the implicit conversion operators are not supported (such as with Python.NET), you can use the OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor.FromGuid, OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor.FromString or OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor.FromServerElement static method instead.

The value of this parameter cannot be null (Nothing in Visual Basic).

nodeDescriptor
Descriptor of the node for which the properties will be browsed.

Because the OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.DANodeDescriptor has an implicit conversion from System.String and OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace.DANodeElement, in languages that support implicit conversion operators (such as C# or VB.NET), you can simply use a string (representing the qualified name of the node), or a OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace.DANodeElement object (result from OPC browsing), in place of this parameter, and the corresponding OPC DA node descriptor will be constructed automatically. When the implicit conversion operators are not supported (such as with Python.NET), you can use the OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.DANodeDescriptor.FromString or OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.DANodeDescriptor.FromDANodeElement static method instead.

The value of this parameter cannot be null (Nothing in Visual Basic).

Return Value

The method returns a keyed collection of OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace.DAPropertyElement values, each containing information about a particular property found. The keys of the keyed collection are the IDs of the properties.

This method never returns null (Nothing in Visual Basic).

The individual elements of the returned value are never null (Nothing in Visual Basic).

Exceptions
ExceptionDescription

A null reference (Nothing in Visual Basic) is passed to a method that does not accept it as a valid argument.

This is a usage error, i.e. it will never occur (the exception will not be thrown) in a correctly written program. Your code should not catch this exception.

The OPC "Classic" (or OPC XML-DA) operation has failed. This operation exception in uniformly used to allow common handling of various kinds of errors. The System.Exception.InnerException always contains information about the actual error cause.

This is an operation error that depends on factors external to your program, and thus cannot be always avoided. Your code must handle it appropriately.

Remarks
Using implicit conversions, you can pass an item ID in place of node descriptor.

This member or type is for use from COM. It is not meant to be used from .NET or Python. Refer to the corresponding .NET member or type instead, if you are developing in .NET or Python.

The server(s) can be local or can be remotely accessed via DCOM.

Example

COM

// This example shows how to enumerate all properties of an OPC item. For each property, it displays its Id and description.
//
// Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
// OPC client and subscriber examples in Object Pascal (Delphi) on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-OP .
// Missing some example? Ask us for it on our Online Forums, https://www.opclabs.com/forum/index ! You do not have to own
// a commercial license in order to use Online Forums, and we reply to every post.

class procedure BrowseProperties.Main;
var
  Client: OpcLabs_EasyOpcClassic_TLB._EasyDAClient;
  Count: Cardinal;
  Element: OleVariant;
  ServerDescriptor: _ServerDescriptor;
  NodeDescriptor: _DANodeDescriptor;
  PropertyElement: _DAPropertyElement;
  PropertyElementEnumerator: IEnumVariant;
  PropertyElements: _DAPropertyElementCollection;
begin
  ServerDescriptor := CoServerDescriptor.Create;
  ServerDescriptor.ServerClass := 'OPCLabs.KitServer.2';

  NodeDescriptor := CoDANodeDescriptor.Create;
  NodeDescriptor.ItemId := 'Simulation.Random';

  // Instantiate the client object
  Client := CoEasyDAClient.Create;

  try
    PropertyElements := Client.BrowseProperties(
      ServerDescriptor,
      NodeDescriptor);
  except
    on E: EOleException do
    begin
      WriteLn(Format('*** Failure: %s', [E.GetBaseException.Message]));
      Exit;
    end;
  end;

  PropertyElementEnumerator := PropertyElements.GetEnumerator;
  while (PropertyElementEnumerator.Next(1, Element, Count) = S_OK) do
  begin
    PropertyElement := IUnknown(Element) as _DAPropertyElement;
    WriteLn('PropertyElements("', PropertyElement.PropertyId.NumericalValue, '").Description: ', PropertyElement.Description);
  end;
end;
// This example shows how to enumerate all properties of an OPC item. For each property, it displays its Id and description.
//
// Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
// OPC client and subscriber examples in PHP on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-PHP .
// Missing some example? Ask us for it on our Online Forums, https://www.opclabs.com/forum/index ! You do not have to own
// a commercial license in order to use Online Forums, and we reply to every post.

$ServerDescriptor = new COM("OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor");
$ServerDescriptor->ServerClass = "OPCLabs.KitServer.2";

$NodeDescriptor = new COM("OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.DANodeDescriptor");
$NodeDescriptor->ItemID = "Simulation.Random";

$Client = new COM("OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.EasyDAClient");

try
{
    $PropertyElements = $Client->BrowseProperties($ServerDescriptor, $NodeDescriptor);
}
catch (com_exception $e)
{
    printf("*** Failure: %s\n", $e->getMessage());
    Exit();
}

foreach ($PropertyElements as $PropertyElement)
{
    printf("PropertyElements(\"s\").Descriptions\n", $PropertyElement->PropertyID->NumericalValue, $PropertyElement->Description);
}
REM This example shows how to enumerate all properties of an OPC item. For each property, it displays its Id and description.
REM
REM Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
REM OPC client and subscriber examples in Visual Basic on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-VB .
REM Missing some example? Ask us for it on our Online Forums, https://www.opclabs.com/forum/index ! You do not have to own
REM a commercial license in order to use Online Forums, and we reply to every post.

Private Sub BrowseProperties_Main_Command_Click()
    OutputText = ""
    
    Dim serverDescriptor As New serverDescriptor
    serverDescriptor.ServerClass = "OPCLabs.KitServer.2"
    
    Dim nodeDescriptor As New DANodeDescriptor
    nodeDescriptor.itemId = "Simulation.Random"
    
    ' Instantiate the client object
    Dim client As New EasyDAClient

    On Error Resume Next
    Dim propertyElements As DAPropertyElementCollection
    Set propertyElements = client.BrowseProperties(serverDescriptor, nodeDescriptor)
    If Err.Number <> 0 Then
        OutputText = OutputText & "*** Failure: " & Err.Source & ": " & Err.Description & vbCrLf
        Exit Sub
    End If
    On Error GoTo 0

    Dim propertyElement: For Each propertyElement In propertyElements
        OutputText = OutputText & "propertyElements(""" & propertyElement.propertyId.NumericalValue & """).Description: " & propertyElement.Description & vbCrLf
    Next
End Sub
Rem This example shows how to enumerate all properties of an OPC item. For each property, it displays its Id and description.
Rem
Rem Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
Rem OPC client and subscriber examples in VBScript on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-VBScript .
Rem Missing some example? Ask us for it on our Online Forums, https://www.opclabs.com/forum/index ! You do not have to own
Rem a commercial license in order to use Online Forums, and we reply to every post.

Option Explicit

Dim ServerDescriptor: Set ServerDescriptor = CreateObject("OpcLabs.EasyOpc.ServerDescriptor")
ServerDescriptor.ServerClass = "OPCLabs.KitServer.2"

Dim NodeDescriptor: Set NodeDescriptor = CreateObject("OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.DANodeDescriptor")
NodeDescriptor.ItemID = "Simulation.Random"

Dim EasyDAClient: Set EasyDAClient = CreateObject("OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.EasyDAClient")
On Error Resume Next
Dim PropertyElements: Set PropertyElements = EasyDAClient.BrowseProperties(ServerDescriptor, NodeDescriptor)
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
    WScript.Echo "*** Failure: " & Err.Source & ": " & Err.Description
    WScript.Quit
End If
On Error Goto 0

Dim PropertyElement: For Each PropertyElement In PropertyElements
    WScript.Echo "PropertyElements(""" & PropertyElement.PropertyID.NumericalValue & """).Description: " & PropertyElement.Description
Next
Requirements

Target Platforms: .NET Framework: Windows 10 (selected versions), Windows 11 (selected versions), Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2022; .NET: Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows

See Also