OPC Studio User's Guide and Reference
BrowseNodes Method (IEasyDAClientExtension)
Example 



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OpcLabs.EasyOpcClassicCore Assembly > OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess Namespace > IEasyDAClientExtension Class : BrowseNodes Method
The client object that will perform the operation.

This is typically the EasyDAClient object.

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

Name of the machine (empty string for local computer).

The value represents a UNC or DNS computer name. Any string can be passed to this parameter (i.e. will not cause System.ArgumentException), but not all values make sense and will work when an operation using them is attempted. IPv6 addresses are normally enclosed between '[' and ']'.

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

Contains ProgID of the OPC server to browse.

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

ID of the parent branch to be browsed (empty string for root)

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

Contains filtering conditions.

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

Browses the specified branch (or root) in OPC server's address space, and returns information about child nodes (both branches and leaves) found.

Browse for child nodes. Specify machine name, server class, parent item ID, and node filter.

Syntax
'Declaration
 
<ExtensionAttribute()>
<NotNullAttribute()>
Public Shared Function BrowseNodes( _
   ByVal client As IEasyDAClient, _
   ByVal machineName As String, _
   ByVal serverClass As String, _
   ByVal parentItemId As String, _
   ByVal browseParameters As DABrowseParameters _
) As DANodeElementCollection
 
'Usage
 
Dim client As IEasyDAClient
Dim machineName As String
Dim serverClass As String
Dim parentItemId As String
Dim browseParameters As DABrowseParameters
Dim value As DANodeElementCollection
 
value = IEasyDAClientExtension.BrowseNodes(client, machineName, serverClass, parentItemId, browseParameters)

Parameters

client
The client object that will perform the operation.

This is typically the EasyDAClient object.

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

machineName
Name of the machine (empty string for local computer).

The value represents a UNC or DNS computer name. Any string can be passed to this parameter (i.e. will not cause System.ArgumentException), but not all values make sense and will work when an operation using them is attempted. IPv6 addresses are normally enclosed between '[' and ']'.

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

serverClass
Contains ProgID of the OPC server to browse.

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

parentItemId
ID of the parent branch to be browsed (empty string for root)

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

browseParameters
Contains filtering conditions.

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.DANodeElement values, each containing information about a particular node found. The keys of the keyed collection are the names of the nodes.

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

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

This is an extension method (info: C#, VB.NET). In languages that have support for extensions methods (such as C# and VB.NET), you can use the extension method as if it were a regular method on the object that is its first parameter. In other languages (such as with Python.NET), you will call the extension as a static method, and pass it the object on which it acts as its first parameter.

Example
// This example shows how to obtain all nodes under the "Simulation" branch of the address space. For each node, it displays
// whether the node is a branch or a leaf.
//
// Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
// OPC client and subscriber examples in C# on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-CSharp .
// 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.

using System;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.OperationModel;

namespace DocExamples.DataAccess._EasyDAClient
{
    partial class BrowseNodes
    {
        public static void Main1()
        {
            // Instantiate the client object.
            var client = new EasyDAClient();

            DANodeElementCollection nodeElements;
            try
            {
                nodeElements = client.BrowseNodes("", "OPCLabs.KitServer.2", "Greenhouse", DABrowseParameters.Default);
            }
            catch (OpcException opcException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine($"*** Failure: {opcException.GetBaseException().Message}");
                return;
            }

            foreach (DANodeElement nodeElement in nodeElements)
            {
                Console.WriteLine($"NodeElements(\"{nodeElement.Name}\"):");
                Console.WriteLine($"    .IsBranch: {nodeElement.IsBranch}");
                Console.WriteLine($"    .IsLeaf: {nodeElement.IsLeaf}");
            }
        }
    }
}
// This example shows how to obtain data types of leaves in the OPC-DA address 
// space by browsing and filtering, i.e. without the use of OPC properties. 
// This technique allows determining the data types with servers that only 
// support OPC-DA 1.0. It can also be more effective than the use of 
// GetMultiplePropertyValues, if there is large number of leaves, and 
// relatively small number of data types to be checked.
//
// Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
// OPC client and subscriber examples in C# on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-CSharp .
// 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.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using OpcLabs.BaseLib.ComInterop;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.OperationModel;

namespace DocExamples.DataAccess._EasyDAClient
{
    partial class BrowseNodes
    {
        public static void DataTypes()
        {
            // Instantiate the client object.
            var client = new EasyDAClient();

            // Define the list of data types we will be checking for. 
            // Change as needed for your application.
            // This technique is only usable if there is a known list of 
            // data types you are interested in. If you are interested in 
            // all leaves, even those that are of data types not explicitly 
            // listed, always include VarTypes.Empty as the first data type. 
            // The leaves of "unlisted" data types will have VarTypes.Empty 
            // associated with them.
            var dataTypes = new VarType[] { VarTypes.Empty, VarTypes.I2, VarTypes.R4 };

            // For each leaf found, this dictionary wil hold its associated data type.
            var dataTypeDictionary = new Dictionary<DANodeElement, VarType>();

            // For each data type, browse for leaves of this data type.
            foreach (VarType dataType in dataTypes)
            {
                var browseParameters = new DABrowseParameters(DABrowseFilter.Leaves, "", "", dataType);
                DANodeElementCollection nodeElements;
                try
                {
                    nodeElements = client.BrowseNodes("", "OPCLabs.KitServer.2", "Greenhouse", browseParameters);
                }
                catch (OpcException opcException)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("*** Failure: {0}", opcException.GetBaseException().Message);
                    return;
                }

                // Store the leaf information into the dictionary, and 
                // associate the current data type with it.
                foreach (var nodeElement in nodeElements)
                    dataTypeDictionary[nodeElement] = dataType;
            }

            // Display each leaf found, and its associated data type.
            foreach (KeyValuePair<DANodeElement, VarType> pair in dataTypeDictionary)
            {
                DANodeElement nodeElement = pair.Key;
                VarType dataType = pair.Value;
                Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}", nodeElement, dataType);
            }
        }
    }
}
// This example shows how to recursively browse the nodes in the OPC address space.
//
// Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
// OPC client and subscriber examples in C# on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-CSharp .
// 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.

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.OperationModel;

namespace DocExamples.DataAccess._EasyDAClient
{
    partial class BrowseNodes
    {
        public static void Recursive()
        {
            var stopwatch = new Stopwatch();
            stopwatch.Start();

            // Instantiate the client object.
            var client = new EasyDAClient();
            _branchCount = 0;
            _leafCount = 0;

            try
            {
                BrowseFromNode(client, "OPCLabs.KitServer.2", "");
            }
            catch (OpcException opcException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("*** Failure: {0}", opcException.GetBaseException().Message);
                return;
            }

            stopwatch.Stop();
            Console.WriteLine("Browsing has taken (milliseconds): {0}", stopwatch.ElapsedMilliseconds);
            Console.WriteLine("Branch count: {0}", _branchCount);
            Console.WriteLine("Leaf count: {0}", _leafCount);
        }

        private static void BrowseFromNode(
            EasyDAClient client,
            ServerDescriptor serverDescriptor,
            DANodeDescriptor parentNodeDescriptor)
        {
            Debug.Assert(client != null);
            Debug.Assert(serverDescriptor != null);
            Debug.Assert(parentNodeDescriptor != null);

            // Obtain all node elements under parentNodeDescriptor
            var browseParameters = new DABrowseParameters();    // no filtering whatsoever
            DANodeElementCollection nodeElementCollection =
                client.BrowseNodes(serverDescriptor, parentNodeDescriptor, browseParameters);
            // Remark: that BrowseNodes(...) may also throw OpcException; a production code should contain handling for 
            // it, here omitted for brevity.

            foreach (DANodeElement nodeElement in nodeElementCollection)
            {
                Debug.Assert(nodeElement != null);

                Console.WriteLine(nodeElement);

                // If the node is a branch, browse recursively into it.
                if (nodeElement.IsBranch)
                {
                    _branchCount++;
                    BrowseFromNode(client, serverDescriptor, nodeElement);
                }
                else
                {
                    _leafCount++;
                }
            }
        }

        private static int _branchCount;
        private static int _leafCount;
    }
}
// Recursively browses and displays the nodes in the OPC address space, and attempts to read and display values of all OPC 
// items it finds.
//
// Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
// OPC client and subscriber examples in C# on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-CSharp .
// 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.

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.OperationModel;

namespace DocExamples.DataAccess._EasyDAClient
{
    partial class BrowseNodes
    {
        const string ServerClass = "OPCLabs.KitServer.2";

        // Instantiate the client object.
        static readonly EasyDAClient Client = new EasyDAClient();

        static void BrowseAndReadFromNode(string parentItemId)
        {
            // Obtain all node elements under parentItemId
            var browseParameters = new DABrowseParameters(); // no filtering whatsoever
            DANodeElementCollection nodeElementCollection = Client.BrowseNodes("", ServerClass, parentItemId,
                browseParameters);
            // Remark: that BrowseNodes(...) may also throw OpcException; a production code should contain handling for it, here 
            // omitted for brevity.

            foreach (DANodeElement nodeElement in nodeElementCollection)
            {
                Debug.Assert(nodeElement != null);

                // If the node is a leaf, it might be possible to read from it
                if (nodeElement.IsLeaf)
                {
                    // Determine what the display - either the value read, or exception message in case of failure.
                    string display;
                    try
                    {
                        object value = Client.ReadItemValue("", ServerClass, nodeElement);
                        display = $"{value}";
                    }
                    catch (OpcException exception)
                    {
                        display = $"** {exception.GetBaseException().Message} **";
                    }

                    Console.WriteLine("{0} -> {1}", nodeElement.ItemId, display);
                }
                // If the node is not a leaf, just display its itemId
                else
                    Console.WriteLine("{0}", nodeElement.ItemId);

                // If the node is a branch, browse recursively into it.
                if (nodeElement.IsBranch &&
                    (nodeElement.ItemId != "SimulateEvents")
                    /* this branch is too big for the purpose of this example */)
                    BrowseAndReadFromNode(nodeElement);
            }
        }

        public static void RecursiveWithRead()
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Browsing and reading values...");
            // Set timeout to only wait 1 second - default would be 1 minute to wait for good quality that may never come.
            Client.InstanceParameters.Timeouts.ReadItem = 1000;

            // Do the actual browsing and reading, starting from root of OPC address space (denoted by empty string for itemId)
            try
            {
                BrowseAndReadFromNode("");
            }
            catch (OpcException opcException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("*** Failure: {0}", opcException.GetBaseException().Message);
            }
        }
    }
}
// This example shows how to recursively browse the nodes in the OPC XML-DA address space.
//
// Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
// OPC client and subscriber examples in C# on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-CSharp .
// 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.

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.AddressSpace;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.OperationModel;

namespace DocExamples.DataAccess.Xml
{
    class BrowseNodes
    {
        public static void RecursiveXml()
        {
            var stopwatch = new Stopwatch();
            stopwatch.Start();

            // Instantiate the client object.
            var client = new EasyDAClient();

            _branchCount = 0;
            _leafCount = 0;

            try
            {
                BrowseFromNode(client, "http://opcxml.demo-this.com/XmlDaSampleServer/Service.asmx", "");
            }
            catch (OpcException opcException)
            {
                Console.WriteLine("*** Failure: {0}", opcException.GetBaseException().Message);
                return;
            }

            stopwatch.Stop();
            Console.WriteLine("Browsing has taken (milliseconds): {0}", stopwatch.ElapsedMilliseconds);
            Console.WriteLine("Branch count: {0}", _branchCount);
            Console.WriteLine("Leaf count: {0}", _leafCount);
        }

        private static void BrowseFromNode(
            EasyDAClient client,
            ServerDescriptor serverDescriptor,
            DANodeDescriptor parentNodeDescriptor)
        {
            Debug.Assert(client != null);
            Debug.Assert(serverDescriptor != null);
            Debug.Assert(parentNodeDescriptor != null);

            // Obtain all node elements under parentNodeDescriptor
            var browseParameters = new DABrowseParameters();    // no filtering whatsoever
            DANodeElementCollection nodeElementCollection =
                client.BrowseNodes(serverDescriptor, parentNodeDescriptor, browseParameters);
            // Remark: that BrowseNodes(...) may also throw OpcException; a production code should contain handling for 
            // it, here omitted for brevity.

            foreach (DANodeElement nodeElement in nodeElementCollection)
            {
                Debug.Assert(nodeElement != null);

                Console.WriteLine(nodeElement);

                // If the node is a branch, browse recursively into it.
                if (nodeElement.IsBranch)
                {
                    _branchCount++;
                    BrowseFromNode(client, serverDescriptor, nodeElement);
                }
                else
                {
                    _leafCount++;
                }
            }
        }

        private static int _branchCount;
        private static int _leafCount;
    }
}
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