This Service is used to request that the Server translates one or more browse paths to NodeIds. Each browse path is constructed of a starting Node and a RelativePath. The specified starting Node identifies the Node from which the RelativePath is based. The RelativePath contains a sequence of ReferenceTypes and BrowseNames.

One purpose of this Service is to allow programming against type definitions. Since BrowseNames shall be unique in the context of type definitions, a Client may create a browse path that is valid for a type definition and use this path on instances of the type. For example, an ObjectType “Boiler” may have a “HeatSensor” Variable as InstanceDeclaration. A graphical element programmed against the “Boiler” may need to display the Value of the “HeatSensor”. If the graphical element would be called on “Boiler1”, an instance of “Boiler”, it would need to call this Service specifying the NodeId of “Boiler1” as starting Node and the BrowseName of the “HeatSensor” as browse path. The Service would return the NodeId of the “HeatSensor” of “Boiler1” and the graphical element could subscribe to its Value Attribute.

If a Node has multiple targets with the same BrowseName, the Server shall return a list of NodeIds. However, since one of the main purposes of this Service is to support programming against type definitions, the NodeId of the Node based on the type definition of the starting Node is returned as the first NodeId in the list.