This abstract VariableType is used as base to define multi-dimensional vectors. Subtypes need to define the concrete number of dimensions. It reflects the semantic of its DataType, defined in 12.23. Subtypes shall expose the structure of their structured DataTypes as Variables. Additionally, it can define a unit for each dimension of the vector (Property VectorUnit). The VariableType is formally defined in Table 87.

Table 87 – VectorType Definition

Attribute

Value

BrowseName

VectorType

IsAbstract

True

ValueRank

Scalar

DataType

Vector

References

NodeClass

BrowseName

DataType

TypeDefinition

Modelling Rule

Subtype of the BaseDataVariableType defined in 7.4

HasProperty

Variable

VectorUnit

EUInformation

PropertyType

Optional

Conformance Units

Base Info Spatial Data

VectorUnit defines the unit of each dimension of the vector. The DataType EUInformation is defined in OPC 10000-8. Note that the Property EngineeringUnits is intentionally not used, as it would have to define the engineering unit of the full vector, not its individual dimensions.