An ExtensionObject is a container for any Structure and Union DataTypes.
The ExtensionObject contains a complex value serialized as a sequence of other DataTypes. It also contains an identifier which indicates what data it contains and how it is encoded.
There are four primary use cases where ExtensionObjects appear:
- When encoding a top-level DataType as a Service Request or Response;
- When encoding a Structure value inside a Variant;
- When encoding a field value in a Structure where the field DataType is Structure.
- When encoding a field value in a Structure where AllowSubTypes =TRUE (see F.12).
In all of these cases, the ExtensionObject provides an identifier that allows a decoder to know if it understands the Structure contained with it and a length that allows the Structure to be skipped if it is not recognized.
Structured DataTypes are represented in a Server address space as sub-types of the Structure DataType. The DataEncodings available for any given Structured DataTypes are represented as a DataTypeEncoding Object in the Server AddressSpace. The NodeId for the DataTypeEncoding Object is the identifier stored in the ExtensionObject. OPC 10000-3 describes how DataTypeEncoding Nodes are related to other Nodes of the AddressSpace.
Elements of an array of ExtensionObjects may have different DataTypeEncoding NodeIds specified. In some cases, this will be invalid, however, it is the responsibility of the application layer to enforce whatever constraints are imposed by the Information Model on a given array. Decoders shall accept any valid ExtensionObject as an array element.
Server implementers should use namespace qualified numeric NodeIds for any DataTypeEncoding Objects they define. This will minimize the overhead introduced by packing Structured DataType values into an ExtensionObject.
ExtensionObjects and Variants allow unlimited nesting which could result in stack overflow errors even if the message size is less than the maximum allowed. Decoders shall support at least 100 nesting levels. Decoders shall report an error if the number of nesting levels exceeds what it supports.