The components of this parameter are defined in Table 171.

Table 171 – ReadValueId

Name

Type

Description

ReadValueId

structure

Identifier for an item to read or to monitor.

nodeId

NodeId

NodeId of a Node.

attributeId

IntegerId

Id of the Attribute. This shall be a valid Attribute id. The IntegerId is defined in 7.19. The IntegerIds for the Attributes are defined in OPC 10000-6.

indexRange

NumericRange

This parameter is used to identify a single element of an array, or a single range of indexes for arrays. The array in this context includes String and ByteString. If a range of elements is specified, the values are returned as a composite. The first element is identified by index 0 (zero). The NumericRange type is defined in 7.27.

This parameter is null or empty if the specified Attribute is not an array. However, if the specified Attribute is an array, and this parameter is null or empty, then all elements are to be included in the range.

dataEncoding

QualifiedName

This parameter specifies the BrowseName of the DataTypeEncoding that the Server should use when returning the Value Attribute of a Variable. It is an error to specify this parameter for other Attributes.

This parameter only applies if the DataType of the Variable is a subtype of Structure. It is an error to specify this parameter if the DataType of the Variable is not a subtype of Structure.

A Client can discover what DataTypeEncodings are available by following the HasEncoding Reference from the DataType Node for a Variable.

OPC UA defines BrowseNames which Servers shall recognize even if the DataType Nodes are not visible in the Server AddressSpace. These BrowseNames are:

Default Binary

The default or native binary (or non-XML) encoding.

Default XML

The default XML encoding.

Default JSON

The default JSON encoding

Each DataType shall support at least one of these encodings. DataTypes that do not have a true binary encoding (e.g. they only have a non-XML text encoding) should use the Default Binary name to identify the encoding that is considered to be the default non-XML encoding. DataTypes that support at least one XML-based encoding shall identify one of the encodings as the Default XML encoding. Other standards bodies may define other well-known data encodings that could be supported.

If this parameter is null or empty then the Server shall choose the default according to what Message encoding (see OPC 10000-6) is used for the Session. If the Server does not support the encoding that matches the Message encoding then the Server shall choose the default encoding that it does support.