OPC Studio User's Guide and Reference
Use multiple-operation methods instead of looping
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Concepts > OPC Data Client Concepts > OPC Data Client Best Practices > Use multiple-operation methods instead of looping
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Overview

Due to way OPC internally works, it is significantly more efficient to perform more operations at once. Whenever your application logic allows it, use methods with the word Multiple in their name, i.e. methods that work on multiple elements (such as OPC items) at once, and try to group together a bigger number of operations. This approach gives much better performance.

This rule, while already very important, becomes super-critical with OPC XML-DA subscriptions, because OPC XML-DA does not have any way to modify existing subscriptions (add or remove items to/from the subscriptions). Every modification to a subscription forces OPC Data Client to discard an existing subscription with all its items, and create a new one with a modified set of items. If you properly call the SubscribeMultipleItems method for this, at least this operation is done just once. But if you loop and attempt to do SubscribeItem with OPC XML-DA repeatedly, each such call will cause the OPC subscription be destroyed and re-created, which is extremely inefficient.

Example - OPC Data Access

.NET

// This example shows how to read values of 4 items at once, and display them.
//
// 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.BaseLib.OperationModel;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess;

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

            ValueResult[] valueResults = client.ReadMultipleItemValues("OPCLabs.KitServer.2",
                new DAItemDescriptor[]
                {
                    "Simulation.Random", "Trends.Ramp (1 min)", "Trends.Sine (1 min)", "Simulation.Register_I4"
                });

            for (int i = 0; i < valueResults.Length; i++)
            {
                ValueResult valueResult = valueResults[i];
                Debug.Assert(!(valueResult is null));

                if (valueResult.Succeeded)
                    Console.WriteLine($"valueResults[{i}].Value: {valueResult.Value}");
                else
                    Console.WriteLine($"valueResults[{i}] *** Failure: {valueResult.ErrorMessageBrief}");
            }
        }


        // Example output:
        //
        //valueResults[0].Value: 0.00125125888851588
        //valueResults[1].Value: 0.732510924339294
        //valueResults[2].Value: -0.993968485238202
        //valueResults[3].Value: 0
    }
}

COM

// This example shows how to read values of 4 items at once, and display them.
//
// Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
// OPC client and subscriber examples in Object Pascal (Delphi) on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-OP .
// 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.

class procedure ReadMultipleItemValues.Main;
var
  Arguments: OleVariant;
  Client: OpcLabs_EasyOpcClassic_TLB._EasyDAClient;
  I: Cardinal;
  ReadItemArguments1: _DAReadItemArguments;
  ReadItemArguments2: _DAReadItemArguments;
  ReadItemArguments3: _DAReadItemArguments;
  ReadItemArguments4: _DAReadItemArguments;
  ValueResult: _ValueResult;
  Results: OleVariant;
begin
  ReadItemArguments1 := CoDAReadItemArguments.Create;
  ReadItemArguments1.ServerDescriptor.ServerClass := 'OPCLabs.KitServer.2';
  ReadItemArguments1.ItemDescriptor.ItemID := 'Simulation.Random';

  ReadItemArguments2 := CoDAReadItemArguments.Create;
  ReadItemArguments2.ServerDescriptor.ServerClass := 'OPCLabs.KitServer.2';
  ReadItemArguments2.ItemDescriptor.ItemID := 'Trends.Ramp (1 min)';

  ReadItemArguments3 := CoDAReadItemArguments.Create;
  ReadItemArguments3.ServerDescriptor.ServerClass := 'OPCLabs.KitServer.2';
  ReadItemArguments3.ItemDescriptor.ItemID := 'Trends.Sine (1 min)';

  ReadItemArguments4 := CoDAReadItemArguments.Create;
  ReadItemArguments4.ServerDescriptor.ServerClass := 'OPCLabs.KitServer.2';
  ReadItemArguments4.ItemDescriptor.ItemID := 'Simulation.Register_I4';

  Arguments := VarArrayCreate([0, 3], varVariant);
  Arguments[0] := ReadItemArguments1;
  Arguments[1] := ReadItemArguments2;
  Arguments[2] := ReadItemArguments3;
  Arguments[3] := ReadItemArguments4;

  // Instantiate the client object
  Client := CoEasyDAClient.Create;

  TVarData(Results).VType := varArray or varVariant;
  TVarData(Results).VArray := PVarArray(
    Client.ReadMultipleItemValues(Arguments));

  // Display results
  for I := VarArrayLowBound(Results, 1) to VarArrayHighBound(Results, 1) do
  begin
      ValueResult := IInterface(Results[I]) as _ValueResult;

      if ValueResult.Succeeded then
        WriteLn('results(', i, ').Value: ', ValueResult.Value)
      else
        WriteLn('results(', i, ') *** Failure: ', ValueResult.ErrorMessageBrief);
  end;

  VarClear(Results);
  VarClear(Arguments);
end;

Python

# This example shows how to read values of 4 items at once, and display them.
#
# Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
# OPC client and subscriber examples in Python on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-Python .
# 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.
# The QuickOPC package is needed. Install it using "pip install opclabs_quickopc".
import opclabs_quickopc

# Import .NET namespaces.
from OpcLabs.EasyOpc import *
from OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess import *
from OpcLabs.EasyOpc.DataAccess.OperationModel import *
from OpcLabs.EasyOpc.OperationModel import *


# Instantiate the client object.
client = EasyDAClient()

#
valueResultArray = IEasyDAClientExtension.ReadMultipleItemValues(client, [
    DAReadItemArguments(ServerDescriptor('OPCLabs.KitServer.2'), DAItemDescriptor('Simulation.Random')),
    DAReadItemArguments(ServerDescriptor('OPCLabs.KitServer.2'), DAItemDescriptor('Trends.Ramp (1 min)')),
    DAReadItemArguments(ServerDescriptor('OPCLabs.KitServer.2'), DAItemDescriptor('Trends.Sine (1 min)')),
    DAReadItemArguments(ServerDescriptor('OPCLabs.KitServer.2'), DAItemDescriptor('Simulation.Register_I4')),
    ])

for i, valueResult in enumerate(valueResultArray):
    assert valueResult is not None
    if valueResult.Succeeded:
        print('valueResultArray[', i, '].Value: ', valueResult.Value, sep='')
    else:
        print('valueResultArray[', i, '] *** Failure: ', valueResult.ErrorMessageBrief, sep='')

 

Example - OPC Unified Architecture

.NET

// This example shows how to read the Value attributes of 3 different nodes at once. Using the same method, it is also possible 
// to read multiple attributes of the same node.
//
// 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.BaseLib.OperationModel;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA;
using OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.OperationModel;

namespace UADocExamples._EasyUAClient
{
    partial class ReadMultipleValues
    {
        public static void Main1()
        {
            UAEndpointDescriptor endpointDescriptor =
                "opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer";
            // or "http://opcua.demo-this.com:51211/UA/SampleServer" (currently not supported)
            // or "https://opcua.demo-this.com:51212/UA/SampleServer/"

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

            // Obtain values. By default, the Value attributes of the nodes will be read.
            ValueResult[] valueResultArray = client.ReadMultipleValues(new[]
                {
                    new UAReadArguments(endpointDescriptor, "nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10845"),
                    new UAReadArguments(endpointDescriptor, "nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853"),
                    new UAReadArguments(endpointDescriptor, "nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10855")
                });

            // Display results.
            foreach (ValueResult valueResult in valueResultArray)
            {
                if (valueResult.Succeeded)
                    Console.WriteLine($"Value: {valueResult.Value}");
                else
                    Console.WriteLine($"*** Failure: {valueResult.ErrorMessageBrief}");
            }


            // Example output:
            //
            //Value: 8
            //Value: -8.06803E+21
            //Value: Strawberry Pig Banana Snake Mango Purple Grape Monkey Purple? Blueberry Lemon^            
        }
    }
}

COM

// This example shows how to read the Value attributes of 3 different nodes at once. Using the same method, it is also possible 
// to read multiple attributes of the same node.
//
// Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
// 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.

#include "stdafx.h"    // Includes "QuickOpc.h", and other commonly used files
#include <atlsafe.h>
#include "ReadMultipleValues.h"

namespace _EasyUAClient
{
    void ReadMultipleValues::Main()
    {
        // Initialize the COM library
        CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT_MULTITHREADED);
        {
            // Instantiate the client object
            _EasyUAClientPtr ClientPtr(__uuidof(EasyUAClient));

            _UAReadArgumentsPtr ReadArguments1Ptr(_uuidof(UAReadArguments));
            ReadArguments1Ptr->EndpointDescriptor->UrlString = 
                //L"http://opcua.demo-this.com:51211/UA/SampleServer";
                L"opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer";
            ReadArguments1Ptr->NodeDescriptor->NodeId->ExpandedText = L"nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10845";

            _UAReadArgumentsPtr ReadArguments2Ptr(_uuidof(UAReadArguments));
            ReadArguments2Ptr->EndpointDescriptor->UrlString = 
                //L"http://opcua.demo-this.com:51211/UA/SampleServer";
                L"opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer";
            ReadArguments2Ptr->NodeDescriptor->NodeId->ExpandedText = L"nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853";

            _UAReadArgumentsPtr ReadArguments3Ptr(_uuidof(UAReadArguments));
            ReadArguments3Ptr->EndpointDescriptor->UrlString = 
                //L"http://opcua.demo-this.com:51211/UA/SampleServer";
                L"opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer";
            ReadArguments3Ptr->NodeDescriptor->NodeId->ExpandedText = L"nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10855";

            CComSafeArray<VARIANT> arguments(3);
            arguments.SetAt(0, _variant_t((IDispatch*)ReadArguments1Ptr));
            arguments.SetAt(1, _variant_t((IDispatch*)ReadArguments2Ptr));
            arguments.SetAt(2, _variant_t((IDispatch*)ReadArguments3Ptr));
            CComVariant vArguments(arguments);

            // Obtain values. By default, the Value attributes of the nodes will be read.
            CComSafeArray<VARIANT> results;
            results.Attach(ClientPtr->ReadMultipleValues(&vArguments));
            
            // Display results
            for (int i = results.GetLowerBound(); i <= results.GetUpperBound(); i++)
            {
                _ValueResultPtr ValueResultPtr = results[i];

                _variant_t vString;
                vString.ChangeType(VT_BSTR, &ValueResultPtr->Value);
                _tprintf(_T("Value: %s\n"), (LPCTSTR)CW2CT((_bstr_t)vString));
            }

            // Example output:
            //
            //Value: 8
            //Value: -8.06803E+21
            //Value: Strawberry Pig Banana Snake Mango Purple Grape Monkey Purple? Blueberry Lemon^            
        }
         // Release all interface pointers BEFORE calling CoUninitialize()
        CoUninitialize();
    }
}

Python

# This example shows how to read the Value attributes of 3 different nodes at once. Using the same method, it is also possible
# to read multiple attributes of the same node.
#
# Find all latest examples here: https://opclabs.doc-that.com/files/onlinedocs/OPCLabs-OpcStudio/Latest/examples.html .
# OPC client and subscriber examples in Python on GitHub: https://github.com/OPCLabs/Examples-QuickOPC-Python .
# 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.
# The QuickOPC package is needed. Install it using "pip install opclabs_quickopc".
import opclabs_quickopc
import time

# Import .NET namespaces.
from OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA import *
from OpcLabs.EasyOpc.UA.OperationModel import *


endpointDescriptor = UAEndpointDescriptor('opc.tcp://opcua.demo-this.com:51210/UA/SampleServer')
# or 'http://opcua.demo-this.com:51211/UA/SampleServer' (currently not supported)
# or 'https://opcua.demo-this.com:51212/UA/SampleServer/'

# Instantiate the client object.
client = EasyUAClient()

# Obtain values. By default, the Value attributes of the nodes will be read.
valueResultArray = IEasyUAClientExtension.ReadMultipleValues(client, [
    UAReadArguments(endpointDescriptor, UANodeDescriptor('nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10845')),
    UAReadArguments(endpointDescriptor, UANodeDescriptor('nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10853')),
    UAReadArguments(endpointDescriptor, UANodeDescriptor('nsu=http://test.org/UA/Data/ ;i=10855')),
    ])

# Display results.
for valueResult in valueResultArray:
    if valueResult.Succeeded:
        print('Value: ', valueResult.Value, sep='')
    else:
        print('*** Failure: ', valueResult.ErrorMessageBrief, sep='')

print()
print('Finished.')

 

See Also
Do not write any code for OPC failure recovery
With single-operation synchronous methods, only catch OpcException or UAException
Do not catch any exceptions with asynchronous or multiple-operation methods
Always test the Exception property before accessing the actual result (Value, Vtq, or AttributeData property)
Always test the HasValue property before accessing DAVtq.Value or UAAttributeData.Value
Do not block inside OPC event handlers or callback methods
Use generic or type-safe access wherever possible
Use the state instead of handles to identify subscribed entities
OPC Data Client Best Practices

Examples - Client OPC Data Access

Examples - OPC Data Access - Read multiple item values
Examples - OPC Data Access - Read multiple items
Examples - OPC Data Access - Subscribe to multiple items
Examples - OPC Data Access - Unsubscribe from multiple items
Examples - OPC Data Access - Write multiple values

Examples - Client OPC Unified Architecture

Examples - OPC Unified Architecture - Read multiple nodes or attributes
Examples - OPC Unified Architecture - Read multiple values
Examples - OPC Unified Architecture - Subscribe to multiple nodes for data changes
Examples - OPC Unified Architecture - Unsubscribe from multiple monitored items
Examples - OPC Unified Architecture - Write multiple values

 

 

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