AF SDK Reference

PIPoint.FindAttributeNames Method

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PIPoint.FindAttributeNames Method

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Last UpdatedJan 12, 2026
4 minute read

Find the loaded PIPoint attribute names based upon a filter.

Namespace: OSIsoft.AF.PI
Assembly: OSIsoft.AFSDK (in OSIsoft.AFSDK.dll) Version: 3.2.0.7

Syntax

public IEnumerable<string> FindAttributeNames(
	string nameFilter
)

Public Function FindAttributeNames ( 
	nameFilter As String
) As IEnumerable(Of String)

Dim instance As PIPoint
Dim nameFilter As String
Dim returnValue As IEnumerable(Of String)

returnValue = instance.FindAttributeNames(nameFilter)

public:
IEnumerable<String^>^ FindAttributeNames(
	String^ nameFilter
)

member FindAttributeNames : 
        nameFilter : string -> IEnumerable<string>

Parameters

nameFilter

Type: SystemString
The filter to use for the list of PIPoint attribute names to be returned.

The query string (or match pattern) can include regular characters and wildcard characters. Regular characters must match exactly the characters specified in the query string. Wildcard characters can be matched with arbitrary fragments of the query string. Wildcard characters can be escaped using the single backslash (\) character. Use a double backslash (\\) to match a single backslash. The syntax of the query string has the following rules:

If or empty string, then everything will be matched.
If no wildcards, then an exact match on the query string is performed.
Wildcard * can be placed anywhere in the query string and matches zero or more characters.
Wildcard ? can be placed anywhere in the query string and matches exactly one character.
One character in a set of characters are matched by placing them within [ ]. For example, a[bc] would match 'ab' or 'ac', but it would not match 'ad' or 'abd'.
One character in a set of characters are not matched by placing them within [! ]. For example, a[!bc] would match 'ad', but it would not match 'ab', 'ac', or 'abd'.
A character in a range of characters from first to last are matched using the following syntax: [first - last]. For example, a[a-c] would match 'aa', 'ab', or 'ac', but it would not match 'ad' or 'abc'.

Return Value

Type: IEnumerableString
Returns a list of PIPoint attribute names based upon the specified filter.

Remarks

This method is used to find the list of attribute names for the PIPoint that have been loaded. If no attributes have been loaded, then the LoadAttributes(String) method will be called to get the list of all PIPoint attributes to search.

Examples

// This example demonstrates how to create an attribute for an
// element and retrieve and set PIPoint attributes.

// Get the Database
PISystems myPISystems = new PISystems();
PISystem myPISystem = myPISystems.DefaultPISystem;
AFDatabase myDB = myPISystem.Databases.DefaultDatabase;

// Create an Element Template
AFElementTemplate myElemTemplate = myDB.ElementTemplates.Add("MyElementTemplate");
AFAttributeTemplate myAttrTemplate = myElemTemplate.AttributeTemplates.Add("Attr#1");
myAttrTemplate.DataReferencePlugIn = AFDataReference.GetPIPointDataReference(myPISystem);
myAttrTemplate.ConfigString = @"\\%Server%\%Element%;pointtype=Float64";

// Create an Element from the Element Template
AFElement myElement = myDB.Elements.Add("MyElement", myElemTemplate);

// Create the PIPoint for the Attribute
AFAttribute myAttribute = myElement.Attributes["Attr#1"];
myAttribute.DataReference.CreateConfig();

// Find all PIPoint Attributes and Display their values
object drAttrValue;
myAttribute.PIPoint.LoadAttributes();
IEnumerable<string> list = myAttribute.PIPoint.FindAttributeNames(null);
Console.WriteLine("Found PIPoint Attributes: nameFilter='<null>'");
foreach (string item in list)
{
    drAttrValue = myAttribute.PIPoint.GetAttribute(item);
    Console.WriteLine("  {0} = '{1}'", item, drAttrValue);
}
Console.WriteLine();

// Find PIPoint Attributes matching 'Ex*' and display their values
list = myAttribute.PIPoint.FindAttributeNames("Ex*");
Console.WriteLine("Found PIPoint Attributes: nameFilter='Ex*'");
int cnt = 0;
foreach (string item in list)
{
    cnt++;
    drAttrValue = myAttribute.PIPoint.GetAttribute(item);
    Console.WriteLine("  {0} = '{1}'", item, drAttrValue);
}
Console.WriteLine();

// Unload all PIPoint Attributes
myAttribute.PIPoint.UnloadAllAttributes();

// Load specific PIPoint Attributes and display their values
myAttribute.PIPoint.LoadAttributes(PICommonPointAttributes.PointType,
    PICommonPointAttributes.PointID,
    PICommonPointAttributes.Descriptor,
    PICommonPointAttributes.ExtendedDescriptor,
    PICommonPointAttributes.CreationDate);
drAttrValue = myAttribute.PIPoint.GetAttribute(PICommonPointAttributes.PointType);
Console.WriteLine("PIPoint Attribute '{0}' = '{1}'.", PICommonPointAttributes.PointType, drAttrValue);
drAttrValue = myAttribute.PIPoint.GetAttribute(PICommonPointAttributes.PointID);
Console.WriteLine("PIPoint Attribute '{0}' = '{1}'.", PICommonPointAttributes.PointID, drAttrValue);
drAttrValue = myAttribute.PIPoint.GetAttribute(PICommonPointAttributes.Descriptor);
Console.WriteLine("PIPoint Attribute '{0}' = '{1}'.", PICommonPointAttributes.Descriptor, drAttrValue);
drAttrValue = myAttribute.PIPoint.GetAttribute(PICommonPointAttributes.ExtendedDescriptor);
Console.WriteLine("PIPoint Attribute '{0}' = '{1}'.", PICommonPointAttributes.ExtendedDescriptor, drAttrValue);
drAttrValue = myAttribute.PIPoint.GetAttribute(PICommonPointAttributes.CreationDate);
Console.WriteLine("PIPoint Attribute '{0}' = '{1}'.", PICommonPointAttributes.CreationDate, drAttrValue);
Console.WriteLine();

// Set PIPoint Attribute value
string newAttrValue = "New Value: " + DateTime.Now.ToShortTimeString();
myAttribute.PIPoint.SetAttribute(PICommonPointAttributes.Descriptor, newAttrValue);
myAttribute.PIPoint.SetAttribute(PICommonPointAttributes.ExtendedDescriptor, newAttrValue);
AFErrors<string> errors = myAttribute.PIPoint.SaveAttributes(PICommonPointAttributes.Descriptor,
    PICommonPointAttributes.ExtendedDescriptor);
if (errors != null && errors.HasErrors)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Errors calling PIPoint.SaveAttributes:");
    foreach (var item in errors.Errors)
    {
        Console.WriteLine("  {0}: {1}", item.Key, item.Value);
    }
}

AF SDK Reference