Last modified: 24 February 2010
Name: H5Aopen
Signature:
hid_t H5Aopen( hid_t obj_id, const char *attr_name, hid_t aapl_id )

Purpose:
Opens an attribute for an object specified by object identifier and attribute name.

Description:
H5Aopen opens an existing attribute, attr_name, that is attached to an object specified an object identifier, object_id.

The attribute access property list, aapl_id, is currently unused and should currently be H5P_DEFAULT.

This function, H5Aopen_by_idx, or H5Aopen_by_name must be called before an attribute can be accessed for any further purpose, including reading, writing, or any modification.

The attribute identifier returned by this function must be released with H5Aclose or resource leaks will develop.

Parameters:
hid_t obj_id IN: Identifer for object to which attribute is attached
const char *attr_name     IN: Name of attribute to open
hid_t aapl_id IN: Attribute access property list

Returns:
Returns an attribute identifier if successful; otherwise returns a negative value.

Fortran90 Interface: h5aopen_f
SUBROUTINE h5aopen_f(obj_id, attr_name, attr_id, hdferr, aapl_id) 
  IMPLICIT NONE
  INTEGER(HID_T), INTENT(IN) :: obj_id      ! Object identifier 
  CHARACTER(LEN=*), INTENT(IN) :: attr_name ! Attribute name
  INTEGER(HID_T), INTENT(OUT) :: attr_id    ! Attribute identifier 
  INTEGER, INTENT(OUT) :: hdferr            ! Error code:
                                            ! 0 on success and -1 on failure 
  INTEGER(HID_T), OPTIONAL, INTENT(IN) :: aapl_id     
                                            ! Attribute access property list
END SUBROUTINE h5aopen_f
      

History:
Release     C
1.8.0 Function introduced in this release.