Last modified: 24 July 2009
Name: H5Aopen_by_name
Signature:
hid_t H5Aopen_by_name( hid_t loc_id, const char *obj_name, const char *attr_name, hid_t aapl_id, hid_t lapl_id )

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

Description:
H5Aopen_by_name opens an existing attribute, attr_name, that is attached to an object specified by location and name, loc_id and obj_name, respectively.

loc_id specifies a location from which the target object can be located and obj_name is an object name relative to loc_id. If loc_id fully specifies the object to which the attribute is attached, obj_name should be '.' (a dot).

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

The link access property list, lapl_id, may provide information regarding the properties of links required to access the object, obj_name. See “Link Access Properties” in the H5P APIs.

This function, H5Aopen, or H5Aopen_by_idx 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 loc_id IN: Location from which to find object to which attribute is attached
const char *obj_name IN: Name of object to which attribute is attached, relative to loc_id
const char *attr_name     IN: Name of attribute to open
hid_t aapl_id IN: Attribute access property list
(Currently unused; should be passed in as H5P_DEFAULT.)
hid_t lapl_id IN: Link access property list

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

Fortran90 Interface: h5aopen_by_name_f
SUBROUTINE h5aopen_by_name_f(loc_id, obj_name, attr_name, attr_id, hdferr, &
      aapl_id, lapl_id)
  IMPLICIT NONE
  INTEGER(HID_T), INTENT(IN) :: loc_id     
                                     ! Location identifier
  CHARACTER(LEN=*), INTENT(IN) :: obj_name 
                                     ! Object name either relative to loc_id, 
                                     ! absolute from file’s root group, or '.'
  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 
                                     ! (Currently unused; set to H5P_DEFAULT_F)
  INTEGER(HID_T), OPTIONAL, INTENT(IN) :: lapl_id 
                                     ! Link access property list identifier
END SUBROUTINE
    

History:
Release     C
1.8.0 Function introduced in this release.