# Options

![Screen capture of read metadata from HCP objects step](https://2745965000-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FvZoINBz5C5WnDZQlbOJQ%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-00e79c961db9e56567ee517e13b4e12bc4c0194f%2FPDI_TransStep_Dialog_HCP_read_w422_may_17.png?alt=media)

In the step window, specify the HCP object URL for the transformation to locate. You can also select the default annotation or a specific target annotation name to read, located at the specified object URL. There are two methods for designating an object URL and target annotation name to read. You can:

* Define and populate text fields within the transformation that contain the object URL or target annotation name (recommended).
* Manually enter an object URL and annotation name.

You can create and populate text fields two ways: either by using a transformation variable or by using values from a PDI step, such as Query HCP, Data Grid, or Get File Names.

The Read metadata from HCP step contains the following options.

| Option                                        | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| --------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **HCP VFS Connection**                        | From the drop-down list, select the [VFS connection](https://docs.pentaho.com/pdia-data-integration/10.2-data-integration/data-integration-perspective-in-the-pdi-client/virtual-file-system-browser) you created for this transformation to connect to your HCP repository.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| **Select incoming field for your Object URL** | From the drop-down list, select the name of a text field that contains the target HCP object URL. This text field is defined by a previous step in the transformation.You can also enter the object URL directly into the field. For example: [https://test.hcptest.pentaho.net/axis.gif](https://nstest.r2d2.hcpdemo.pentaho.net/axel.gif)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
| **Annotation to read from**                   | <p>Select a target annotation name to read, using one of the following options:</p><ul><li><strong>Use default</strong></li></ul><p>Reads the contents of the default annotation associated with the object URL, which is identified in the <strong>Select incoming field for your Object URL</strong> option.</p><p><strong>Note:</strong> This annotation is named <code>default</code> in HCP.</p><ul><li><strong>Incoming field</strong></li></ul><p>From the drop-down list, select the name of the text field that identifies a specific HCP annotation name. The annotation name in the field must be located at the object URL as entered in the <strong>Select incoming field for your Object URL</strong> option.</p><ul><li><strong>Manual</strong></li></ul><p>Enter a specific HCP annotation name into the text box, for example <code>myannotation0515202</code>. The text string is limited to 32 characters.</p><p>The target annotation must be located at the object URL as entered in the <strong>Select incoming field for your Object URL</strong> option.</p> |
| **Outgoing field**                            | Specify the name of the field downstream in the transformation that will contain the data read from the designated object URL and annotation name.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |