# Options
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](/pdia-data-integration/10.2-data-integration/data-integration-perspective-in-the-pdi-client/virtual-file-system-browser.md) 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** | Select a target annotation name to read, using one of the following options:
Reads the contents of the default annotation associated with the object URL, which is identified in the Select incoming field for your Object URL option.
Note: This annotation is named default in HCP.
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 Select incoming field for your Object URL option.
Enter a specific HCP annotation name into the text box, for example myannotation0515202. The text string is limited to 32 characters.
The target annotation must be located at the object URL as entered in the Select incoming field for your Object URL option.
|
| **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. |
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