# Read metadata from HCP

You can use the Read metadata from HCP step to identify and select an HCP object by its URL, then read custom metadata from a selected annotation.

The step returns the requested custom metadata to your transformation for downstream processing. You can use [Write metadata to HCP](/pdia-data-integration/pdi-transformation-steps-reference-overview/write-metadata-to-hcp.md) to modify the metadata and write it back to HCP.

[Hitachi Content Platform (HCP)](/pdia-data-integration/extracting-data-into-pdi/pdi-and-hitachi-content-platform-hcp.md) is an object-based storage repository designed for unstructured data. To add structure and control, HCP supports metadata annotations associated with each object.

An HCP object consists of a read-only file, a unique URL, system metadata properties, and custom metadata annotations. Each annotation has its own name (for example, `myannotation0515202`).

### General

* **Step name**: Specify the unique name of the transformation step on the canvas. You can customize the name or leave it as the default.

### Options

![Read metadata from HCP step](/files/vpNKtaaO6fC1Pzl2AQd3)

Specify the HCP object URL to locate, and select the default annotation or a specific annotation name to read.

You can provide the object URL and annotation name in either of these ways:

* Use incoming fields in the transformation (recommended).
* Enter values manually.

You can create and populate incoming fields by using transformation variables or by using values from other steps (for example, [Query HCP](/pdia-data-integration/pdi-transformation-steps-reference-overview/query-hcp.md), Data Grid, or Get File Names).

| Option                                        | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
| --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **HCP VFS connection**                        | Select the VFS connection used to connect to your HCP repository. For background, see [Connecting to Virtual File Systems](/pdia-data-integration/extracting-data-into-pdi/virtual-file-system-browser.md). |
| **Select incoming field for your object URL** | Select the incoming text field that contains the target HCP object URL. You can also enter the object URL directly. Example: `https://your-hcp-namespace.example.com/path/object.bin`.                      |
| **Annotation to read from**                   | Select the annotation name to read:                                                                                                                                                                         |

* **Use default**: Reads the default annotation (`default`) associated with the object.
* **Incoming field**: Select an incoming field that contains the annotation name.
* **Manual**: Enter an annotation name (maximum 32 characters), for example `myannotation0515202`.

In all cases, the annotation must exist for the object URL you specified. | | **Outgoing field** | Name of the output field that contains the metadata read from the selected object URL and annotation name. |

### See also

* [Query HCP](/pdia-data-integration/pdi-transformation-steps-reference-overview/query-hcp.md)
* [Write metadata to HCP](/pdia-data-integration/pdi-transformation-steps-reference-overview/write-metadata-to-hcp.md)
* [Hitachi Content Platform documentation](https://knowledge.hitachivantara.com/Documents/Storage/Content_Platform)


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