diff --git a/src/pvxs/data.h b/src/pvxs/data.h
index ff07920..b2c33c8 100644
--- a/src/pvxs/data.h
+++ b/src/pvxs/data.h
@@ -121,6 +121,8 @@ enum struct Kind : uint8_t {
     Null     = 0xe0,
 };
 
+enum class ArrayType : uint8_t;
+
 /** Possible Field types.
  *
  * eg. String is scalar string, StringA is array of strings.
@@ -183,6 +185,7 @@ struct TypeCode {
     constexpr TypeCode(code_t c) :code(c) {}
 
     PVXS_API StoreType storedAs() const;
+    PVXS_API ArrayType arrayType() const;
 
     //! associated array of type
     constexpr TypeCode arrayOf() const {return TypeCode{uint8_t(code|0x08)};}
diff --git a/src/type.cpp b/src/type.cpp
index 540c542..7022ee2 100644
--- a/src/type.cpp
+++ b/src/type.cpp
@@ -80,6 +80,31 @@ StoreType TypeCode::storedAs() const
     }
 }
 
+ArrayType TypeCode::arrayType() const
+{
+    switch(code) {
+#define CASE(ATYPE, TYPE) case TypeCode::TYPE: return ArrayType::ATYPE
+    CASE(Bool, BoolA);
+    CASE(Int8, Int8A);
+    CASE(Int16, Int16A);
+    CASE(Int32, Int32A);
+    CASE(Int64, Int64A);
+    CASE(UInt8, UInt8A);
+    CASE(UInt16, UInt16A);
+    CASE(UInt32, UInt32A);
+    CASE(UInt64, UInt64A);
+    CASE(Float32, Float32A);
+    CASE(Float64, Float64A);
+    CASE(String, StringA);
+    CASE(Value, StructA);
+    CASE(Value, UnionA);
+    CASE(Value, AnyA);
+#undef CASE
+    default:
+        throw std::logic_error("TypeCode can not be mapped to ArrayType");
+    }
+}
+
 const char* TypeCode::name() const
 {
     switch(code) {