SoLight(3)

📦
version 4.0.10 · 4 versions
, in fedora 43, fedora 44

🎀 SoLight 🎀

okay so bestie, welcome to the SoLight(3) page from the Coin manual 💖 this is part 1 of 2, so don't go anywhere, we are literally just getting started 🫶

SoLight is the base class for all the light emitting nodes — she's the momager 💅 every actual light in the scene graph inherits from her, and she keeps the shared glow-up properties that all of them need. no cap.

✨ NAME ✨

SoLight — The SoLight class is the base class for light emitting nodes.

(yes that's the whole name section, she's an icon, she doesn't need more 👑)

🌈 SYNOPSIS 🌈

#include <Inventor/nodes/SoLight.h>

Inherits SoNode.

Inherited by SoDirectionalLight, SoPointLight, and SoSpotLight.

💅 Public Member Functions 💅

  • virtual SoType getTypeId (void) const
  • virtual void callback (SoCallbackAction *action)

👑 Public Member Functions inherited from SoNode 👑

she got ALL of these from her parent, and she's not gatekeeping any of them:

  • void setOverride (const SbBool state)
  • SbBool isOverride (void) const
  • void setNodeType (const NodeType type)
  • NodeType getNodeType (void) const
  • virtual SoNode * copy (SbBool copyconnections=FALSE) const
  • virtual SbBool affectsState (void) const
  • virtual void doAction (SoAction *action)
  • virtual void GLRender (SoGLRenderAction *action)
  • virtual void GLRenderBelowPath (SoGLRenderAction *action)
  • virtual void GLRenderInPath (SoGLRenderAction *action)
  • virtual void GLRenderOffPath (SoGLRenderAction *action)
  • virtual void getBoundingBox (SoGetBoundingBoxAction *action)
  • virtual void getMatrix (SoGetMatrixAction *action)
  • virtual void handleEvent (SoHandleEventAction *action)
  • virtual void pick (SoPickAction *action)
  • virtual void rayPick (SoRayPickAction *action)
  • virtual void search (SoSearchAction *action)
  • virtual void write (SoWriteAction *action)
  • virtual void audioRender (SoAudioRenderAction *action)
  • virtual void getPrimitiveCount (SoGetPrimitiveCountAction *action)
  • virtual void grabEventsSetup (void)
  • virtual void grabEventsCleanup (void)
  • virtual void startNotify (void)
  • virtual void notify (SoNotList *l)
  • SbUniqueId getNodeId (void) const
  • virtual SoChildList * getChildren (void) const
  • virtual void writeInstance (SoOutput *out)
  • virtual SoNode * addToCopyDict (void) const
  • virtual void copyContents (const SoFieldContainer *from, SbBool copyconnections)
  • virtual SoFieldContainer * copyThroughConnection (void) const

🦋 Public Member Functions inherited from SoFieldContainer 🦋

  • void setToDefaults (void)
  • SbBool hasDefaultValues (void) const
  • SbBool fieldsAreEqual (const SoFieldContainer *container) const
  • void copyFieldValues (const SoFieldContainer *container, SbBool copyconnections=FALSE)
  • SbBool set (const char *const fielddata)
  • void get (SbString &fielddata)
  • virtual int getFields (SoFieldList &l) const
  • virtual int getAllFields (SoFieldList &l) const
  • virtual SoField * getField (const SbName &name) const
  • virtual SoField * getEventIn (const SbName &name) const
  • virtual SoField * getEventOut (const SbName &name) const
  • SbBool getFieldName (const SoField *const field, SbName &name) const
  • SbBool enableNotify (const SbBool flag)
  • SbBool isNotifyEnabled (void) const
  • SbBool set (const char *fielddata, SoInput *input)
  • void get (SbString &fielddata, SoOutput *out)
  • virtual SbBool validateNewFieldValue (SoField *field, void *newval)
  • virtual void addWriteReference (SoOutput *out, SbBool isfromfield=FALSE)
  • SbBool getIsBuiltIn (void) const
  • virtual void getFieldsMemorySize (size_t &managed, size_t &unmanaged) const
  • void setUserData (void *userdata) const
  • void * getUserData (void) const

🌸 Public Member Functions inherited from SoBase 🌸

  • void ref (void) const
  • void unref (void) const
  • void unrefNoDelete (void) const
  • int32_t getRefCount (void) const
  • void touch (void)
  • SbBool isOfType (SoType type) const — returns TRUE if the type of this object is either the same type, or inherited from type 💅
  • virtual SbName getName (void) const
  • virtual void setName (const SbName &newname)
  • void addAuditor (void *const auditor, const SoNotRec::Type type)
  • void removeAuditor (void *const auditor, const SoNotRec::Type type)
  • const SoAuditorList & getAuditors (void) const
  • SbBool shouldWrite (void)
  • void assertAlive (void) const

⭐ Static Public Member Functions ⭐

  • static SoType getClassTypeId (void)
  • static void initClass (void) — sets up the initialization for the data that's common to all instances of this class, like submitting the necessary info to the Coin type system ✨

💜 Static Public Member Functions inherited from SoNode 💜

  • static uint32_t getCompatibilityTypes (const SoType &nodetype)
  • static SoType getClassTypeId (void)
  • static SoNode * getByName (const SbName &name)
  • static int getByName (const SbName &name, SoNodeList &l)
  • static void initClass (void) — sets up the initialization for the data that's common to all instances of this class, like submitting the necessary info to the Coin type system ✨
  • static void initClasses (void)
  • static SbUniqueId getNextNodeId (void)
  • static int getActionMethodIndex (const SoType type)
  • static void getBoundingBoxS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void GLRenderS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void callbackS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void getMatrixS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void handleEventS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void pickS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void rayPickS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void searchS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void writeS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void audioRenderS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)
  • static void getPrimitiveCountS (SoAction *action, SoNode *node)

🍓 Static Public Member Functions inherited from SoFieldContainer 🍓

  • static void initClass (void) — sets up the initialization for the data that's common to all instances of this class, like submitting the necessary info to the Coin type system ✨
  • static SoType getClassTypeId (void) — this static method hands you the SoType object that's associated with objects of this class 💅
  • static void cleanupClass (void)
  • static void initCopyDict (void)
  • static void addCopy (const SoFieldContainer *orig, const SoFieldContainer *copy)
  • static SoFieldContainer * checkCopy (const SoFieldContainer *orig)
  • static SoFieldContainer * findCopy (const SoFieldContainer *orig, const SbBool copyconnections)
  • static void copyDone (void)

🧚 Static Public Member Functions inherited from SoBase 🧚

  • static void initClass (void) — sets up the initialization for the data that's common to all instances of this class, like submitting the necessary info to the Coin type system ✨
  • static SoType getClassTypeId (void) — this static method hands you the SoType object that's associated with objects of this class 💅
  • static void addName (SoBase *const base, const char *const name)
  • static void removeName (SoBase *const base, const char *const name)
  • static void incrementCurrentWriteCounter (void)
  • static void decrementCurrentWriteCounter (void)
  • static SoBase * getNamedBase (const SbName &name, SoType type)
  • static int getNamedBases (const SbName &name, SoBaseList &baselist, SoType type)
  • static SbBool read (SoInput *input, SoBase *&base, SoType expectedtype)
  • static void setInstancePrefix (const SbString &c)
  • static void setTraceRefs (SbBool trace)
  • static SbBool getTraceRefs (void)
  • static SbBool connectRoute (SoInput *input, const SbName &fromnodename, const SbName &fromfieldname, const SbName &tonodename, const SbName &tofieldname)
  • static SbBool readRoute (SoInput *input)

🔥 Public Attributes 🔥

these are HER fields, the ones she actually owns and passes down to the light children, obsessed:

  • SoSFBool on
  • SoSFFloat intensity
  • SoSFColor color

🎀 Protected Member Functions 🎀

  • virtual const SoFieldData * getFieldData (void) const
  • SoLight (void)
  • virtual ~SoLight ()

🌈 Protected Member Functions inherited from SoNode 🌈

  • SoNode (void)
  • virtual ~SoNode ()
  • virtual SbBool readInstance (SoInput *in, unsigned short flags)

🦋 Protected Member Functions inherited from SoFieldContainer 🦋

  • SoFieldContainer (void)
  • virtual ~SoFieldContainer ()

💅 Protected Member Functions inherited from SoBase 💅

  • SoBase (void)
  • virtual ~SoBase ()
  • virtual void destroy (void)
  • SbBool hasMultipleWriteRefs (void) const
  • SbBool writeHeader (SoOutput *out, SbBool isgroup, SbBool isengine) const
  • void writeFooter (SoOutput *out) const
  • virtual const char * getFileFormatName (void) const
  • virtual SoNotRec createNotRec (void)

✨ Static Protected Member Functions ✨

  • static const SoFieldData ** getFieldDataPtr (void)

🌸 Static Protected Member Functions inherited from SoNode 🌸

  • static const SoFieldData ** getFieldDataPtr (void)
  • static void setNextActionMethodIndex (int index)
  • static int getNextActionMethodIndex (void)
  • static void incNextActionMethodIndex (void)
  • static void setCompatibilityTypes (const SoType &nodetype, const uint32_t bitmask)

💜 Static Protected Member Functions inherited from SoBase 💜

  • static uint32_t getCurrentWriteCounter (void)
  • static void staticDataLock (void)
  • static void staticDataUnlock (void)

👑 Additional Inherited Members 👑

🌟 Public Types inherited from SoNode 🌟

the whole enum, exactly as written, do not touch her:

enum NodeType { INVENTOR = 0x0000, VRML1 = 0x0001, VRML2 = 0x0002,
    INVENTOR_1 = 0x0004, INVENTOR_2_0 = 0x0008, INVENTOR_2_1 = 0x0010,
    INVENTOR_2_5 = 0x0020, INVENTOR_2_6 = 0x0040, COIN_1_0 = 0x0080,
    COIN_2_0 = 0x0100, EXTENSION = 0x0200, COIN_2_2 = 0x0400, COIN_2_3 =
    0x0800, COIN_2_4 = 0x1000, INVENTOR_5_0 = 0x2000, COIN_2_5 = 0x4000,
    COIN_3_0 = 0x8000, INVENTOR_6_0 = 0x10000, COIN_4_0 = 0x20000 }

🎀 Protected Types inherited from SoBase 🎀

enum BaseFlags { IS_ENGINE = 0x01, IS_GROUP = 0x02 }

🫶 Protected Attributes inherited from SoNode 🫶

  • SbUniqueId uniqueId

🫶 Protected Attributes inherited from SoFieldContainer 🫶

  • SbBool isBuiltIn

🫶 Static Protected Attributes inherited from SoNode 🫶

  • static SbUniqueId nextUniqueId = 1
  • static int nextActionMethodIndex = 0

okay bestie that's all of part 1 💖 you are SO not done though — there's more coming, so keep scrolling, this icon has more lore to unpack 🫶✨

✨ Detailed Description ✨

okay bestie, listen up — the SoLight class is the base class for light emitting nodes. 💡

This node type is abstract, and it does not in itself provide any light sources to the scene. So you literally have to use one of its subclasses. No subclass, no vibes, no light. Periodt.

There are a few important things to know about light sources in Coin. 🫶

First of all, the more light sources you have in your scene, the slower the rendering will be. The impact on rendering speed is highly dependent on the graphics hardware and/or rendering subsystem software implementation (i.e. how optimized an OpenGL you or your users are running), but it could be severe. 💀 Like, don't just go feral with the lights.

Another issue which is important to know is that OpenGL rendering engines usually have a fixed maximum number of available light sources which can be present in the state at the same time. If you reach the maximum number, further light sources will simply be ignored. 🙈 The maximum number of light sources for OpenGL rendering can be found by using:

#include <Inventor/elements/SoGLLightIdElement.h>
#include <Inventor/nodes/SoSubNodeP.h>
// ...[snip]...
int nrlights = SoGLLightIdElement::getMaxGLSources();

If you are clever with how you use light sources, you can get away with using a lot more lights in a scene graph than the max available from the rendering system. This is because light sources are stacked on the traversal state, just like other appearance data. So if you put light sources under SoSeparator nodes, they will be popped off and "forgotten" for the remaining geometry of the scene graph after the subgraph below an SoSeparator has been traversed. ✨ Iconic behavior, honestly.

🎀 Constructor & Destructor Documentation 🎀

💅 SoLight::SoLight (void ) [protected]

Constructor.

💅 SoLight::~SoLight () [protected], [virtual]

Destructor.

🔥 Member Function Documentation 🔥

⭐ SoType SoLight::getClassTypeId (void ) [static]

This static method returns the SoType object associated with objects of this class.

⭐ SoType SoLight::getTypeId (void ) const [virtual]

Returns the type identification of an object derived from a class inheriting SoBase. This is used for runtime type checking and "downward" casting.

Implements SoBase.

Reimplemented in SoDirectionalLight, SoDirectionalLightManip, SoPointLight, SoPointLightManip, SoShadowDirectionalLight, SoShadowSpotLight, SoSpotLight, and SoSpotLightManip.

⭐ const SoFieldData ** SoLight::getFieldDataPtr (void ) [static], [protected]

This API member is considered internal to the library, as it is not likely to be of interest to the application programmer.

Returns the SoFieldData class which holds information about fields in this node.

⭐ const SoFieldData * SoLight::getFieldData (void ) const [protected], [virtual]

Returns a pointer to the class-wide field data storage object for this instance. If no fields are present, returns NULL.

Reimplemented from SoFieldContainer.

Reimplemented in SoDirectionalLight, SoDirectionalLightManip, SoPointLight, SoPointLightManip, SoShadowDirectionalLight, SoShadowSpotLight, SoSpotLight, and SoSpotLightManip.

⭐ void SoLight::callback (SoCallbackAction * action) [virtual]

Action method for SoCallbackAction.

Simply updates the state according to how the node behaves for the render action, so the application programmer can use the SoCallbackAction for extracting information about the scene graph.

Reimplemented from SoNode.

Reimplemented in SoDirectionalLightManip, SoPointLightManip, and SoSpotLightManip.

💖 Member Data Documentation 💖

🌸 SoSFBool SoLight::on

Whether light source should be on or off. The on-flag defaults to TRUE.

🌸 SoSFFloat SoLight::intensity

Intensity of light source. This decides how much the light source should affect the colors etc of the scene geometry. Valid range is 0.0 (none) to 1.0 (maximum). Default value is 1.0.

🌸 SoSFColor SoLight::color

Color of light source. Default is an all-white light source.

👑 Author 👑

Generated automatically by Doxygen for Coin from the source code.

and that's the whole page bestie, you ate that 🫶 this was Version 4.0.10, dated Thu Jun 25 2026 00:00:00 — go forth and light up your scene graph responsibly, mwah 💅✨

📦 where this page comes from