SOFACESET(3iv)

💅 SoFaceSet — polygonal face shape node ✨

okay bestie, welcome to SoFaceSet(3IV) — the manual page for the node that builds 3D shapes out of flat polygonal faces. it's giving geometry, it's giving polygons, it's giving main character energy 🦋

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🎀 INHERITS FROM

lowkey a whole bloodline, and we respect every ancestor:

SoBase > SoFieldContainer > SoNode > SoShape > SoVertexShape > SoNonIndexedShape > SoFaceSet

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <Inventor/nodes/SoFaceSet.h>

Fields from class SoFaceSet:

SoMFInt32           numVertices

Fields from class SoNonIndexedShape:

SoSFInt32           startIndex

Fields from class SoVertexShape:

SoSFNode            vertexProperty

Methods from class SoFaceSet:

                     SoFaceSet()
static SoType       getClassTypeId()

Methods from class SoNode:

void                setOverride(SbBool state)
SbBool              isOverride() const
SoNode *            copy(SbBool copyConnections = FALSE) const
virtual SbBool      affectsState() const
static SoNode *     getByName(const SbName &name)
static int          getByName(const SbName &name, SoNodeList &list)

Methods from class SoFieldContainer:

void                setToDefaults()
SbBool              hasDefaultValues() const
SbBool              fieldsAreEqual(const SoFieldContainer *fc) const
void                copyFieldValues(const SoFieldContainer *fc, SbBool
                         copyConnections = FALSE)
SbBool              set(const char *fieldDataString)
void                get(SbString &fieldDataString)
virtual int         getFields(SoFieldList &resultList) const
virtual SoField *   getField(const SbName &fieldName) const
SbBool              getFieldName(const SoField *field, SbName &fieldName)
                         const
SbBool              isNotifyEnabled() const
SbBool              enableNotify(SbBool flag)

Methods from class SoBase:

void                ref()
void                unref() const
void                unrefNoDelete() const
void                touch()
virtual SoType      getTypeId() const
SbBool              isOfType(SoType type) const
virtual void        setName(const SbName &name)
virtual SbName      getName() const

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

so this node? it's the one that makes a 3D shape by constructing faces (aka polygons) out of vertices. where do the vertices live? either in the vertexProperty field (that's inherited from SoVertexShape), or in the current inherited state. and ngl, if you want optimal performance, the vertexProperty field is the recommended move. periodt. 💖

SoFaceSet uses the coordinates in order, starting with the very first one. each face gets a number of vertices, and that number is specified by a value in the numVertices field. example time, because this is the part everyone gets confused about:

an SoFaceSet with numVertices of [3,4,4] would use coordinates 1, 2, and 3 for the first face, coordinates 4, 5, 6, and 7 for the second face, and coordinates 8, 9, 10, and 11 for the third. see how it just keeps walking down the list? iconic behavior honestly. 🔥

for improved performance: arrange all the faces with only 3 vertices at the beginning of the list, then all faces with 4 vertices, and finally all other faces. it's like organizing your closet by vibe — future you will thank present you.

the number of values in the numVertices field indicates the number of faces in the set. so like, if you list 5 numbers, you get 5 faces. math is math. 💀

the coordinates of the face set are transformed by the current cumulative transformation. the faces are drawn with the current light model and drawing style.

treatment of the current material and normal binding is as follows, and yes you need to know this:

• the PER_PART and PER_FACE bindings specify a material or normal for each face.
• the _INDEXED bindings are equivalent to their non-indexed counterparts.
• the default material binding is OVERALL.
• the default normal binding is PER_VERTEX.

⚠️ okay important, no cap: if any normals (or materials) are specified, Inventor assumes you provide the correct number of them, as indicated by the binding. you will see unexpected results if you specify fewer normals (or materials) than the shape requires. so like... don't do that. 🙈

and if no normals are specified at all? don't worry bestie, they will be generated automatically. 🫶

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🧚 FIELDS 🧚

• SoMFInt32 numVertices — number of vertices per face. that's it, that's the field. ✨

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💅 METHODS 💅

• SoFaceSet() — creates a face set node with default settings. a fresh baby face set, squeaky clean. 🎀
• static SoType getClassTypeId() — returns type identifier for this class. iykyk. ⭐

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🌈 ACTION BEHAVIOR 🌈

• SoGLRenderAction — draws faces based on the current coordinates, normals, materials, drawing style, and so on. the "and so on" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there but we move. 💜
• SoRayPickAction — picks faces based on the current coordinates and transformation. details about the intersection are returned in an SoFaceDetail.
• SoGetBoundingBoxAction — computes the bounding box that encloses all vertices of the face set with the current transformation applied to them. sets the center to the average of the coordinates of all vertices. averaging, slay. 🔥
• SoCallbackAction — if any triangle callbacks are registered with the action, they will be invoked for each successive triangle generated from each face in the set. every single one. no skipping. 👑

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🍓 FILE FORMAT/DEFAULTS 🍓

FaceSet {
    vertexProperty  NULL
    startIndex      0
    numVertices     -1
}

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

SoCoordinate3, SoDrawStyle, SoIndexedFaceSet, SoFaceDetail, SoVertexProperty

go read those too bestie, they're all in the same friend group. 🦋

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mwah 💖 that's the whole page, from the SoFaceSet(3IV) header at the top all the way down to the SoFaceSet(3IV) footer — this one's from the 3IV manual, so go forth and build some polygons, you absolute icon. 🌸✨