---
name: "SbName"
section: "3iv"
platform: "linux"
package: "inventor-doc"
version: "2.1.6+ds-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/SbName/3iv"
---

# SbName(3iv)

character string stored in a hash table

## NAME

SbName — character string stored in a hash table

## INHERITS FROM

SbName

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<Inventor/SbString.h\>**

Methods from class SbName:

	**SbName()**\
 	**SbName(const char \*s)**\
 	**SbName(const SbString &s)**\
 	**SbName(const SbName &n)**\
 	**~SbName()**\
 **const char \***	**getString() const**\
 **int**	**getLength() const**\
 **static SbBool**	**isIdentStartChar(char c)**\
 **static SbBool**	**isIdentChar(char c)**\
 **int**	**operator !() const**\
 **int**	**operator ==(const char \*s, const SbName &n)**\
 **int**	**operator ==(const SbName &n1, const SbName &n2)**\
 **int**	**operator ==(const SbName &n, const char \*s)**\
 **int**	**operator !=(const char \*s, const SbName &n)**\
 **int**	**operator !=(const SbName &n1, const SbName &n2)**\
 **int**	**operator !=(const SbName &n, const char \*s)**

## DESCRIPTION

**This class of strings stores the string in a hash table. It is used by the Inventor toolkit for keywords and other unique names. It is not recommended for general use (only in the context of Inventor objects).** **When a string is stored in this table, a pointer to the storage is returned. Two identical strings will return the same pointer. This means that comparison of two SbName**s for equality can be accomplished by comparing their identifiers. **SbName**s are used for strings which are expected to show up frequently, such as node names.

## METHODS

	**SbName()**\
 	**SbName(const char \*s)**\
 	**SbName(const SbString &s)**\
 	**SbName(const SbName &n)**\
 	**~SbName()**\
 Constructors and destructor.

**const char \***	**getString() const**\
 Returns pointer to the character string.

**int**	**getLength() const**\
 Returns length of string.

**static SbBool**	**isIdentStartChar(char c)**\
 Returns TRUE if given character is a legal starting character for an identifier.

**static SbBool**	**isIdentChar(char c)**\
 Returns TRUE if given character is a legal nonstarting character for an identifier.

**int**	**operator !() const**\
 Unary "not" operator; returns TRUE if string is empty ("").

**int**	**operator ==(const char \*s, const SbName &n)**\
 **int**	**operator ==(const SbName &n1, const SbName &n2)**\
 **int**	**operator ==(const SbName &n, const char \*s)**\
 Equality operator for SbName/char\* and SbName/SbName comparison.

**int**	**operator !=(const char \*s, const SbName &n)**\
 **int**	**operator !=(const SbName &n1, const SbName &n2)**\
 **int**	**operator !=(const SbName &n, const char \*s)**\
 Inequality operator for SbName/char\* and SbName/SbName comparison.

## SEE ALSO

**SbString**