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

# SoDirectionalLight(3iv)

node representing a directional light source

## NAME

SoDirectionalLight — node representing a directional light source

## INHERITS FROM

SoBase \> SoFieldContainer \> SoNode \> SoLight \> SoDirectionalLight

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<Inventor/nodes/SoDirectionalLight.h\>**

Fields from class SoDirectionalLight:

**SoSFVec3f**	**direction**

Fields from class SoLight:

**SoSFBool**	**on**\
 **SoSFFloat**	**intensity**\
 **SoSFColor**	**color**

Methods from class SoDirectionalLight:

	**SoDirectionalLight()**\
 **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**

## DESCRIPTION

**This node defines a directional light source that illuminates along rays parallel to a given 3-dimensional vector.**

## FIELDS

**SoSFVec3f**	**direction**\
 Illumination direction vector.

## METHODS

	**SoDirectionalLight()**\
 Creates a directional light source node with default settings.

**static SoType**	**getClassTypeId()**\
 Returns type identifier for this class.

## ACTION BEHAVIOR

**SoGLRenderAction**\
 Activates this light (if so specified) during traversal. All shape nodes that come after this light in the scene graph are illuminated by this light. The light's direction is affected by the current transformation.

## FILE FORMAT/DEFAULTS

```
DirectionalLight {
on	TRUE
intensity	1
color	1 1 1
direction	0 0 -1
}
```

## SEE ALSO

**SoPointLight, SoSpotLight**