---
name: "SoFaceSet"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "coin"
version: "1:4.0.10-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/SoFaceSet"
---

# SoFaceSet(3)

The SoFaceSet class is used to render and organize non-indexed polygonal face data.

## NAME

SoFaceSet - The **SoFaceSet** class is used to render and organize non-indexed polygonal face data.

## SYNOPSIS

\#include \<Inventor/nodes/SoFaceSet.h\>

Inherits **SoNonIndexedShape**.

### Public Member Functions

virtual **SoType** **getTypeId** (void) const\
 **SoFaceSet** (void)\
 virtual void **GLRender** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action)\
 virtual SbBool **generateDefaultNormals** (**SoState** \*state, **SoNormalBundle** \*nb)\
 virtual void **getPrimitiveCount** (**SoGetPrimitiveCountAction** \*action)\

Public Member Functions inherited from **SoVertexShape** virtual void **write** (**SoWriteAction** \*action)\

Public Member Functions inherited from **SoShape** virtual SbBool **affectsState** (void) const\
 virtual void **getBoundingBox** (**SoGetBoundingBoxAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **rayPick** (**SoRayPickAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **callback** (**SoCallbackAction** \*action)\
 const **SoBoundingBoxCache** \* **getBoundingBoxCache** (void) const\

Public Member Functions inherited from **SoNode** 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 void **doAction** (**SoAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **GLRenderBelowPath** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **GLRenderInPath** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **GLRenderOffPath** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **getMatrix** (**SoGetMatrixAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **handleEvent** (**SoHandleEventAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **pick** (**SoPickAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **search** (**SoSearchAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **audioRender** (**SoAudioRenderAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **grabEventsSetup** (void)\
 virtual void **grabEventsCleanup** (void)\
 virtual void **startNotify** (void)\
 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 of 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)\

Static Public Member Functions inherited from **SoNonIndexedShape** static **SoType** **getClassTypeId** (void)\
 static void **initClass** (void)\

Static Public Member Functions inherited from **SoVertexShape** static **SoType** **getClassTypeId** (void)\
 static void **initClass** (void)\

Static Public Member Functions inherited from **SoShape** static **SoType** **getClassTypeId** (void)\
 static void **initClass** (void)\
 Sets up initialization for data common to all instances of this class, like submitting necessary information to the Coin type system.     static void **getScreenSize** (**SoState** \*const state, const **SbBox3f** &boundingbox, **SbVec2s** &rectsize)\
 static float **getDecimatedComplexity** (**SoState** \*state, float complexity)\

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 initialization for data common to all instances of this class, like submitting necessary information 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 initialization for data common to all instances of this class, like submitting necessary information to the Coin type system.     static **SoType** **getClassTypeId** (void)\
 This static method returns the **SoType** object 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 initialization for data common to all instances of this class, like submitting necessary information to the Coin type system.  static **SoType** **getClassTypeId** (void)\
 This static method returns the **SoType** object 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

**SoMFInt32** **numVertices**\

Public Attributes inherited from **SoNonIndexedShape** **SoSFInt32** **startIndex**\

Public Attributes inherited from **SoVertexShape** **SoSFNode** **vertexProperty**\

### Protected Member Functions

virtual const **SoFieldData** \* **getFieldData** (void) const\
 virtual **~SoFaceSet** ()\
 virtual void **generatePrimitives** (**SoAction** \*action)\
 virtual void **computeBBox** (**SoAction** \*action, **SbBox3f** &box, **SbVec3f** &center)\
 virtual SbBool **generateDefaultNormals** (**SoState** \*, **SoNormalCache** \*)\

Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoNonIndexedShape** **SoNonIndexedShape** (void)\
 virtual **~SoNonIndexedShape** ()\
 void **computeCoordBBox** (**SoAction** \*action, int numVertices, **SbBox3f** &box, **SbVec3f** &center)\
 void **fixNumVerticesPointers** (**SoState** \*state, const int32\_t \*&start, const int32\_t \*&end, int32\_t \*dummyarray) const\

Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoVertexShape** **SoVertexShape** (void)\
 virtual **~SoVertexShape** ()\
 virtual SbBool **shouldGLRender** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action)\
 void **setNormalCache** (**SoState** \*const state, const int num, const **SbVec3f** \*normals)\
 **SoNormalCache** \* **getNormalCache** (void) const\
 **SoNormalCache** \* **generateAndReadLockNormalCache** (**SoState** \*const state)\
 void **getVertexData** (**SoState** \*state, const **SoCoordinateElement** \*&coords, const **SbVec3f** \*&normals, const SbBool neednormals)\
 void **readLockNormalCache** (void)\
 void **readUnlockNormalCache** (void)\

Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoShape** **SoShape** (void)\
 virtual **~SoShape** ()\
 float **getComplexityValue** (**SoAction** \*action)\
 void **beginSolidShape** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action)\
 void **endSolidShape** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action)\
 void **GLRenderBoundingBox** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action)\
 SbBool **shouldPrimitiveCount** (**SoGetPrimitiveCountAction** \*action)\
 SbBool **shouldRayPick** (**SoRayPickAction** \*const action)\
 void **computeObjectSpaceRay** (**SoRayPickAction** \*const action)\
 void **computeObjectSpaceRay** (**SoRayPickAction** \*const action, const **SbMatrix** &matrix)\
 virtual **SoDetail** \* **createTriangleDetail** (**SoRayPickAction** \*action, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*v1, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*v2, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*v3, **SoPickedPoint** \*pp)\
 virtual **SoDetail** \* **createLineSegmentDetail** (**SoRayPickAction** \*action, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*v1, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*v2, **SoPickedPoint** \*pp)\
 virtual **SoDetail** \* **createPointDetail** (**SoRayPickAction** \*action, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*v, **SoPickedPoint** \*pp)\
 void **invokeTriangleCallbacks** (**SoAction** \*const action, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*const v1, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*const v2, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*const v3)\
 void **invokeLineSegmentCallbacks** (**SoAction** \*const action, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*const v1, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*const v2)\
 void **invokePointCallbacks** (**SoAction** \*const action, const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*const v)\
 void **beginShape** (**SoAction** \*const action, const **TriangleShape** shapetype, **SoDetail** \*const detail=NULL)\
 void **shapeVertex** (const **SoPrimitiveVertex** \*const v)\
 void **endShape** (void)\
 void **generateVertex** (**SoPrimitiveVertex** \*const pv, const **SbVec3f** &point, const SbBool useTexFunc, const **SoMultiTextureCoordinateElement** \*const tce, const float s, const float t, const **SbVec3f** &normal)\
 void **generateVertex** (**SoPrimitiveVertex** \*const pv, const **SbVec3f** &point, const SbBool useTexFunc, const **SoMultiTextureCoordinateElement** \*const tce, const float s, const float t, const float r, const **SbVec3f** &normal)\
 SbBool **startVertexArray** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action, const **SoCoordinateElement** \*coords, const **SbVec3f** \*pervertexnormals, const SbBool texpervertex, const SbBool colorpervertex)\
 void **finishVertexArray** (**SoGLRenderAction** \*action, const SbBool vbo, const SbBool normpervertex, const SbBool texpervertex, const SbBool colorpervertex)\

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 **SoNonIndexedShape** static const **SoFieldData** \*\* **getFieldDataPtr** (void)\

Static Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoVertexShape** static const **SoFieldData** \*\* **getFieldDataPtr** (void)\

Static Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoShape** 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 **SoShape** enum **TriangleShape** { **TRIANGLE\_STRIP**, **TRIANGLE\_FAN**, **TRIANGLES**, **POLYGON**, **QUADS**, **QUAD\_STRIP**, **POINTS**, **LINES**, **LINE\_STRIP** }\

Public Types inherited from **SoNode** 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\

## Detailed Description

The **SoFaceSet** class is used to render and organize non-indexed polygonal face data.

Facesets are specified using the numVertices field. Coordinates, normals, materials and texture coordinates are fetched in order from the current state or from the vertexProperty node if set. For example, if numVertices is set to \[3, 4, 5, 3\], this node would specify a triangle from coordinates 0, 1 and 2, a quad from coordinates 3, 4, 5 and 6, a polygon from coordinates 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 and finally a triangle from coordinates 12, 13, 14.

Binding PER\_VERTEX, PER\_FACE or OVERALL can be set for material, and normals. The default material binding is OVERALL. The default normal binding is PER\_VERTEX.

For more elaborate documentation about face sets, see the class documentation of the **SoIndexedFaceSet** node, which contains examples and more detailed information about various issues also relevant for this node.

**FILE FORMAT/DEFAULTS:**

```
FaceSet {
    vertexProperty NULL
    startIndex 0
    numVertices -1
}
```

**See also**

**SoIndexedFaceSet**, **SoIndexedTriangleStripSet**

## Constructor & Destructor Documentation

### SoFaceSet::SoFaceSet (void )

Constructor.

### SoFaceSet::~SoFaceSet () \[protected\], \[virtual\]

Destructor.

## Member Function Documentation

### SoType SoFaceSet::getClassTypeId (void ) \[static\]

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

### SoType SoFaceSet::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.

Reimplemented from **SoNonIndexedShape**.

### const SoFieldData \*\* SoFaceSet::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 \* SoFaceSet::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 **SoNonIndexedShape**.

### void SoFaceSet::initClass (void ) \[static\]

### void SoFaceSet::GLRender (SoGLRenderAction \* action) \[virtual\]

Action method for the **SoGLRenderAction**.

This is called during rendering traversals. Nodes influencing the rendering state in any way or want to throw geometry primitives at OpenGL override this method.

Reimplemented from **SoShape**.

### SbBool SoFaceSet::generateDefaultNormals (SoState \* state, SoNormalBundle \* bundle) \[virtual\]

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

 Subclasses should override this method to generate default normals using the **SoNormalBundle** class. TRUE should be returned if normals were generated, FALSE otherwise.

Default method returns FALSE.

This function is an extension for Coin, and it is not available in the original SGI Open Inventor v2.1 API.\

Reimplemented from **SoVertexShape**.

### void SoFaceSet::getPrimitiveCount (SoGetPrimitiveCountAction \* action) \[virtual\]

Action method for the **SoGetPrimitiveCountAction**.

Calculates the number of triangle, line segment and point primitives for the node and adds these to the counters of the *action*.

Nodes influencing how geometry nodes calculate their primitive count also override this method to change the relevant state variables.

Reimplemented from **SoShape**.

### void SoFaceSet::generatePrimitives (SoAction \* action) \[protected\], \[virtual\]

The method implements action behavior for shape nodes for **SoCallbackAction**. It is invoked from **SoShape::callback()**. (Subclasses should *not* override **SoNode::callback()**.)

The subclass implementations uses the convenience methods **SoShape::beginShape()**, **SoShape::shapeVertex()**, and **SoShape::endShape()**, with **SoDetail** instances, to pass the primitives making up the shape back to the caller.

Implements **SoShape**.

### void SoFaceSet::computeBBox (SoAction \* action, SbBox3f & box, SbVec3f & center) \[protected\], \[virtual\]

Implemented by **SoShape** subclasses to let the **SoShape** superclass know the exact size and weighted center point of the shape's bounding box.

The bounding box and center point should be calculated and returned in the local coordinate system.

The method implements action behavior for shape nodes for **SoGetBoundingBoxAction**. It is invoked from **SoShape::getBoundingBox()**. (Subclasses should *not* override **SoNode::getBoundingBox()**.)

The *box* parameter sent in is guaranteed to be an empty box, while *center* is undefined upon function entry.

Implements **SoShape**.

### SbBool SoFaceSet::generateDefaultNormals (SoState \* state, SoNormalCache \* cache) \[protected\], \[virtual\]

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

 Subclasses should override this method to generate default normals using the **SoNormalCache** class. This is more effective than using **SoNormalGenerator**. Return TRUE if normals were generated, FALSE otherwise.

Default method just returns FALSE.

This function is an extension for Coin, and it is not available in the original SGI Open Inventor v2.1 API.\

Reimplemented from **SoVertexShape**.

## Member Data Documentation

### SoMFInt32 SoFaceSet::numVertices

Used to specify faces. Each entry specifies the number of coordinates in a face. The coordinates are taken in order from the state or from the vertexProperty node.

## Author

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