---
name: "SoFieldConverter"
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/SoFieldConverter"
---

# SoFieldConverter(3)

The SoFieldConverter class is the abstract base class for field converters.

## NAME

SoFieldConverter - The **SoFieldConverter** class is the abstract base class for field converters.

## SYNOPSIS

\#include \<Inventor/engines/SoFieldConverter.h\>

Inherits **SoEngine**.

### Public Member Functions

virtual **SoType** **getTypeId** (void) const\
 virtual const **SoFieldData** \* **getFieldData** (void) const\
 virtual const **SoEngineOutputData** \* **getOutputData** (void) const\
 virtual **SoField** \* **getInput** (**SoType** type)=0\
 virtual **SoEngineOutput** \* **getOutput** (**SoType** type)=0\
 virtual **SoField** \* **getConnectedInput** (void)\
 int **getForwardConnections** (**SoFieldList** &l) const\

Public Member Functions inherited from **SoEngine** void **evaluateWrapper** (void)\
 virtual int **getOutputs** (**SoEngineOutputList** &l) const\
 **SoEngineOutput** \* **getOutput** (const **SbName** &outputname) const\
 SbBool **getOutputName** (const **SoEngineOutput** \*output, **SbName** &outputname) const\
 SbBool **isNotifying** (void) const\
 virtual void **notify** (**SoNotList** \*nl)\
 **SoEngine** \* **copy** (void) const\
 virtual **SoFieldContainer** \* **copyThroughConnection** (void) const\
 SbBool **shouldCopy** (void) const\
 virtual void **writeInstance** (**SoOutput** \*out)\

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 **copyContents** (const **SoFieldContainer** \*from, SbBool copyconnections)\
 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)\
 virtual void **startNotify** (void)\
 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 initialization for data common to all instances of this class, like submitting necessary information to the Coin type system.     static void **initClasses** (void)\

Static Public Member Functions inherited from **SoEngine** 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 **SoType** **getClassTypeId** (void)\
 This static method returns the **SoType** object associated with objects of this class.     static **SoEngine** \* **getByName** (const **SbName** &name)\
 static int **getByName** (const **SbName** &name, **SoEngineList** &el)\

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)\

### Protected Member Functions

**SoFieldConverter** (void)\
 virtual **~SoFieldConverter** (void)\

Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoEngine** **SoEngine** (void)\
 virtual **~SoEngine** (void)\
 virtual void **evaluate** (void)=0\
 virtual SbBool **readInstance** (**SoInput** \*in, unsigned short flags)\
 virtual void **inputChanged** (**SoField** \*which)\
 void **writeOutputTypes** (**SoOutput** \*out)\

Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoFieldContainer** **SoFieldContainer** (void)\
 virtual **~SoFieldContainer** ()\

Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoBase** **SoBase** (void)\
 virtual **~SoBase** ()\
 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** \*\* **getInputDataPtr** (void)\
 static const **SoEngineOutputData** \*\* **getOutputDataPtr** (void)\

Static Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoEngine** static const **SoFieldData** \*\* **getInputDataPtr** (void)\
 static const **SoEngineOutputData** \*\* **getOutputDataPtr** (void)\

Static Protected Member Functions inherited from **SoBase** static uint32\_t **getCurrentWriteCounter** (void)\
 static void **staticDataLock** (void)\
 static void **staticDataUnlock** (void)\

### Additional Inherited Members

Protected Types inherited from **SoBase** enum **BaseFlags** { **IS\_ENGINE** = 0x01, **IS\_GROUP** = 0x02 }\

Protected Attributes inherited from **SoFieldContainer** SbBool **isBuiltIn**\

## Detailed Description

The **SoFieldConverter** class is the abstract base class for field converters.

When fields of different types are attempted connected, the Coin library tries to find a field converter class which can be inserted between them, acting as a filter converting values from the master field to values matching the type of the slave field.

If a value type conversion is possible (like between an **SoSFFloat** field and an **SoSFInt32** field, for instance, where we could do a simple typecast for converting the value of one to the other), an **SoFieldConverter** derived object is inserted.

This class is the abstract base superclass which all such field converters needs to inherit.

Coin comes with one built-in field converter class which takes care of all possible field-to-field conversions we know about. This means applications programmers should seldom need to care about this class, it will probably only be useful if you expand the Coin library with your own field type classes. (Doing so is considered advanced use of the library.)

**See also**

**SoDB::addConverter()**

## Constructor & Destructor Documentation

### SoFieldConverter::SoFieldConverter (void ) \[protected\]

Default constructor.

### SoFieldConverter::~SoFieldConverter (void ) \[protected\], \[virtual\]

Default destructor.

## Member Function Documentation

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

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

### SoType SoFieldConverter::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**.

### const SoFieldData \*\* SoFieldConverter::getInputDataPtr (void ) \[static\], \[protected\]

Returns the **SoFieldData** class which holds information about inputs in this engine.

### const SoEngineOutputData \*\* SoFieldConverter::getOutputDataPtr (void ) \[static\], \[protected\]

Returns the **SoEngineOutputData** class which holds information about the outputs in this engine.

### const SoFieldData \* SoFieldConverter::getFieldData (void ) const \[virtual\]

Returns the **SoFieldData** class which holds information about inputs in this engine.

Reimplemented from **SoFieldContainer**.

### const SoEngineOutputData \* SoFieldConverter::getOutputData (void ) const \[virtual\]

Returns the **SoEngineOutputData** class which holds information about the outputs in this engine.

Implements **SoEngine**.

### void SoFieldConverter::initClasses (void ) \[static\]

Initializes all field conversions. Automatically called from **SoFieldConverter::initClass()** upon initialization of Coin.

### virtual SoField \* SoFieldConverter::getInput (SoType type) \[pure virtual\]

Returns input field for the converter engine. Must be overridden in non-abstract converter engine classes.

### virtual SoEngineOutput \* SoFieldConverter::getOutput (SoType type) \[pure virtual\]

Returns output for the converter engine. Must be overridden in non-abstract converter engine classes.

### SoField \* SoFieldConverter::getConnectedInput (void ) \[virtual\]

This method is obsoleted in Coin. It should probably have been private in OIV.

### int SoFieldConverter::getForwardConnections (SoFieldList & l) const

Returns fields which are connected as slaves of the engine output.

## Author

Generated automatically by Doxygen for Coin from the source code.