---
name: "SoGlyph"
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/SoGlyph"
---

# SoGlyph(3)

The SoGlyph class is used to generate and reuse font glyph bitmaps and outlines.

## NAME

SoGlyph - The **SoGlyph** class is used to generate and reuse font glyph bitmaps and outlines.

## SYNOPSIS

\#include \<Inventor/misc/SoGlyph.h\>

### Public Types

enum **Fonttype** { **FONT2D** = 1, **FONT3D** = 2 }\

### Public Member Functions

void **unref** (void) const\
 const **SbVec2f** \* **getCoords** (void) const\
 const int \* **getFaceIndices** (void) const\
 const int \* **getEdgeIndices** (void) const\
 const int \* **getNextCWEdge** (const int edgeidx) const\
 const int \* **getNextCCWEdge** (const int edgeidx) const\
 float **getWidth** (void) const\
 const **SbBox2f** & **getBoundingBox** (void) const\
 **SbVec2s** **getAdvance** (void) const\
 **SbVec2s** **getKerning** (const **SoGlyph** &rightglyph) const\
 unsigned char \* **getBitmap** (**SbVec2s** &size, **SbVec2s** &pos, const SbBool antialiased) const\

### Static Public Member Functions

static const **SoGlyph** \* **getGlyph** (const char character, const **SbName** &font)\
 static const **SoGlyph** \* **getGlyph** (**SoState** \*state, const unsigned int character, const **SbVec2s** &size, const float angle)\

### Protected Member Functions

**SoGlyph** (void)\
 **~SoGlyph** ()\
 void **setCoords** (const **SbVec2f** \*coords, int numcoords=-1)\
 void **setFaceIndices** (const int \*indices, int numindices=-1)\
 void **setEdgeIndices** (const int \*indices, int numindices=-1)\

## Detailed Description

The **SoGlyph** class is used to generate and reuse font glyph bitmaps and outlines.

**This class is now obsolete, and will be removed from a later version of Coin.**

**SoGlyph** is the public interface all text nodes (both built-in and extensions) should use to generate bitmaps and outlines for font glyphs. It maintains an internal cache of previously requested glyphs to avoid needless calls into the font library.

Primer: a *glyph* is the graphical representation of a given character of a given font at a given size and orientation. It can be either a *bitmap* (pixel aligned with the viewport) or an *outline* (polygonal representation) that can be transformed or extruded like any other 3D geometry. Bitmaps are used by **SoText2**, while the other text nodes uses outlines.

Be aware that this class is an extension for Coin, and it is not available in the original SGI Open Inventor v2.1 API.\

**Since**

Coin 2.0

**See also**

**SoText2**, **SoText3**, **SoAsciiText**

## Constructor & Destructor Documentation

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

Constructor.

### SoGlyph::~SoGlyph () \[protected\]

Destructor.

## Member Function Documentation

### void SoGlyph::unref (void ) const

Should be called when a node no longer will use a glyph. Will free memory used by this glyph when it is no longer used by any node.

### const SoGlyph \* SoGlyph::getGlyph (const char character, const SbName & font) \[static\]

Returns a character of the specified font, suitable for polygonal rendering.

### const SbVec2f \* SoGlyph::getCoords (void ) const

Returns coordinates for this glyph.

### const int \* SoGlyph::getFaceIndices (void ) const

Returns face indices for this glyph.

### const int \* SoGlyph::getEdgeIndices (void ) const

Returns edge indices for this glyph.

### const int \* SoGlyph::getNextCWEdge (const int edgeidx) const

Returns a pointer to the next clockwise edge. Returns NULL if none could be found.

### const int \* SoGlyph::getNextCCWEdge (const int edgeidx) const

Returns a pointer to the next counterclockwise edge. Returns NULL if none could be found.

### float SoGlyph::getWidth (void ) const

Convenience method which returns the exact width of the glyph.

### const SbBox2f & SoGlyph::getBoundingBox (void ) const

Returns the bounding box of this glyph. This value is cached for performance.

### const SoGlyph \* SoGlyph::getGlyph (SoState \* state, const unsigned int character, const SbVec2s & size, const float angle) \[static\]

Returns a character of the specified font, suitable for bitmap rendering. The size parameter overrides state's **SoFontSizeElement** (if != **SbVec2s(0,0)**)

### unsigned char \* SoGlyph::getBitmap (SbVec2s & size, SbVec2s & pos, const SbBool antialiased) const

Bitmap for glyph. *size* and *pos* are return parameters. Antialiased bitmap graphics are not yet supported.

Note that this function may return NULL if the glyph has no visible pixels (as for e.g. the space character).

The returned buffer should *not* be deallocated by the caller.

### void SoGlyph::setCoords (const SbVec2f \* coords, int numcoords = -1) \[protected\]

Sets the coordinates for this glyph.

### void SoGlyph::setFaceIndices (const int \* indices, int numindices = -1) \[protected\]

Sets the face indices for this glyph.

### void SoGlyph::setEdgeIndices (const int \* indices, int numindices = -1) \[protected\]

Sets the edge indices for this glyph.

## Author

Generated automatically by Doxygen for Coin from the source code.