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

# SoMFEngine(3iv)

multiple-value field containing any number of pointers to engines

## NAME

SoMFEngine — multiple-value field containing any number of pointers to engines

## INHERITS FROM

SoField \> SoMField \> SoMFEngine

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<Inventor/fields/SoMFEngine.h\>**

Methods from class SoMFEngine:

**static SoType**	**getClassTypeId()**\
 **virtual void**	**getTypeId() const**\
 **SoEngine \***	**operator \[\](int i) const**\
 **const SoEngine \* \***	**getValues(int start) const**\
 **int**	**find(SoEngine \* targetValue, SbBool addIfNotFound = FALSE)**\
 **void**	**setValues(int start, int num, const SoEngine \* \*newValues)**\
 **void**	**set1Value(int index, SoEngine \* newValue)**\
 **SoEngine \***	**operator =(SoEngine \* newValue)**\
 **void**	**setValue(SoEngine \* newValue)**\
 **int**	**operator ==(const SoMFEngine &f) const**\
 **int**	**operator !=(const SoMFEngine &f) const**\
 **SoEngine \* \***	**startEditing()**\
 **void**	**finishEditing()**

Methods from class SoMField:

**int**	**getNum() const**\
 **void**	**setNum(int num)**\
 **virtual void**	**deleteValues(int start, int num = -1)**\
 **virtual void**	**insertSpace(int start, int num)**\
 **SbBool**	**set1(int index, const char \*valueString)**\
 **void**	**get1(int index, SbString &valueString)**

Methods from class SoField:

**void**	**setIgnored(SbBool ignore)**\
 **SbBool**	**isIgnored() const**\
 **SbBool**	**isDefault() const**\
 **virtual SbBool**	**isOfType(SoType type) const**\
 **SbBool**	**set(const char \*valueString)**\
 **void**	**get(SbString &valueString)**\
 **void**	**touch()**\
 **SbBool**	**connectFrom(SoField \*fromField)**\
 **SbBool**	**connectFrom(SoEngineOutput \*fromEngine)**\
 **void**	**disconnect()**\
 **SbBool**	**isConnected() const**\
 **SbBool**	**isConnectedFromField() const**\
 **SbBool**	**getConnectedField(SoField \*&writingField) const**\
 **SbBool**	**isConnectedFromEngine() const**\
 **SbBool**	**getConnectedEngine(SoEngineOutput \*&engineOutput) const**\
 **void**	**enableConnection(SbBool flag)**\
 **SbBool**	**isConnectionEnabled() const**\
 **int**	**getForwardConnections(SoFieldList &list) const**\
 **SoFieldContainer \***	**getContainer() const**

## DESCRIPTION

**This field maintains a set of pointers to SoEngine** instances, correctly maintaining their reference counts.

**SoMFEngines** are written to file as one or more engines. When more than one value is present, all of the values are enclosed in square brackets and separated by commas; for example:

```
[ ElapsedTime { }, OneShot { duration 2.0 }, USE myCalculator ]
```

## METHODS

**static SoType**	**getClassTypeId()**\
 **virtual void**	**getTypeId() const**\
 Returns the type for this class or a particular object of this class.

**SoEngine \***	**operator \[\](int i) const**\
 Returns the **i**'th value of the field. Indexing past the end of the field (passing in **i** greater than **getNum()**) will return garbage.

**const SoEngine \* \***	**getValues(int start) const**\
 Returns a pointer into the array of values in the field, starting at index **start**. The values are read-only; see the **startEditing()**/**finishEditing()** methods for a way of modifying values in place.

**int**	**find(SoEngine \* targetValue, SbBool addIfNotFound = FALSE)**\
 Finds the given value in the array and returns the index of that value in the array. If the value is not found, -1 is returned. If **addIfNotFound** is set, then **targetValue** is added to the end of the array (but -1 is still returned).

**void**	**setValues(int start, int num, const SoEngine \* \*newValues)**\
 Sets num values starting at index **start** to the values in **newValues**. The array will be automatically be made larger to accomodate the new values, if necessary.

**void**	**set1Value(int index, SoEngine \* newValue)**\
 Sets the **index**'th value in the array to **newValue**. The array will be automatically expanded, if necessary.

**SoEngine \***	**operator =(SoEngine \* newValue)**\
 **void**	**setValue(SoEngine \* newValue)**\
 Sets the first value in the array to **newValue**, and deletes the second and subsequent values.

**int**	**operator ==(const SoMFEngine &f) const**\
 **int**	**operator !=(const SoMFEngine &f) const**\
 Returns TRUE if all of the values of this field equal (do not equal) those of the given field. If the fields are different types FALSE will always be returned (even if one field is an **SoMFFloat** with one value of 1.0 and the other is an **SoMFInt** with a value of 1, for example).

**SoEngine \* \***	**startEditing()**\
 **void**	**finishEditing()**\
 **startEditing()** returns a pointer to the internally-maintained array that can be modified. The values in the array may be changed, but values cannot be added or removed. It is illegal to call any other editing methods between **startEditing()** and **finishEditing()** (e.g. **set1Value()**, **setValue()**, etc).

Fields, engines or sensors connected to this field and sensors are not notified that this field has changed until **finishEditing()** is called. Calling **finishEditing()** always sets the **isDefault()** flag to FALSE and informs engines and sensors that the field changed, even if none of the values actually were changed.