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

# SoNodeKitPath(3iv)

path that points to a list of hierarchical nodekits

## NAME

SoNodeKitPath — path that points to a list of hierarchical nodekits

## INHERITS FROM

SoBase \> SoPath \> SoNodeKitPath

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<Inventor/SoNodeKitPath.h\>**

Methods from class SoNodeKitPath:

**void**	**append(SoBaseKit \*childKit)**\
 **void**	**append(const SoNodeKitPath \*fromPath)**\
 **void**	**pop()**\
 **SoNode \***	**getTail() const**\
 **SoNode \***	**getNode(int i) const**\
 **SoNode \***	**getNodeFromTail(int i) const**\
 **int**	**getLength() const**\
 **void**	**truncate(int start)**\
 **SbBool**	**containsNode(const SoNodeKit \*nodeKit) const**\
 **int**	**findFork(const SoNodeKitPath \*path) const**\
 **friend int**	**operator ==(const SoNodeKitPath &p1, const SoNodeKitPath &p2)**

Methods from class SoPath:

**void**	**setHead(SoNode \*node)**\
 **SoNode \***	**getHead() const**\
 **SbBool**	**containsPath(const SoPath \*path) const**\
 **SoPath \***	**copy(int startFromNodeIndex = 0, int numNodes = 0) const**\
 **static SoPath \***	**getByName(const SbName &name)**\
 **static int**	**getByName(const SbName &name, SoPathList &list)**

Methods from class SoBase:

**void**	**ref()**\
 **void**	**unref() const**\
 **void**	**unrefNoDelete() const**\
 **void**	**touch()**\
 **static SoType**	**getClassTypeId()**\
 **virtual SoType**	**getTypeId() const**\
 **SbBool**	**isOfType(SoType type) const**\
 **virtual void**	**setName(const SbName &name)**\
 **virtual SbName**	**getName() const**

## DESCRIPTION

**SoNodeKitPath** is a subclass of **SoPath** that lets you look at nodekits below the top nodekit in the path. Since nodekits have hidden children, when you call **getTail()** on a regular path, it returns the top-most nodekit on the path. This occurs even though the path might contain extra internal information leading to a node far deeper in the scene graph. For example, when picking an object inside an **SoSceneKit**, the *regular* path would end at the scenekit. But a *nodekit* path would continue further down listing the other nodekits below it in the path.

Intermediary (private) nodes between nodekits are not included in the nodekit path.

Note that there is no constructor for an **SoNodeKitPath**, so you can not create one. Rather, you cast an **(SoPath \*)** into an **(SoNodeKitPath \*)**, which returns nodekit-style values from all the same questions as **SoPath**.

Also, some methods of **SoPath** may not be called on an **SoNodeKitPath**. Any methods which take a regular **SoNode** as an argument (except for **setHead()**) are not accessible, and replaced by methods that take an **SoBaseKit** as an argument instead. Methods which allow the programmer to refer to the child index of a node beneath its parent are also inaccessible; since a **SoNodeKitPath** only shows nodekits and hides any private parts, successive nodekits in the path may not actually be parent and child.

## METHODS

**void**	**append(SoBaseKit \*childKit)**\
 Adds **childKit** to end of chain; uses first occurrence of **childKit** as a part within current last nodekit. If the path is empty, this is equivalent to **setHead(childKit)**.

**void**	**append(const SoNodeKitPath \*fromPath)**\
 Adds all nodekits in **fromPath**'s chain to end of chain; the head node of **fromPath** must be the same as or a child of the current tail node.

**void**	**pop()**\
 Pops the last nodekit off the end of the path.

**SoNode \***	**getTail() const**\
 Return the last nodekit in a path chain. Note that **getHead()** is not redefined from **SoPath**, since an **SoNodeKitPath** need not begin with a nodekit; the restriction is placed only on successive nodes on the path.

**SoNode \***	**getNode(int i) const**\
 Returns a pointer to the **i**'th node in the nodekit path.

**SoNode \***	**getNodeFromTail(int i) const**\
 Returns a pointer to the **i**'th nodekit in the chain, counting backward from the tail nodekit. Passing 0 for **i** returns the tail nodekit.

**int**	**getLength() const**\
 Returns length of path chain (number of nodekits).

**void**	**truncate(int start)**\
 Truncates the path chain, removing all nodes from index **start** on. Calling **truncate(0)**  empties the path entirely.

**SbBool**	**containsNode(const SoNodeKit \*nodeKit) const**\
 Returns TRUE if the passed nodekit is found anywhere in the path chain.

**int**	**findFork(const SoNodeKitPath \*path) const**\
 If the two paths have different head nodes, this returns -1. Otherwise, it returns the path chain index of the last nodekit (starting at the head) that is the same for both paths.

**friend int**	**operator ==(const SoNodeKitPath &p1, const SoNodeKitPath &p2)**\
 Returns TRUE if all node pointers in the two nodekit path chains are equal.

## SEE ALSO

**SoBaseKit, SoPath, SoRayPickAction, SoSearchAction**