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

# SoSFName(3iv)

field containg a name

## NAME

SoSFName — field containg a name

## INHERITS FROM

SoField \> SoSField \> SoSFName

## SYNOPSIS

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

Methods from class SoSFName:

**void**	**setValue(const char \*string)**\
 **static SoType**	**getClassTypeId()**\
 **virtual void**	**getTypeId() const**\
 **const SbName &**	**getValue() const**\
 **const SbName &**	**operator =(const SbName & newValue)**\
 **void**	**setValue(const SbName & newValue)**\
 **int**	**operator ==(const SoSFName &f) const**\
 **int**	**operator !=(const SoSFName &f) const**

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

**A field containing a name. Names are short series of characters generally used for labels or names, and are stored in a special table designed to allow fast lookup and comparison. For most purposes, an SoSFString** field is probably more appropriate.

**SoSFNames** are written to file as a string of characters. Names must begin with an underscore or alphabetic character, and must consist entirely of underscores, alphabetic characters, or numbers.

## METHODS

**void**	**setValue(const char \*string)**\
 Set this field to the name equivalent to the given string.

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

**const SbName &**	**getValue() const**\
 Returns this field's value.

**const SbName &**	**operator =(const SbName & newValue)**\
 **void**	**setValue(const SbName & newValue)**\
 Sets this field to **newValue**.

**int**	**operator ==(const SoSFName &f) const**\
 **int**	**operator !=(const SoSFName &f) const**\
 Returns TRUE if **f** is of the same type and has the same value as this field.

## SEE ALSO

**SoField, SoSField, SoMFName**