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

# SoSpotLight(3iv)

node representing a spotlight source

## NAME

SoSpotLight — node representing a spotlight source

## INHERITS FROM

SoBase \> SoFieldContainer \> SoNode \> SoLight \> SoSpotLight

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<Inventor/nodes/SoSpotLight.h\>**

Fields from class SoSpotLight:

**SoSFVec3f**	**location**\
 **SoSFVec3f**	**direction**\
 **SoSFFloat**	**dropOffRate**\
 **SoSFFloat**	**cutOffAngle**

Fields from class SoLight:

**SoSFBool**	**on**\
 **SoSFFloat**	**intensity**\
 **SoSFColor**	**color**

Methods from class SoSpotLight:

	**SoSpotLight()**\
 **static SoType**	**getClassTypeId()**

Methods from class SoNode:

**void**	**setOverride(SbBool state)**\
 **SbBool**	**isOverride() const**\
 **SoNode \***	**copy(SbBool copyConnections = FALSE) const**\
 **virtual SbBool**	**affectsState() const**\
 **static SoNode \***	**getByName(const SbName &name)**\
 **static int**	**getByName(const SbName &name, SoNodeList &list)**

Methods from class SoFieldContainer:

**void**	**setToDefaults()**\
 **SbBool**	**hasDefaultValues() const**\
 **SbBool**	**fieldsAreEqual(const SoFieldContainer \*fc) const**\
 **void**	**copyFieldValues(const SoFieldContainer \*fc, SbBool copyConnections = FALSE)**\
 **SbBool**	**set(const char \*fieldDataString)**\
 **void**	**get(SbString &fieldDataString)**\
 **virtual int**	**getFields(SoFieldList &resultList) const**\
 **virtual SoField \***	**getField(const SbName &fieldName) const**\
 **SbBool**	**getFieldName(const SoField \*field, SbName &fieldName) const**\
 **SbBool**	**isNotifyEnabled() const**\
 **SbBool**	**enableNotify(SbBool flag)**

Methods from class SoBase:

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

## DESCRIPTION

**This node defines a spotlight style light source. A spotlight is placed at a fixed location in 3-space and illuminates in a cone along a particular direction. The intensity of the illumination drops off** **exponentially as a ray of light diverges from this direction toward the edges of the cone. The rate of drop-off and the angle of the cone are controlled by the dropOffRate** and **cutOffAngle** fields.

## FIELDS

**SoSFVec3f**	**location**\
 Location of the source.

**SoSFVec3f**	**direction**\
 Principal direction of illumination (center axis of cone).

**SoSFFloat**	**dropOffRate**\
 Rate of intensity drop-off per change in angle from primary direction: 0 = constant intensity, 1 = very sharp drop-off

**SoSFFloat**	**cutOffAngle**\
 Angle (in radians) outside of which intensity is zero, measured from the center axis of the cone to an edge.

## METHODS

	**SoSpotLight()**\
 Creates a spotlight source node with default settings.

**static SoType**	**getClassTypeId()**\
 Returns type identifier for this class.

## ACTION BEHAVIOR

**SoGLRenderAction**\
 Activates this light (if so specified) during traversal. All shape nodes that come after this light in the scene graph are illuminated by this light. The light's location is affected by the current transformation.

## FILE FORMAT/DEFAULTS

```
SpotLight {
on	TRUE
intensity	1
color	1 1 1
location	0 0 1
direction	0 0 -1
dropOffRate	0
cutOffAngle	0.785398
}
```

## SEE ALSO

**SoDirectionalLight, SoPointLight**