SoOutput(3IV)

NAME
     SoOutput - used to write Inventor data files

INHERITS FROM
     SoOutput

SYNOPSIS
     #include <Inventor/SoOutput.h>

     typedef void *      SoOutputReallocCB(void *ptr, size_t newSize)

          Methods from class SoOutput:

                         SoOutput()
                         ~SoOutput()
     void                setFilePointer(FILE *newFP)
     FILE *              getFilePointer() const
     SbBool              openFile(const char *fileName)
                         closeFile()
     void                setBuffer(void *bufPointer, size_t initSize,
                              SoOutputReallocCB *reallocFunc, int32_t offset =
                              0)
     SbBool              getBuffer(void *&bufPointer, size_t &nBytes) const
     size_t              getBufferSize() const
     void                resetBuffer()
     void                setBinary(SbBool flag)
     SbBool              isBinary() const
     void                setHeaderString(const SbString &str)
     void                resetHeaderString()
     static SbString     getDefaultASCIIHeader()
     static SbString     getDefaultBinaryHeader()
     void                setFloatPrecision(int precision)


DESCRIPTION
     This class is used for writing Inventor data files. It supports both
     ASCII (default) and binary formats and provides some convenience
     functions for handling files. It can also write to a buffer in memory as
     well as to a file pointer. A user-defined header can be specified for the
     output file. An instance of SoOutput is contained in an SoWriteAction;
     this is typically the only instance needed.

METHODS
                         SoOutput()
                         ~SoOutput()
          Constructor and destructor. The default SoOutput writes to stdout.
          The destructor closes any files opened by the SoOutput.

     void                setFilePointer(FILE *newFP)
          Sets file pointer to write to.

     FILE *              getFilePointer() const
          Returns the file pointer in use, or NULL if using a buffer.

     SbBool              openFile(const char *fileName)
          Opens named file, sets file pointer to result. This returns FALSE on
          error.

                         closeFile()
          Closes current file if opened with openFile().

     void                setBuffer(void *bufPointer, size_t initSize,
                              SoOutputReallocCB *reallocFunc, int32_t offset =
                              0)
          Sets up memory buffer to write to, initial size, reallocation
          function (which is called if there is not enough room in the
          buffer), and offset in the buffer at which to begin writing. If the
          reallocation function returns NULL, writing will be disabled.

     SbBool              getBuffer(void *&bufPointer, size_t &nBytes) const
          Returns pointer to memory buffer being written to and the new size
          of the buffer. Returns FALSE if not writing into a buffer.

     size_t              getBufferSize() const
          The total number of bytes allocated to a memory buffer may be larger
          than the number of bytes written. This returns that total number.

     void                resetBuffer()
          Resets buffer for output again. Output starts over at beginning of
          buffer.

     void                setBinary(SbBool flag)
          Sets whether output should be ASCII (default) or binary.

     SbBool              isBinary() const
          Returns current state of binary flag.

     void                setHeaderString(const SbString &str)
          Sets the header for output files. This is useful, for example, if
          you have a file format that is a superset of the Inventor file
          format and you want Inventor to read the files. It is highly
          recommend that in your new header you simply append to the header of
          the Inventor file format you are extending. For example, if a new
          file format is based on the Inventor 2.1 file format, register a
          header similar to: "#Inventor V2.1 ascii MY FILE FORMAT EXTENSION"
          Then all Inventor 2.1 applications (and later) can read the file.

     void                resetHeaderString()
          Resets the header for output files to be the default header.

     static SbString     getDefaultASCIIHeader()
          Returns the string representing the default ASCII header.
     static SbString     getDefaultBinaryHeader()
          Returns the string representing the default binary header.

     void                setFloatPrecision(int precision)
          Sets the precision for writing floating point numbers, i.e. the
          number of significant digits. Floating point numbers are written
          using %.xg format, where 'x' is the value of the precision argument.


SEE ALSO
     SoInput, SoWriteAction, SoTranSender