FindChildren (X3DObject)

Description

Finds all X3DObject children of an X3DObject object that match a set of search criterias. By default the search is done recursively. The function returns all objects satisfying the following criteria: name, type and family(ies). This method is typically used for hierarchically navigating a scene of 3D objects.

To get the collection of all X3DObjects in the current scene, including those nested inside all Models, call this method with no arguments.

Scripting Syntax

X3DObject.FindChildren( [Name], [Type], [Family], [Recursive] )

C# Syntax

X3DObjectCollection X3DObject.FindChildren( Object in_varName, String in_pbstrType, Object in_famArray, Boolean in_bRecursive );

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
Name	String or CollectionItem	A name expression or a CollectionItem, the expression can also contain wildcard characters.
Type	String	The type of object defined by siType or an empty string if no type is used. The type can be a specific X3DObject type such as siModelType and si3DObjectType or a primitive type such as siPolyMeshType or siSrfMeshPrimType. If a primitive type is supplied, the function considers only the children objects defined with a primitive of this type. The valid types are listed below. Possible Values: • si3DObjectType: 3D Object type • siArcPrimType: Implicit Arc Primitive type • siAttractorCtrlType: Attractor Control Object type (electric force) • siCameraPrimType: Camera Primitive type • siCameraRootPrimType: Camera Root primitive type • siChainBonePrimType: Chain Bone Primitive type • siChainEffPrimType: Chain End Effector Primitive type • siChainRootPrimType: Chain Root Primitive type • siCirclePrimType: Implicit Circle Primitive type • siCloudPrimType: Cloud Primitive type • siConePrimType: Cone Primitive type • siCrvListAggregatePrimType: NURBS Curve List Aggregate Primitive type • siCrvListPrimType: NURBS Curve List Primitive type • siCubePrimType: Cube Primitive type • siCylinderPrimType: Cylinder Primitive type • siDiscPrimType: Disc Primitive type • siDodecahedronPrimType: Dodecahedron Primitive type • siDragCtrlPrimType: Drag Control Primitive type • siEddyCtrlPrimType: Eddy Control Primitive type • siFanType: Fan Force Object type • siFurPrimType: Fur Primitive type • siGeoShaderPrimType: GeoShader Primitive Type • siGravityCtrlType: Gravity Force Control Object type • siGridPrimType: Grid Primitive type • siIcosahedronPrimType: Icosahedron Primitive type • siLatticePrimType: Lattice Primitive type • siLightPrimType: Light Primitive type • siModelNullPrimType: Model Null Primitive type • siModelType: 3D Model type • siNullPrimType: Null Primitive type • siOctahedronPrimType: Octahedron Primitive type • siPolyMeshType: Polygon Mesh type • siSpherePrimType: Sphere Primitive type • siSpiralPrimType: Implicit Spiral Primitive type • siSpotInterestPrimType: Spot Interest Primitive type • siSpotRootPrimType: Spot Root Primitive type • siSquarePrimType: Implicit Square Primitive type • siSrfMeshPrimType: NURBS Surface Mesh Primitive type • siTetrahedronPrimType: Tetrahedron Primitive type • siTorusPrimType: Torus Primitive type • siTurbulenceCtrlPrimType: Turbulence Control Primitive type • siVolumeDeformType: Volume Deform type (implicit sphere volume) • siVortexCtrlType: Vortex Control Object type (magnetic force) • siWaveCtrlType: Wave Control Object type • siWindType: Wind Force Object type
Family	siFamily or Array of siFamily elements.	An array of families defined by siFamily or an empty array if none are required. The families are used for narrowing down the search, the array can contain X3DObject families like si3DObjectFamily or primitive families such as siNurbsSurfaceMeshFamily or siNullPrimitiveFamily. Only the children objects that match the supplied families are considered. If primitive families are supplied then only the objects defined with a primitive that belongs to one of them are considered. The valid families are listed below. Possible Values: • si3DObjectFamily: 3D Object family • siCameraFamily: Camera family • siChainElementFamily: Chain Element family • siControlObjectFamily: Control Object family • siCurveFamily: Curve Geometry family • siGeometryFamily: Geometry family • siGeometryShaderFamily: Geometry shader family • siImplicitGeometryFamily: Implicit Geometry family • siLatticeFamily: Lattice family • siLightPrimitiveFamily: Light Primitive family • siMeshFamily: Mesh Geometry family • siNullPrimitiveFamily: Null Primitive family • siNurbsCurveListFamily: Nurbs CurveList Geometry family • siNurbsSurfaceMeshFamily: Nurbs Surface Mesh Geometry family • siSurfaceCurveFamily: Surface Curve Geometry family • siSurfaceFamily: Surface Geometry family
Recursive	Boolean	Recurse if True, otherwise the search is done on the immediate children. This recursion will include the contents of any Models found nested underneath the object. Default Value: True

Return Value

X3DObjectCollection

Examples

1. VBScript Example

NewScene , false
set oRoot = Application.ActiveProject.ActiveScene.Root
oRoot.AddGeometry "Sphere", "MeshSurface", "mySphere"
oRoot.AddGeometry "Cone", "MeshSurface", "myCone"
oRoot.AddGeometry "Cone", "MeshSurface", "anotherCone" 
oRoot.AddGeometry "Cube", "NurbsSurface", "myCube"

Application.LogMessage "** 1: Find all objects whose names start with 'Camera' **"
set kids = oRoot.FindChildren( "Camera*" )
for each pip in kids
   Application.LogMessage( "Found child: " & pip.Name )
next

Application.LogMessage "** 2: Find all objects of type siLightPrimType **"
set kids = oRoot.FindChildren( , siLightPrimType )
for each pip in kids
   Application.LogMessage( "Found child: " & pip.Name )
next

Application.LogMessage "** 3: Find all objects that belong to siNullPrimitiveFamily and siMeshFamily families **"
set kids = oRoot.FindChildren( , , Array( siNullPrimitiveFamily, siMeshFamily ) )
for each pip in kids
   Application.LogMessage( "Found child: " & pip.Name )
next

Application.LogMessage "** 4: Find all objects whose names start with 'my' and belong to siMeshFamily family **"
set kids = oRoot.FindChildren( "my*", , Array(siMeshFamily) )
   for each pip in kids
   Application.LogMessage( "Found child: " & pip.Name )
next

// Expected results:
'INFO : ** 1: Find all objects whose names start with 'Camera' **
'INFO : Found child: Camera_Root
'INFO : Found child: Camera
'INFO : Found child: Camera_Interest
'INFO : ** 2: Find all objects of type siLightPrimType **
'INFO : Found child: light
'INFO : ** 3: Find all objects that belong to siNullPrimitiveFamily and siMeshFamily families **
'INFO : Found child: Camera_Root
'INFO : Found child: Camera_Interest
'INFO : Found child: mySphere
'INFO : Found child: myCone
'INFO : Found child: anotherCone
'INFO : ** 4: Find all objects whose names start with 'my' and belong to siMeshFamily family **
'INFO : Found child: mySphere
'INFO : Found child: myCone

2. JScript Example

/*
   Compare this example with the similar example for X3DObject.Children
*/

// Create a sample scene
NewScene( null, false );

var oNull = Application.ActiveSceneRoot.AddNull( "MyNull" );
var oSphere = Application.ActiveSceneRoot.AddGeometry( "Sphere", "MeshSurface", "MySphere" );
var oNestedSphere = oNull.AddNull( "NestedNull" );

var oConeInModel = Application.ActiveSceneRoot.AddGeometry( "Cone", "NurbsSurface", "ConeInMdl" );
var oModel = Application.ActiveSceneRoot.AddModel( oConeInModel, "MyModel" );

// FindChildren can be more powerful than X3DObject.Children because by default it will 
// recurse through the graph finding all nested children.

PrintChildren( "FindChildren of SceneRoot:", Application.ActiveSceneRoot.FindChildren() ) ;
PrintChildren( "FindChildren of Null:", oNull.FindChildren() ) ;
PrintChildren( "FindChildren of Model:", oModel.FindChildren() ) ;

//Expected Results:
//INFO : FindChildren of SceneRoot
//INFO : Camera_Root
//INFO : Camera
//INFO : Camera_Interest
//INFO : light
//INFO : MyNull
//INFO : NestedNull
//INFO : MySphere
//INFO : MyModel
//INFO : MyModel.ConeInMdl
//INFO : ----------------------------
//INFO : FindChildren of Null
//INFO : NestedNull
//INFO : ----------------------------
//INFO : FindChildren of Model
//INFO : MyModel.ConeInMdl
//INFO : ----------------------------


// Helper function showing the contents of a collection
function PrintChildren( in_msg, in_oChildren )
{
   Application.LogMessage( in_msg );
   for ( var i=0 ; i<in_oChildren.Count ; i++ ) {
       Application.LogMessage( "\t" + in_oChildren.Item(i).FullName );
   }
   Application.LogMessage( "----------------------------" ) ;
}

See Also

X3DObject.Children

X3DObject.FindChild

EnumElements

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