# love.graphics.setStencil

Available since LÖVE 0.8.0
This function is not supported in earlier versions.

Defines or releases a stencil for the drawing operations.

The passed function draws to the stencil instead of the screen, creating an image with transparent and opaque pixels. While active, it is used to test where pixels will be drawn or discarded. Image contents do not directly affect the stencil, but see below for a workaround.

Calling the function without arguments releases the active stencil.

## Function

### Synopsis

    love.graphics.setStencil( stencilFunction )

### Arguments

`function stencilFunction`
  Function that draws the stencil.

### Returns

Nothing.

## Function

### Synopsis

    love.graphics.setStencil( )

### Arguments

None.

### Returns

Nothing.

### Notes

Releases the active stencil.

## Examples

### Drawing circles masked by a rectangle

    myStencilFunction = function()
       love.graphics.rectangle("fill", 225, 200, 350, 300)
    end

    love.graphics.setStencil(myStencilFunction)

    love.graphics.setColor(255, 0, 0, 120)
    love.graphics.circle("fill", 300, 300, 150, 50)
    love.graphics.setColor(0, 255, 0, 120)
    love.graphics.circle("fill", 500, 300, 150, 50)
    love.graphics.setColor(0, 0, 255, 120)
    love.graphics.circle("fill", 400, 400, 150, 50)

### Drawing a circle with a hole

    myStencilFunction = function()
       love.graphics.circle("fill", 400, 300, 50)
    end

    love.graphics.setInvertedStencil(myStencilFunction)
    love.graphics.circle("fill", 400, 300, 150)

### Drawing two masked triangles with different colors

    myStencilFunction = function()
       love.graphics.circle("fill", 400, 300, 60, 25)
    end

    love.graphics.setStencil(myStencilFunction)
    love.graphics.setColor(155, 0, 128)
    love.graphics.polygon("fill", 400, 200, 486, 350, 314, 350)

    love.graphics.setInvertedStencil(myStencilFunction)
    love.graphics.setColor(144, 214, 128)
    love.graphics.polygon("fill", 400, 200, 486, 350, 314, 350)

### Using an Image as a stencil mask

    -- a black/white mask image: black pixels will mask, white pixels will pass.local mask = love.graphics.newImage("mymask.png")

    local mask_effect = love.graphics.newShader[[
       vec4 effect (vec4 color, Image texture, vec2 texture_coords, vec2 screen_coords) {
          if (Texel(texture, texture_coords).rgb == vec3(0.0)) {
             // a discarded pixel wont be applied as the stencil.
             discard;
          }
          return vec4(1.0);
       }
    ]]

    function myStencilFunction()
       love.graphics.setShader(mask_effect)
       love.graphics.draw(mask, 0, 0)
       love.graphics.setShader()
    end

    love.graphics.setStencil(myStencilFunction)
    love.graphics.rectangle("fill", 0, 0, 256, 256)
    love.graphics.setStencil()

## See Also

- love.graphics
- love.graphics.setInvertedStencil

##

Category:

- Functions