Up to date

This page is up to date for Godot 4.3. If you still find outdated information, please open an issue.

CanvasLayer

Inherits: Node < Object

Inherited By: ParallaxBackground

A node used for independent rendering of objects within a 2D scene.

Description

CanvasItem-derived nodes that are direct or indirect children of a CanvasLayer will be drawn in that layer. The layer is a numeric index that defines the draw order. The default 2D scene renders with index 0, so a CanvasLayer with index -1 will be drawn below, and a CanvasLayer with index 1 will be drawn above. This order will hold regardless of the CanvasItem.z_index of the nodes within each layer.

CanvasLayers can be hidden and they can also optionally follow the viewport. This makes them useful for HUDs like health bar overlays (on layers 1 and higher) or backgrounds (on layers -1 and lower).

Note: Embedded Windows are placed on layer 1024. CanvasItems on layers 1025 and higher appear in front of embedded windows.

Note: Each CanvasLayer is drawn on one specific Viewport and cannot be shared between multiple Viewports, see custom_viewport. When using multiple Viewports, for example in a split-screen game, you need create an individual CanvasLayer for each Viewport you want it to be drawn on.

Tutorials

Properties

Node

custom_viewport

bool

follow_viewport_enabled

false

float

follow_viewport_scale

1.0

int

layer

1

Vector2

offset

Vector2(0, 0)

float

rotation

0.0

Vector2

scale

Vector2(1, 1)

Transform2D

transform

Transform2D(1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0)

bool

visible

true

Methods

RID

get_canvas() const

Transform2D

get_final_transform() const

void

hide()

void

show()

Signals

visibility_changed() 🔗

Emitted when visibility of the layer is changed. See visible.

Property Descriptions

Node custom_viewport 🔗

  • void set_custom_viewport(value: Node)

  • Node get_custom_viewport()

The custom Viewport node assigned to the CanvasLayer. If null, uses the default viewport instead.

bool follow_viewport_enabled = false 🔗

  • void set_follow_viewport(value: bool)

  • bool is_following_viewport()

If enabled, the CanvasLayer will use the viewport's transform, so it will move when camera moves instead of being anchored in a fixed position on the screen.

Together with follow_viewport_scale it can be used for a pseudo 3D effect.

float follow_viewport_scale = 1.0 🔗

  • void set_follow_viewport_scale(value: float)

  • float get_follow_viewport_scale()

Scales the layer when using follow_viewport_enabled. Layers moving into the foreground should have increasing scales, while layers moving into the background should have decreasing scales.

int layer = 1 🔗

  • void set_layer(value: int)

  • int get_layer()

Layer index for draw order. Lower values are drawn behind higher values.

Note: If multiple CanvasLayers have the same layer index, CanvasItem children of one CanvasLayer are drawn behind the CanvasItem children of the other CanvasLayer. Which CanvasLayer is drawn in front is non-deterministic.

Vector2 offset = Vector2(0, 0) 🔗

The layer's base offset.

float rotation = 0.0 🔗

  • void set_rotation(value: float)

  • float get_rotation()

The layer's rotation in radians.

Vector2 scale = Vector2(1, 1) 🔗

The layer's scale.

Transform2D transform = Transform2D(1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0) 🔗

The layer's transform.

bool visible = true 🔗

  • void set_visible(value: bool)

  • bool is_visible()

If false, any CanvasItem under this CanvasLayer will be hidden.

Unlike CanvasItem.visible, visibility of a CanvasLayer isn't propagated to underlying layers.

Method Descriptions

RID get_canvas() const 🔗

Returns the RID of the canvas used by this layer.

Transform2D get_final_transform() const 🔗

Returns the transform from the CanvasLayers coordinate system to the Viewports coordinate system.

void hide() 🔗

Hides any CanvasItem under this CanvasLayer. This is equivalent to setting visible to false.

void show() 🔗

Shows any CanvasItem under this CanvasLayer. This is equivalent to setting visible to true.