# View Coordinates Manage the frame and bounds rectangles that determine the size and position of the view in the view hierarchy. ## Topics ### Modifying the Frame Rectangle [`var frame: NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/frame) The view’s frame rectangle, which defines its position and size in its superview’s coordinate system. [`func setFrameOrigin(NSPoint)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/setFrameOrigin(_:)) Sets the origin of the view’s frame rectangle to the specified point, effectively repositioning it within its superview. [`func setFrameSize(NSSize)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/setFrameSize(_:)) Sets the size of the view’s frame rectangle to the specified dimensions, resizing it within its superview without affecting its coordinate system. [`var frameRotation: CGFloat`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/frameRotation) The angle of rotation, measured in degrees, applied to the view’s frame rectangle relative to its superview’s coordinate system. [`class let frameDidChangeNotification: NSNotification.Name`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/frameDidChangeNotification) A notification that posts when the view’s frame rectangle changes to a new value. [`struct FrameDidChangeMessage`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/FrameDidChangeMessage) [`var postsFrameChangedNotifications: Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/postsFrameChangedNotifications) A Boolean value indicating whether the view posts notifications when its frame rectangle changes. ### Modifying the bounds rectangle [`var bounds: NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/bounds) The view’s bounds rectangle, which expresses its location and size in its own coordinate system. [`func setBoundsOrigin(NSPoint)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/setBoundsOrigin(_:)) Sets the origin of the view’s bounds rectangle to a specified point. [`func setBoundsSize(NSSize)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/setBoundsSize(_:)) Sets the size of the view’s bounds rectangle to specified dimensions, inversely scaling its coordinate system relative to its frame rectangle. [`var boundsRotation: CGFloat`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/boundsRotation) The angle of rotation, measured in degrees, applied to the view’s bounds rectangle relative to its frame rectangle. [`class let boundsDidChangeNotification: NSNotification.Name`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/boundsDidChangeNotification) A notification that posts when the view’s bounds rectangle changes to a new value independently of the frame rectangle. [`struct BoundsDidChangeMessage`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/BoundsDidChangeMessage) [`var postsBoundsChangedNotifications: Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/postsBoundsChangedNotifications) A Boolean value indicating whether the view posts notifications when its bounds rectangle changes. ### Examining Coordinate System Modifications [`var isFlipped: Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/isFlipped) A Boolean value indicating whether the view uses a flipped coordinate system. [`var isRotatedFromBase: Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/isRotatedFromBase) A Boolean value indicating whether the view or any of its ancestors has ever had a rotation factor applied to its frame or bounds. [`var isRotatedOrScaledFromBase: Bool`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/isRotatedOrScaledFromBase) A Boolean value indicating whether the view or any of its ancestors has ever had a rotation factor applied to its frame or bounds, or has been scaled from the window’s base coordinate system. ### Modifying the Coordinate System [`func translateOrigin(to: NSPoint)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/translateOrigin(to:)) Translates the view’s coordinate system so that its origin moves to a new location. [`func scaleUnitSquare(to: NSSize)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/scaleUnitSquare(to:)) Scales the view’s coordinate system so that the unit square scales to the specified dimensions. [`func rotate(byDegrees: CGFloat)`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/rotate(byDegrees:)) Rotates the view’s bounds rectangle by a specified degree value around the origin of the coordinate system, (0.0, 0.0). ### Converting Coordinate Values [`func backingAlignedRect(NSRect, options: AlignmentOptions) -> NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/backingAlignedRect(_:options:)) Returns a backing store pixel-aligned rectangle in local view coordinates. [`func convertFromBacking(NSPoint) -> NSPoint`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertFromBacking(_:)-229ps) Converts a point from its pixel aligned backing store coordinate system to the view’s interior coordinate system. [`func convertToBacking(NSPoint) -> NSPoint`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertToBacking(_:)-2xx45) Converts a point from the view’s interior coordinate system to its pixel aligned backing store coordinate system. [`func convertFromLayer(NSPoint) -> NSPoint`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertFromLayer(_:)-3nsbu) Convert the point from the layer’s interior coordinate system to the view’s interior coordinate system. [`func convertToLayer(NSPoint) -> NSPoint`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertToLayer(_:)-44u7d) Convert the size from the view’s interior coordinate system to the layer’s interior coordinate system. [`func convertFromBacking(NSRect) -> NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertFromBacking(_:)-2njpa) Converts a rectangle from its pixel aligned backing store coordinate system to the view’s interior coordinate system. [`func convertToBacking(NSRect) -> NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertToBacking(_:)-3zors) Converts a rectangle from the view’s interior coordinate system to its pixel aligned backing store coordinate system. [`func convertFromLayer(NSRect) -> NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertFromLayer(_:)-8s5bi) Convert the rectangle from the layer’s interior coordinate system to the view’s interior coordinate system. [`func convertToLayer(NSRect) -> NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertToLayer(_:)-160pw) Convert the size from the view’s interior coordinate system to the layer’s interior coordinate system. [`func convertFromBacking(NSSize) -> NSSize`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertFromBacking(_:)-4agf9) Converts a size from its pixel aligned backing store coordinate system to the view’s interior coordinate system. [`func convertToBacking(NSSize) -> NSSize`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertToBacking(_:)-4ra9y) Converts a size from the view’s interior coordinate system to its pixel aligned backing store coordinate system. [`func convertFromLayer(NSSize) -> NSSize`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertFromLayer(_:)-3usqp) Convert the size from the layer’s interior coordinate system to the view’s interior coordinate system. [`func convertToLayer(NSSize) -> NSSize`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convertToLayer(_:)-2vozx) Convert the size from the view’s interior coordinate system to the layer’s interior coordinate system. [`func convert(NSPoint, from: NSView?) -> NSPoint`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convert(_:from:)-1dq9l) Converts a point from the coordinate system of a given view to that of the view. [`func convert(NSPoint, to: NSView?) -> NSPoint`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convert(_:to:)-6u9ir) Converts a point from the view’s coordinate system to that of a given view. [`func convert(NSSize, from: NSView?) -> NSSize`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convert(_:from:)-40x0w) Converts a size from another view’s coordinate system to that of the view. [`func convert(NSSize, to: NSView?) -> NSSize`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convert(_:to:)-5nptx) Converts a size from the view’s coordinate system to that of another view. [`func convert(NSRect, from: NSView?) -> NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convert(_:from:)-7fbb6) Converts a rectangle from the coordinate system of another view to that of the view. [`func convert(NSRect, to: NSView?) -> NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/convert(_:to:)-3cqqt) Converts a rectangle from the view’s coordinate system to that of another view. [`func centerScanRect(NSRect) -> NSRect`](/documentation/AppKit/NSView/centerScanRect(_:)) Converts the corners of a specified rectangle to lie on the center of device pixels, which is useful in compensating for rendering overscanning when the coordinate system has been scaled. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. 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