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# init(vertexDescriptor:)

Creates a new vertex descriptor by performing a deep copy of the specified vertex descriptor.

```
init(vertexDescriptor: MDLVertexDescriptor)
```

## Parameters

`vertexDescriptor`

The vertex descriptor from which to copy information.

## Return Value

A new vertex descriptor that is an indpendent copy of the specified vertex descriptor.

## Discussion

A vertex descriptor does not own vertex data—vertex data belongs to the [`vertexBuffers`](/documentation/ModelIO/MDLMesh/vertexBuffers) property of the mesh that owns a vertex descriptor—so this method does not copy vertex data. A call to the <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/ObjectiveC/NSObject-swift.class/copy()> or <doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/Foundation/NSCopying/copy(with:)> method uses this initializer to produce a fully independent copy of the original instance.

---

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