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# MTLCounterSampleBufferDescriptor

A group of properties that configures the counter sample buffers you create with it.

```
class MTLCounterSampleBufferDescriptor
```

## Overview

To create a new counter sample buffer, create and configure an [`MTLCounterSampleBufferDescriptor`](/documentation/Metal/MTLCounterSampleBufferDescriptor) instance, and then call an [`MTLDevice`](/documentation/Metal/MTLDevice) instance’s [`makeCounterSampleBuffer(descriptor:)`](/documentation/Metal/MTLDevice/makeCounterSampleBuffer(descriptor:)) method. See [Creating a counter sample buffer to store a GPU’s counter data during a pass](/documentation/Metal/creating-a-counter-sample-buffer-to-store-a-gpus-counter-data-during-a-pass).

Each new sample counter buffer inherits the values of the descriptor’s properties when you create it. You can modify a descriptor and reuse it to create other counter sample buffers, which has no effect on existing counter sample buffers.

## Topics

### Configuring a descriptor for a counter sample buffer

[`counterSet`](/documentation/Metal/MTLCounterSampleBufferDescriptor/counterSet)

A GPU device’s counter set instance that you want to sample.

[`label`](/documentation/Metal/MTLCounterSampleBufferDescriptor/label)

The name for the counter sample buffer you create with the descriptor.

[`sampleCount`](/documentation/Metal/MTLCounterSampleBufferDescriptor/sampleCount)

The number of instances of a counter set’s data that a counter sample buffer can store.

[`storageMode`](/documentation/Metal/MTLCounterSampleBufferDescriptor/storageMode)

The memory storage mode for the counter sample buffers you create with the descriptor.


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