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# MTLVertexAttribute

An instance that represents an attribute of a vertex function.

```
class MTLVertexAttribute
```

## Overview

An [`MTLVertexAttribute`](/documentation/Metal/MTLVertexAttribute) instance represents an attribute for per-vertex input in a vertex function. You use vertex attribute instances to inspect the inputs of a vertex function by examining the [`vertexAttributes`](/documentation/Metal/MTLFunction/vertexAttributes) property of the corresponding [`MTLFunction`](/documentation/Metal/MTLFunction) instance.

## Topics

### Describing the attribute

[`name`](/documentation/Metal/MTLVertexAttribute/name)

The name of the attribute.

[`attributeIndex`](/documentation/Metal/MTLVertexAttribute/attributeIndex)

The index of the attribute, as declared in Metal shader source code.

[`attributeType`](/documentation/Metal/MTLVertexAttribute/attributeType)

The data type for the attribute, as declared in Metal shader source code.

[`isActive`](/documentation/Metal/MTLVertexAttribute/isActive)

A Boolean value that indicates whether this vertex attribute is active.

[`isPatchControlPointData`](/documentation/Metal/MTLVertexAttribute/isPatchControlPointData)

A Boolean value that indicates whether this vertex attribute represents control point data.

[`isPatchData`](/documentation/Metal/MTLVertexAttribute/isPatchData)

A Boolean value that indicates whether this vertex attribute represents patch data.


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