###### (This is the documentation for SDL3, which is under heavy development and the API is changing! [SDL2](https://wiki.libsdl.org/SDL2/) is the current stable version!)
# SDL_GetRenderMetalCommandEncoder

Get the Metal command encoder for the current frame.

## Header File

Defined in [<SDL3/SDL_render.h>](https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL/blob/main/include/SDL3/SDL_render.h)

## Syntax

```c
void* SDL_GetRenderMetalCommandEncoder(SDL_Renderer *renderer);

```

## Function Parameters

|                  |                       |
| ---------------- | --------------------- |
| **renderer**     | The renderer to query |

## Return Value

Returns an `id<MTLRenderCommandEncoder>` on success, or NULL if the
renderer isn't a Metal renderer or there was an error.

## Remarks

This function returns `void *`, so SDL doesn't have to include Metal's
headers, but it can be safely cast to an `id<MTLRenderCommandEncoder>`.

This will return NULL if Metal refuses to give SDL a drawable to render to,
which might happen if the window is hidden/minimized/offscreen. This
doesn't apply to command encoders for render targets, just the window's
backbuffer. Check your return values!

## Version

This function is available since SDL 3.0.0.

## See Also

* [SDL_GetRenderMetalLayer](SDL_GetRenderMetalLayer)

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[CategoryAPI](CategoryAPI), [CategoryAPIFunction](CategoryAPIFunction)