## 17.3. Clear Values

The `VkClearColorValue` structure is defined as:

    typedef union VkClearColorValue {
        float       float32[4];
        int32_t     int32[4];
        uint32_t    uint32[4];
    } VkClearColorValue;

- `float32` are the color clear values when the format of the image or attachment is one of the formats in the Interpretation of Numeric Format table other than signed integer (`SINT`) or unsigned integer (`UINT`). Floating point values are automatically converted to the format of the image, with the clear value being treated as linear if the image is sRGB.
- `int32` are the color clear values when the format of the image or attachment is signed integer (`SINT`). Signed integer values are converted to the format of the image by casting to the smaller type (with negative 32-bit values mapping to negative values in the smaller type). If the integer clear value is not representable in the target type (e.g. would overflow in conversion to that type), the clear value is undefined.
- `uint32` are the color clear values when the format of the image or attachment is unsigned integer (`UINT`). Unsigned integer values are converted to the format of the image by casting to the integer type with fewer bits.

The four array elements of the clear color map to R, G, B, and A components of image formats, in order.

If the image has more than one sample, the same value is written to all samples for any pixels being cleared.

The `VkClearDepthStencilValue` structure is defined as:

    typedef struct VkClearDepthStencilValue {
        float       depth;
        uint32_t    stencil;
    } VkClearDepthStencilValue;

- `depth` is the clear value for the depth aspect of the depth/stencil attachment. It is a floating-point value which is automatically converted to the attachment’s format.
- `stencil` is the clear value for the stencil aspect of the depth/stencil attachment. It is a 32-bit integer value which is converted to the attachment’s format by taking the appropriate number of LSBs.

The `VkClearValue` union is defined as:

    typedef union VkClearValue {
        VkClearColorValue           color;
        VkClearDepthStencilValue    depthStencil;
    } VkClearValue;

- `color` specifies the color image clear values to use when clearing a color image or attachment.
- `depthStencil` specifies the depth and stencil clear values to use when clearing a depth/stencil image or attachment.

This union is used where part of the API requires either color or depth/stencil clear values, depending on the attachment, and defines the initial clear values in the `VkRenderPassBeginInfo` structure.