The [[CLS]] statement clears the [[_DEST|current write page]].


{{PageSyntax}} 
: [[CLS]] [{{Parameter|method%}}] [, {{Parameter|bgColor&}}]


{{Parameters}}
* {{Parameter|method%}} specifies which parts of the page to clear, and can have one of the following values:
** CLS    - clears the active graphics or text viewport or the entire text screen and refreshes bottom function [[KEY LIST|KEY ON]] line.
** CLS 0 - Clears the entire page of text and graphics. Print cursor is moved to row 1 at column 1.
** CLS 1 - Clears only the graphics view port. Has no effect for text mode.
** CLS 2 - Clears only the text view port. The print cursor is moved to the top row of the text view port at column 1.
* The {{Parameter|bgColor&}} specifies the color attribute or palette index to use when clearing the screen in '''QB64'''.


{{PageDescription}}
* In legacy [[SCREEN]] modes {{Parameter|bgColor&}} specifies the color attribute of the background.
* For 32-bit graphics mode, {{Parameter|bgColor&}} specifies the [[_RGB]] or [[_RGBA]] color to use. 
* '''32-bit screen surface backgrounds (black) have zero [[_ALPHA]] so that they are transparent when placed over other surfaces.'''
** Use [[CLS]] or [[_DONTBLEND]] to make a new surface background [[_ALPHA]] 255 or opaque.
* If not specified, {{Parameter|bgColor&}} is assumed to be the current background color. 32-bit backgrounds will change to opaque.
* If {{Parameter|bgColor&}} is not a valid attribute, an [[ERROR Codes|illegal function call]] error will occur.
* Use [[_PRINTMODE]] to allow the background colors to be visible through the text or the text background.


{{PageExamples}}
''Example 1:'' Printing black text on a white background in QB64.
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
{{Cl|SCREEN}} 12
{{Cl|CLS}} , 15
{{Cl|_PRINTMODE }} _KEEPBACKGROUND        'keeps the text background visible
{{Cl|COLOR}} 0: {{Cl|PRINT}} "This is black text on a white background!"
K$ = {{Cl|INPUT$}}(1
{{CodeEnd}}
:''Explanation:'' [[_PRINTMODE]] can be used with [[PRINT]] or [[_PRINTSTRING]] to make the text or the text background transparent.


''Example 2:'' You don't need to do anything special to use a .PNG image with alpha/transparency. Here's a simple example:
{{CodeStart}} '' ''
{{Cl|SCREEN}} {{Cl|_NEWIMAGE}}(640, 480, 32)
{{Cl|CLS}} , {{Cl|_RGB}}(0, 255, 0)
i = {{Cl|_LOADIMAGE}}('''"qb64_trans.png"''') 'see note below examples to get the image 
{{Cl|_PUTIMAGE}} (0, 0), i 'places image at upper left corner of window w/o stretching it 
'' ''
{{CodeEnd}} '' ''

: ''Explanation:'' When QB64 loads a .PNG file containing a transparent color, that color will be properly treated as transparent when _PUTIMAGE is used to put it onto another image. You can use a .PNG file containing transparency information in a 256-color screen mode in QB64. [[CLS]] sets the [[_CLEARCOLOR]] setting using [[_RGB]].


{{PageSeeAlso}}
* [[SCREEN]]
* [[_RGB]], [[_RGBA]], [[_RGB32]], [[_RGBA32]]
* [[VIEW PRINT]], [[VIEW]]
* [[_CLEARCOLOR]]


{{PageNavigation}}
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