# Sample Texture 2D node

The Sample Texture 2D node samples a **Texture 2D** asset and returns a **Vector 4** color value. You can specify the **UV** coordinates for a texture sample and use a [Sampler State node](Sampler-State-Node.md) to define a specific Sampler State.

A Sample Texture 2D node can also sample a normal map. For more information, refer to the [Controls](#controls) section, or [Normal map (Bump mapping)](https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/StandardShaderMaterialParameterNormalMap.html) in the Unity User manual.

[!include[nodes-sample-errors](./snippets/sample-nodes/nodes-sample-errors.md)]

![An image that displays the Graph window with a Sample Texture 2D node.](./images/sg-sample-texture-2d-node.png)

## Create Node menu category

The Sample Texture 2D node is under the **Input** > **Texture** category in the Create Node menu.

## Compatibility

The Sample Texture 2D [!include[nodes-compatibility-all](./snippets/nodes-compatibility-all.md)]

[!include[nodes-sample-fragment-lod](./snippets/sample-nodes/nodes-sample-fragment-lod.md)]

## Inputs

The Sample Texture 2D [!include[nodes-inputs](./snippets/nodes-inputs.md)]

| **Name** | **Type**  | **Binding** | **Description** |
|--|--|--|--|
| **Texture** | Texture 2D | None | The Texture 2D asset to sample.| 
| **UV** | Vector 2 | UV | The UV coordinates to use to sample the texture. |
| **Sampler** | Sampler State | Default Sampler State | The Sampler State and settings to use to sample the texture.|
| **LOD** | Float | LOD | The specific mip to use when sampling the Texture.<br/>**Note**: The **LOD** Input port only displays if **Mip Sampling Mode** is **LOD**. For more information, refer to [Additional node settings](#additional-node-settings). |
| **Bias** | Float | Bias | When you enable **Use Global Mip Bias**, Unity adds this Bias amount to the Global Mip Bias for a texture's mip calculation. When you disable **Global Mip Bias**, Unity uses this Bias amount instead of the Global Mip Bias. <br/>**Note**: The **Bias** Input port only displays if **Mip Sampling Mode** is **Bias**. For more information, refer to [Additional node settings](#additional-node-settings). |
| **DDX** | Float | DDY | The specific DDX value to use to calculate the texture's mip when sampling. For more information on DDX values for mipmaps, refer to [Mipmaps introduction](https://docs.unity3d.com/Documentation/Manual/texture-mipmaps-introduction.html) in the Unity User Manual.<br/>**Note**: The DDX Input port only displays if **Mip Sampling Mode** is **Gradient**. For more information, refer to [Additional node settings](#additional-node-settings). |
| **DDY** | Float | DDY | The specific DDY value to use to calculate the texture's mip when sampling. For more information on DDY values for mipmaps, refer to [Mipmaps introduction](https://docs.unity3d.com/Documentation/Manual/texture-mipmaps-introduction.html)> in the Unity User Manual.<br/>**Note**: The **DDY** Input port only displays if **Mip Sampling Mode** is **Gradient**. For more information, refer to [Additional node settings](#additional-node-settings). |

## Controls

The Sample Texture 2D [!include[nodes-controls](./snippets/nodes-controls.md)]

| **Name** | **Description**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| **Type** | Select whether the texture is a Texture asset or a normal map. The options are:<ul><li>**Default**: Outputs the raw texture data according to the imported texture format or the format specified when the texture/render texture was created. For more information, refer to [GraphicsFormat](https://docs.unity3d.com/Documentation/ScriptReference/Experimental.Rendering.GraphicsFormat.html).</li><li>**Normal**: Interprets the texture as a normal map and outputs RGB in the range [&minus;1, 1].                                                                                                                                        |
| Space    | Select the space used when Type is Normal. Behavior varies based on whether the blue channel is used. The options are:<ul><li>**Tangent**: Assumes an imported Normal Map format where only X and Y are stored. The blue channel is ignored. Use Tangent space for deforming meshes (for example, animated characters). Normals are relative to the mesh’s vertex normals. Shader Graph adjusts but does not override them.</li><li>**Object**: Uses the blue channel and expects the texture to be UNorm in Linear color space. Use Object space for static meshes. Normals override mesh normals and maintain consistent lighting across LODs. |

## Additional node settings

The Sample Texture 2D [!include[nodes-additional-settings](./snippets/nodes-additional-settings.md)]

[!include[nodes-sample-mip-bias-sample-mode-table](./snippets/sample-nodes/nodes-sample-mip-bias-sample-mode-table.md)]

## Outputs

The Sample Texture 2D [!include[nodes-outputs](./snippets/nodes-outputs.md)]

[!include[nodes-sample-rgba-output-table](./snippets/sample-nodes/nodes-sample-rgba-output-table.md)]

## Example graph usage

In the following example, the Sample Texture 2D node uses a [Subgraph node](Sub-graph-Node.md) that generates UV coordinates in latitude and longitude format. These latitude and longitude UV coordinates help render the **latlong_test** 2D Texture asset, which was created and formatted with a latitude and longitude projection. The generated latitude and longitude UVs accurately map the 2D Texture asset onto a spherical geometry.

If the Sample Texture 2D node uses the **Standard** Mip Sampling Mode, the Texture displays with a seam along the side of the sphere where the left and right sides of the texture meet. The latitude and longitude UV coordinates for sampling the texture jump from `0` to `1` at the seam on the model, which causes a problem with the mip level calculation in the sample. The error in the mip level calculation causes the seam. The texture requires a different mip sampling mode to remove the seam.

![An image of the Graph window, that displays a UV Lat Long Subgraph node connected to the UV input port on a Sample Texture 2D node. The Sample Texture 2D provides its RGBA output to the Base Color Block node in the Master Stack. The Main Preview of the sampled Texture has a noticeable seam along the middle of the sphere.](images/sg-sample-texture-2d-node-example.png)

When you set the Mip Sampling Mode to **Gradient**, the Sample Texture 2D node can use the standard set of UVs for the model in the mip level calculation, instead of the latitude and longitude UVs needed for sampling the texture. The new UV coordinates passed into the **DDX** and **DDY** input ports result in a continuous mip level, and remove the seam.

![An image of the Graph window, that displays the same Sample Texture 2D node as the previous image. This time, the Mip Sampling Mode in the Graph Inspector has been set to Gradient. The new DDX and DDY input ports on the Sample Texture 2D node receive input from a DDX and DDY node, with input from a UV node. The seam on the Main Preview of the Texture has disappeared.](images/sg-sample-texture-2d-node-example-2.png)

## Generated code example

[!include[nodes-generated-code](./snippets/nodes-generated-code.md)], based on the selected [**Type**](#controls) on the Sample Texture 2D node:

### Default

```
float4 _SampleTexture2D_RGBA = SAMPLE_TEXTURE2D(Texture, Sampler, UV);
float _SampleTexture2D_R = _SampleTexture2D_RGBA.r;
float _SampleTexture2D_G = _SampleTexture2D_RGBA.g;
float _SampleTexture2D_B = _SampleTexture2D_RGBA.b;
float _SampleTexture2D_A = _SampleTexture2D_RGBA.a;
```

### Normal

```
float4 _SampleTexture2D_RGBA = SAMPLE_TEXTURE2D(Texture, Sampler, UV);
_SampleTexture2D_RGBA.rgb = UnpackNormalMapRGorAG(_SampleTexture2D_RGBA);
float _SampleTexture2D_R = _SampleTexture2D_RGBA.r;
float _SampleTexture2D_G = _SampleTexture2D_RGBA.g;
float _SampleTexture2D_B = _SampleTexture2D_RGBA.b;
float _SampleTexture2D_A = _SampleTexture2D_RGBA.a;
```

## Related nodes

[!include[nodes-related](./snippets/nodes-related.md)] Sample Texture 2D node:


- [Sample Texture 2D Array node](Sample-Texture-2D-Array-Node.md)
- [Sample Texture 3D node](Sample-Texture-3D-Node.md)
- [Sampler State node](Sampler-State-Node.md)