iOS invert mask in drawRect

Question

With the code below, I am successfully masking part of my drawing, but it's the inverse of what I want masked. This masks the inner portion of the drawing, where I would like to mask the outer portion. Is there a simple way to invert this mask?

myPath below is a UIBezierPath.

CAShapeLayer *maskLayer = [[CAShapeLayer alloc] init];
CGMutablePathRef maskPath = CGPathCreateMutable();
CGPathAddPath(maskPath, nil, myPath.CGPath);
[maskLayer setPath:maskPath];
CGPathRelease(maskPath);
self.layer.mask = maskLayer;

Answer 1

With even odd filling on the shape layer (maskLayer.fillRule = kCAFillRuleEvenOdd;) you can add a big rectangle that covers the entire frame and then add the shape you are masking out. This will in effect invert the mask.

CAShapeLayer *maskLayer = [[CAShapeLayer alloc] init];
CGMutablePathRef maskPath = CGPathCreateMutable();
CGPathAddRect(maskPath, NULL, someBigRectangle); // this line is new
CGPathAddPath(maskPath, nil, myPath.CGPath);
[maskLayer setPath:maskPath];
maskLayer.fillRule = kCAFillRuleEvenOdd;         // this line is new
CGPathRelease(maskPath);
self.layer.mask = maskLayer;

Answer 2

For Swift 3.0

func mask(viewToMask: UIView, maskRect: CGRect, invert: Bool = false) {
    let maskLayer = CAShapeLayer()
    let path = CGMutablePath()
    if (invert) {
        path.addRect(viewToMask.bounds)
    }
    path.addRect(maskRect)

    maskLayer.path = path
    if (invert) {
        maskLayer.fillRule = kCAFillRuleEvenOdd
    }

    // Set the mask of the view.
    viewToMask.layer.mask = maskLayer;
}

Answer 3

Based on the accepted answer, here's another mashup in Swift. I've made it into a function and made the invert optional

class func mask(viewToMask: UIView, maskRect: CGRect, invert: Bool = false) {
    let maskLayer = CAShapeLayer()
    let path = CGPathCreateMutable()
    if (invert) {
        CGPathAddRect(path, nil, viewToMask.bounds)
    }
    CGPathAddRect(path, nil, maskRect)

    maskLayer.path = path
    if (invert) {
        maskLayer.fillRule = kCAFillRuleEvenOdd
    }

    // Set the mask of the view.
    viewToMask.layer.mask = maskLayer;
}

Answer 4

For Swift 4.2

func mask(viewToMask: UIView, maskRect: CGRect, invert: Bool = false) {
    let maskLayer = CAShapeLayer()
    let path = CGMutablePath()
    if (invert) {
        path.addRect(viewToMask.bounds)
    }
    path.addRect(maskRect)

    maskLayer.path = path
    if (invert) {
        maskLayer.fillRule = .evenOdd
    }

    // Set the mask of the view.
    viewToMask.layer.mask = maskLayer;
}

Answer 5

Here's my Swift 4.2 solution that allows a corner radius

extension UIView {

    func mask(withRect maskRect: CGRect, cornerRadius: CGFloat, inverse: Bool = false) {
        let maskLayer = CAShapeLayer()
        let path = CGMutablePath()
        if (inverse) {
            path.addPath(UIBezierPath(roundedRect: self.bounds, cornerRadius: cornerRadius).cgPath)
        }
        path.addPath(UIBezierPath(roundedRect: maskRect, cornerRadius: cornerRadius).cgPath)

        maskLayer.path = path
        if (inverse) {
            maskLayer.fillRule = CAShapeLayerFillRule.evenOdd
        }

        self.layer.mask = maskLayer;
    }

}