> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://items.lodemc.net/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connected textures

> Blocks that join into one surface with their neighbours, like big windows or tiled floors.

Blocks of the same kind next to each other can join up, so a wall of glass looks like one big window and a floor of tiles like one surface.

```yaml items/blocks/glass/framed_glass.yml theme={null}
framed_glass:
  type: block
  transparent: true
  texture: framed_glass.png                   # a single pane, with its frame
  connected-texture: framed_glass_inner.png   # the same pane without the frame
  connect: all
```

You only draw **two textures**, whichever mode you use:

| Texture | What to draw |
| - | - |
| `texture` | The block on its own, with its border on all four edges |
| `connected-texture` | The same picture with the border painted out, seamless when tiled |

Both must be PNGs of the same size. Lode Items works out how wide the border is and makes every tile itself: the border stays on each edge that doesn't touch the same block. One pair covers all six faces.

**connect** `text`

Which neighbours it joins. Each combination of neighbours is its own look, so the modes cost differently:

| `connect` | Joins | Looks it uses |
| - | - | - |
| `vertical` | the blocks above and below (pillars, logs) | 4 |
| `horizontal` | the four blocks around it (bookshelves, panels) | 16 |
| `all` | every direction (glass, tiles, frames) | 64 |

> [!WARNING]
>
> Looks are limited (see [How many blocks](https://items.lodemc.net/blocks.md#how-many-blocks)). Solid blocks have plenty, but there are only 143 see-through looks, so at most 2 see-through blocks can use `connect: all`. The Framed Glass that comes with Lode Items is one of them. Use `vertical` or `horizontal` where they're enough.

* Faces between two joined blocks aren't drawn, so connected glass shows no inner edges.
* Corners where two joined edges meet stay seamless. Proper inner-corner notches would need the diagonal neighbours too, which is far too many looks.
* A connected block uses one texture pair for every face, and can't also use `rotation`, `textures:` or `model:`.

Lode Items comes with two connected blocks in `items/blocks/`: **Lodestone Tiles** (solid) and **Framed Glass** (see-through).


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.