vrctools docs

World Utilities / Applicators

Material Property

Writes values into shader properties of a material, a renderer’s property block or global shader variables.

since v0.1.0localsynchronizedpersisted
Component Add Component menu / prefab Source
Local Material Property ApplicatorVRCTools.World.LocalValues.Applicators.LocalMaterialPropertyApplicator Local Values › Applicators › Local Material Property Applicatorprefab: Material Property Applicator.prefab LocalMaterialPropertyApplicator.cs ↗
Synchronized Material Property ApplicatorVRCTools.World.SynchronizedValues.Applicators.SynchronizedMaterialPropertyApplicator Synchronized Values › Applicators › Synchronized Material Property Applicatorprefab: Material Property Applicator.prefab SynchronizedMaterialPropertyApplicator.cs ↗

Maps any number of values to shader property names. Whenever one of the values changes, only the properties belonging to that value are updated. A single applicator can drive colors, floats and toggles of the same material at once.

Parameters

Parameter Default Description
Target MATERIAL Where properties are written to - see targets.
Renderer None The renderer to modify (PROPERTY_BLOCK only).
Material None The material asset to modify (MATERIAL only).
Boolean Properties empty Boolean values → property names. Written as int 0 / 1.
Color Properties empty Color values → property names.
Float Properties empty Float values → property names.
Int Properties empty Int values → property names.
Texture Properties empty Local only. Texture2D values → property names.
Vector Properties empty Vector3 values → property names (written as Vector4 with w = 0).

The local applicator accepts local and persisted values; the synchronized applicator accepts synchronized values.

In v0.7.0 Texture Properties are not applied as textures. To show a downloaded image, use a Raw Image applicator for UI or a small custom script for materials until this is fixed.

Targets

Writes into a MaterialPropertyBlock on a single renderer. Other objects sharing the same material are not affected and nothing is written to your material assets.

  1. Make sure the material has Enable GPU Instancing ticked and its shader supports per-instance properties. Most standard and popular world shaders do; niche effect shaders (water, caustics, fake lighting) sometimes don’t.
  2. Set Target to PROPERTY_BLOCK and drag the renderer into Renderer.
  3. Add an entry per property you want to drive.

Property blocks apply to all material slots of the renderer.

MATERIAL

Writes directly into a material asset. Every renderer using the material changes. Use this when you want to recolor many objects at once.

Changes made in play mode may stick to the material asset after you exit play mode. Keep your materials under version control or reset them after testing.

GLOBAL

Sets a global shader property (via VRCShader.SetGlobal*) which every shader declaring that property picks up - ideal for world wide effects such as a global tint, wind strength or a “night mode” factor used by many custom shaders.

VRChat only allows global shader properties whose name starts with _Udon, e.g. _UdonNightFactor. Declare the property in your shaders as a regular (non-Properties block) uniform with that name.

Finding property names

Shader property names rarely match the labels shown in the material inspector. To find the real names:

  1. Select the material.
  2. Click the shader name (or right click the material preview header) and choose Select Shader.
  3. The shader inspector lists all properties with their actual names, e.g. _EmissionColor.

Some shaders use custom inspectors that hide or rename properties. When in doubt, ask the shader author.

Displayed name (Standard shader) Property name
Albedo color _Color
Alpha Cutoff _Cutoff
Metallic _Metallic
Smoothness _Glossiness
Emission color _EmissionColor
Albedo texture _MainTex

Emission changes on lightmapped or baked-GI objects only update the material, not the baked lighting.