The Properties block

Learn to take outside values with the Properties block.

Declaring Variables with the Properties Block

The Properties { } block at the very top of ShaderLab exposes shader parameters to the user in the Unity Inspector. Fields like color, numbers, sliders (Range), and textures are defined here.

Properties
{
    _Color ("Main Color", Color) = (1,1,1,1)
    _Glossiness ("Smoothness", Range(0,1)) = 0.5
    _MainTex ("Albedo (RGB)", 2D) = "white" {}
}

Every value adjusted in the Inspector is saved to the material asset and fed directly into the shader calculations.

C# and Shader Variable Binding

A variable declared in the Properties block (like _Color) can be updated directly from C#. For this, Material.SetColor or Material.SetFloat methods are used.

// Updating a shader property from C#
Renderer rend = GetComponent<Renderer>();
rend.material.SetColor("_Color", Color.red);

Inside the CGPROGRAM block of the shader, a matching uniform variable (fixed4 _Color;) is declared with the identical name.

Exercise Update material property

Define a Start method. Inside, declare string ozellikAdi = "_Color"; and print "Guncellenen ozellik: " + ozellikAdi to the console.

Show example solution

using UnityEngine;

public class PropertyLogger : MonoBehaviour
{
    void Start()
    {
        string ozellikAdi = "_Color";
        Debug.Log("Guncellenen ozellik: " + ozellikAdi);
    }
}

Test yourself

Which type is used for a property defined in ShaderLab to appear as a slider in the Inspector?
- Boolean
- Color
- Texture2D
- Range(min, max)
Show answer

Range(min, max) — In the ShaderLab Properties block, the 'Range(min, max)' type creates a numeric slider UI in the Inspector.

Properties color declaration

Properties { _Color ("Main Color", ____) = (1,1,1,1) }

Show answer

Properties { _Color ("Main Color", Color) = (1,1,1,1) }

Properties terms

Properties { }

Block of exposed parameters
Range(0, 1)

Numeric value presenting a slider UI
2D

Texture input type
SetColor

Method updating color parameter from C#

Next lesson: Vertex and fragment

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