Can't GET "_Color" through Skinned Mesh Renderer

[PiscesStudios]

My shader has “_Color” reference. I even tried the standard shader. I CAN SET the color, but CANNOT GET the color.

if (skinnedMeshRenderer != null){
            skinnedMeshRenderer.GetPropertyBlock(color);
            Color newCol = color.GetColor("_Color");
            newCol.a = alpha;
            color.SetColor("_Color", newCol);
            skinnedMeshRenderer.SetPropertyBlock(color);
}

The same code works for a regular Mesh Renderer, but not the skinned mesh renderer. I even used material.HasProperty and that returns true. GetColor can’t find “_Color” on skinned mesh renderers… or any color for that matter as I tried them all…

I’m using Unity 2021.3.16f1

Before

After

For now I’m using this work around

if (skinnedMeshRenderer != null){
            skinnedMeshRenderer.GetPropertyBlock(color);
            Color newCol = skinnedMeshRenderer.material.color;
            newCol.a = alpha;
            color.SetColor("_Color", newCol);
            skinnedMeshRenderer.SetPropertyBlock(color);
}

[Bunny83]

Well, the documentation says:

GetPropertyBlock

Get per-Renderer or per-Material property block.

The retrieved properties are stored in the property block passed in through “properties”. If no properties are set, the property block is cleared. In either case the property block you pass in is completely overwritten.

If you provide a Material index, only the parameters of that Material are retrieved.

Since a PropertyBlock represents per-instance overrides, if there are no overrides, it does not contain any values at all. So if you currently have no per-instance overrides, your “workaround” seems to be the correct way of getting the color.

Note that a PropertyBlock is just a data collection, essentially some sort of dictionary that can hold any property overrides you want to use / apply for an instance. Getting the PropertyBlock only gives you the overrides, not every value in th shared material that the renderer uses. At least that’s what I get from the documentation.

[SF_FrankvHoof]

@Bunny83

Well, the documentation says:

Since a PropertyBlock represents per-instance overrides, if there are no overrides, it does not contain any values at all. So if you currently have no per-instance overrides, your “workaround” seems to be the correct way of getting the color.

Note that a PropertyBlock is just a data collection, essentially some sort of dictionary that can hold any property overrides you want to use / apply for an instance. Getting the PropertyBlock only gives you the overrides, not every value in th shared material that the renderer uses. At least that’s what I get from the documentation.

Also note that calling .material will create a copy (new instance) of the material.
If you’re looking for a ‘default value’, you should be grabbing it from .sharedMaterial instead.

[PiscesStudios]

@Bunny83

Well, the documentation says:

Since a PropertyBlock represents per-instance overrides, if there are no overrides, it does not contain any values at all. So if you currently have no per-instance overrides, your “workaround” seems to be the correct way of getting the color.

Note that a PropertyBlock is just a data collection, essentially some sort of dictionary that can hold any property overrides you want to use / apply for an instance. Getting the PropertyBlock only gives you the overrides, not every value in th shared material that the renderer uses. At least that’s what I get from the documentation.

Ah, I see. That’s correct and makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up!

@SF_FrankvHoof

Also note that calling .material will create a copy (new instance) of the material.
If you’re looking for a ‘default value’, you should be grabbing it from .sharedMaterial instead.

I totally forgot about that. That’ll be much more optimal. Thanks!