# Use Mesh Metadata as Input for Node Material **URL:** \ **Category:** Questions\ **Tags:** material, nodematerial\ **Created:** [December 1, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108 "2023-12-01T19:59:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dsaffo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/dsaffo/32/31907_2.png) [@dsaffo](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/dsaffo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/1 "2023-12-01T19:59:42Z")
Hello, I am trying to create a node material that can function like a color scale that will set a meshes color from a predefined gradient based on a input. Ideally this input value is read in from the meshes metadata, similarly to how you can use the meshes position as an input value. Is this possible? Here is a NME example i’ve been using to try stuff out: [https://nme.babylonjs.com/#TR9E67#7](https://nme.babylonjs.com/#TR9E67#7) Right now the input to step the gradient color is just a static float, but the goal would be to replace it with a value from the meshes metadata. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![labris](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/labris/32/12576_2.png) [@labris](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/labris)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2023, 8:51pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/2 "2023-12-01T20:51:41Z")
For GLTF there are some ways which are described here - [How to Access extras Property of Loaded GLTF - #4 by sebavan](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/how-to-access-extras-property-of-loaded-gltf/22139/4) Or (for meshes created with Babylon) just use `mesh.metadata` - [Mesh | Babylon.js Documentation](https://doc.babylonjs.com/typedoc/classes/BABYLON.Mesh#metadata) ---
**Author:** ![dsaffo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/dsaffo/32/31907_2.png) [@dsaffo](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/dsaffo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2023, 9:08pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/3 "2023-12-01T21:08:59Z")
I understand how to access the metadata information from a mesh generally, what I am struggling with is applying it in the context of a node material that can dynamically read the metadata from the meshes it is applied too. For example if i have 3 spheres that I apply the same node material to, the node material will get the input value from each spheres metadata property and set the gradient step accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![sebavan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/sebavan/32/57_2.png) [@sebavan](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/sebavan)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 1:34am UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/4 "2023-12-02T01:34:56Z")
You can use mesh.onBeforeRenderObservable to set the blocks value corresponding to your metadata. ---
**Author:** ![labris](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/labris/32/12576_2.png) [@labris](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/labris)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2023, 3:26am UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/5 "2023-12-02T03:26:16Z")
This is just illustrative example - [https://playground.babylonjs.com/#44N2I0#10](https://playground.babylonjs.com/#44N2I0#10) 3 meshes use the same NME materials but with different values. In this example they depend on time, but there is no problem to make these input values to depend on `mesh.metadata`. In this case it is even simpler like here - [https://playground.babylonjs.com/#44N2I0#14](https://playground.babylonjs.com/#44N2I0#14) ---
**Author:** ![dsaffo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/dsaffo/32/31907_2.png) [@dsaffo](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/dsaffo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2023, 9:14pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/6 "2023-12-04T21:14:15Z")
Yep! more or less what I was going for thank you! I was hoping to avoid cloning the material and using more than one material per mesh but it looks like that is not practical. ---
**Author:** ![peterimg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@peterimg](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/peterimg)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2024, 12:04pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/7 "2024-12-30T12:04:56Z")
@labris, @sebavan I just found this tread and I have the same question. In the solution you proposed, you need to have material clones anyway. So your increasing Draw Calls. I would like to have a mesh.metadata parameter read inside the material and applying the same material to different meshes or instances. Its a walk around not the solution to a question. With the new version 7 is there something that could actually do it? Regards Peter ---
**Author:** ![sebavan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/sebavan/32/57_2.png) [@sebavan](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/sebavan)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2024, 11:34pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/8 "2024-12-30T23:34:44Z")
Relying on instances only works if your geometry are similar and in this case you should rely on a custom attribute. ---
**Author:** ![peterimg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/50afbb/32.png) [@peterimg](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/peterimg)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2024, 11:03am UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/9 "2024-12-31T11:03:35Z")
@sebavan Hi so how should you read them? Why not the metadata? that I can set up during mesh cloning? Regards Peter ---
**Author:** ![sebavan](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex024/user_avatar/forum.babylonjs.com/sebavan/32/57_2.png) [@sebavan](https://forum.babylonjs.com/u/sebavan)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2024, 9:27pm UTC](https://forum.babylonjs.com/t/use-mesh-metadata-as-input-for-node-material/46108/10 "2024-12-31T21:27:10Z")
Oh yes, you can, only mentioning due to this part of the thread: > you need to have material clones anyway. So your increasing Draw Calls. This will be similar here in term of draw calls.