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title: "V-Ray User Plugin Shader"
canonical: "https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VRAYHOUDINI/113279949/V-Ray%20User%20Plugin%20Shader"
format: markdown
---
This page contains information about the V-Ray User Plugin Shader. Overview The V-Ray User Plugin Shader VOP allows you to load a custom V-Ray node. There are two  environment variables  that need to be set up for V-Ray for Houdini to load your custom plugin and generate the correct UI: VRAY_FOR_HOUDINI_PLUGINS  – this environment variable must be pointed to the folder holding the compiled plugin. VFH_USER_HOME  – this environment variable must be pointed to a directory that contains a "ui" folder. The "ui" folder must hold a ".ds" file that shares the same name as the custom plugin. Please refer to one of the *.ds files inside the V-Ray for Houdini installation folder → /ui/plugins for examples.  Parameters Plugin  – A drop-down menu listing all UI definitions found in  $VFH_USER_HOME/ui . Plugin Name  – This parameter is not intended to be tweaked – it will display the internal name of the loaded plugin.