# Accessing Mat Trait Properties

**URL:** <https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/accessing-mat-trait-properties/89895>\
**Category:** Feature Requests\
**Created:** [February 14, 2026, 7:25am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/accessing-mat-trait-properties/89895 "2026-02-14T07:25:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![palad0n](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/palad0n/32/215_2.png) [@palad0n](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/palad0n)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 7:25am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/accessing-mat-trait-properties/89895/1 "2026-02-14T07:25:52Z")

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OK, the cargo a Mat carries can access a unique Mat property called CurrentMatID. This ID is a very long unique ID that also uses the Mat name. Can’t do much about that I guess. However, why is it that this mat ID cannot be used in a text trait on the mat itself? (that could also include all the other properties that the cargo gets access to, but not the mat itself).

Basically, if I have 2 loaded mats in the same hex, I would like to know what cargo is loaded to which mat via the mat ID.

In the module, mats have their own layer. So the mouse over stack viewer shows the mats in a hex, then the other game pieces ‘above’ the mats. Be nice to know using the mouse over to see which is loaded to which, without having to move each mat to different hexes.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cholmcc](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/cholmcc/32/8319_2.png) [@cholmcc](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/cholmcc)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 10:24am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/accessing-mat-trait-properties/89895/2 "2026-02-14T10:24:31Z")

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[Mat](https://vassalengine.org/doc/latest/ReferenceManual/Mat.html#top) pieces has the property `MatID`, and [Mat Cargo](https://vassalengine.org/doc/latest/ReferenceManual/MatCargo.html#top) on a mat have a matching `CurrentMatID` property. These can be used to send commands to and from the `Mat` from and to the carried `Mat Cargo` with.

```auto
MatID==$CurrentMatID$

```

and

```auto
CurrentMatID==$MatID$

```

respectively.

Yours,  
_Christian_

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![palad0n](https://forum.vassalengine.org/user_avatar/forum.vassalengine.org/palad0n/32/215_2.png) [@palad0n](https://forum.vassalengine.org/u/palad0n)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 11:06am UTC](https://forum.vassalengine.org/t/accessing-mat-trait-properties/89895/3 "2026-02-14T11:06:47Z")

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Thank you for your timely response. I understand that now.