A structure that maintains all ParticleData array for the active set of Particles. This API allows you to gain access to the raw data used by the particles and allows you to change them using a Script or via C/C++ plugins.

See Also

Particles, Entity, Object, Script

Static Variables

Name	Description
`type`	Active ParticleType use by the active Particles.
Declaration ParticleType type
`entity`	The current Entity connected to the Particles (`kMatter` only).
Declaration Entity *entity
`playback_time`	Total playback time of the Particles since their creation.
Declaration float playback_time
`count`	Total amount of Particles available.
Declaration unsigned int count
`active`	Current amount of active Particles.
Declaration unsigned int active
`data_count`	Amount of ParticleDataType available within the active Particles.
Declaration unsigned char data_count
`duration`	Duration data array.
Declaration float *duration Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kDurationData` array; else return `nil`.
`lifetime`	Lifetime data array.
Declaration float *lifetime Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kLifeTimeData` array; else return `nil`.
`size`	Size data array.
Declaration vec2 *size Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kSizeData` array; else return `nil`.
`rotation`	Rotation data array.
Declaration vec3 *rotation Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kRotationData` array; else return `nil`.
`scale`	Scale data array.
Declaration vec3 *scale Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kScaleData` array; else return `nil`.
`color0`	First color channel data array.
Declaration vec3 *color0 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kColor0Data` array; else return `nil`.
`color1`	Second color channel data array.
Declaration vec3 *color1 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kColor1Data` array; else return `nil`.
`color2`	Third color channel data array.
Declaration vec3 *color2 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kColor2Data` array; else return `nil`.
`color3`	Fourth color channel data array.
Declaration vec3 *color3 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kColor3Data` array; else return `nil`.
`alpha0`	First alpha channel data array.
Declaration float *alpha0 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kAlpha0Data` array; else return `nil`.
`alpha1`	Second alpha channel data array.
Declaration float *alpha1 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kAlpha1Data` array; else return `nil`.
`alpha2`	Third alpha channel data array.
Declaration float *alpha2 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kAlpha2Data` array; else return `nil`.
`alpha3`	Fourth alpha channel data array.
Declaration float *alpha3 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kAlpha3Data` array; else return `nil`.
`userdata0`	First userdata channel data array.
Declaration vec3 *userdata0 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kUser0Data` array; else return `nil`.
`userdata1`	Second userdata channel data array.
Declaration vec3 *userdata1 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kUser1Data` array; else return `nil`.
`userdata2`	Third userdata channel data array.
Declaration vec3 *userdata2 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kUser2Data` array; else return `nil`.
`userdata3`	Fourth userdata channel data array.
Declaration vec3 *userdata3 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kUser3Data` array; else return `nil`.
`velocity`	Velocity data array.
Declaration vec3 *velocity Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kVelocityData` array; else return `nil`.
`force`	Force data array.
Declaration vec3 *force Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kForceData` array; else return `nil`.
`angle`	Force data array.
Declaration vec3 *angle Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kAngleData` array; else return `nil`.
`offset`	Offset data array.
Declaration vec3 *offset Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kOffsetData` array; else return `nil`.
`texcoord0`	First texcoord channel data array.
Declaration rect4 *texcoord0 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kTexCoord0Data` array; else return `nil`.
`texcoord1`	Second texcoord channel data array.
Declaration rect4 *texcoord1 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kTexCoord1Data` array; else return `nil`.
`texcoord2`	Third texcoord channel data array.
Declaration rect4 *texcoord2 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kTexCoord2Data` array; else return `nil`.
`texcoord3`	Fourth texcoord channel data array.
Declaration rect4 *texcoord3 Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kTexCoord3Data` array; else return `nil`.
`basis_matrix`	Local transformation data array.
Declaration mat4 *basis_matrix Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kBasisMatrixData` array; else return `nil`.
`world_matrix`	World transformation data array.
Declaration mat4 *world_matrix Attention Only available if the Particles contains a `kWorldMatrixData` array; else return `nil`.

Variables

Name Description

sync_time Last time the Particles was re-evaluated.

Declaration

float sync_time

Functions

Name Description

GetParticleDataType Retrieve the ParticleDataType for a specific data index.

Declaration

ParticleDataType GetParticleDataType( unsigned char index )

Parameters

index: Index of the ParticleData to retrieve the type for.

Return Value

kSelfData in case the index is invalid; else return the ParticleDataType in used at the index location.

ParticleType

Constant values that identify the different types of Particles

kSprite: Quads; their sizes are not implementation limited and rotation can be applied. They are constructed using two triangles and takes 4 vectors per particle in memory.
kPointSprite: Points; they are the fastest type to render and takes little memory (1 vector per particles). However, their size is restricted by the maximum point size of the graphics implementation (which may vary from platform to platform). In addition, they can only have the same size on the X and Y axis and cannot be rotated.
kTrail: Stitched quads; very similar to Sprite the trail allows you to created lines since all particles emitted will connect to the next using a triangle strip. They are ideal to create effects such as lighting, electricity or motion trails.
kMatter: This type allows you to connect an existing Entity. An Entity is basically a predefined branch (including leaves if any) of the scene graph that has been saved as a Script. Every time a particle will be emitted the Script will run creating a new Object or series of objects and reconstruct their properties (physics included).

Scripting

Access and modify a specific type of Particles data from a Script.

Lua

-- Retrieve the ParticleDataType at index 0 and insure it is of the
-- type kDuration.
if( this.data.particlesystem:GetParticlesAt(0):GetParticleDataType(0) ==
    ParticleData.ParticleDataType.kDurationData ) then

    -- Retrieve the duration array.
    local duration = this.data.particlesystem:GetParticlesAt(0).duration
    -- Update the duration data for each particle.
    for i=1,table.getn( duration ) do
        duration[ i ] = duration[ i ] * 1.125
    end

    -- Push back the updated duration data.
    this.data.particlesystem:GetParticlesAt(0).duration = duration
end