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Particle View 121
Pa rti cle Fl ow Us er I nt erf a ce
Pa rti cl e Vi ew
Select a Particle Flow source icon > M odify panel > Setup
rollout > Click Particle Vie w (or press 6).
Create panel > Geometry > Particle Systems > Object
Type rollout > Click PF Source. > Setup rollout > Click
Particle View (or press 6).
Particle View provides the main user interface
for creating and modifying particle systems in
Particle Flow. The main window, known as the
event display ,containsthe particle diagram ,which
describes the part icle system. A part icle system
consists of one or more
events wired together, each
of which contains a list of one or more
operators
(page 2–138)
and tests (page 2–206) .Operators
and tests are known collect ively as
actions .
The first event is ca l led t he
global event ,because
any operators it cont ains can affec t the ent ire
particle system. The global event always has the
same name as the Particle Flow icon; by default,
this is PF Source ## (starting with 01 and counting
upward). Following this is the
birth event ,which
must contain a
Birth operator (page 2–139) if the
system is to generate particles. By default, the
birth event contains this operator as well as several
others that define the system’s initial properties.
You can add any number of subsequent events to
a particle system; collectively, the birth event and
additional events are called
local events .They’re
called this because a local event’s actions ty pically
affect only particles currently in the event.
You u se tests to determine when particles are
eligible to leave the current event and enter a
different one. To indicate w here they should go
next, you
wire the test to another event. This
wiring defines the schematic, or flow, of the
particle system.
By default, the name of each operator and test in
an event is followed by its most important setting
or settings in parentheses. Above the event display
is a menu bar, and b elow is the
depot ,containing
all actions available for use in the particle system,
as well as a selection of default particle systems.
Tip: TheeasiestwaytoopenParticleViewisby
pressing the 6 key. It’s not necessary to first select
aParticleFlowicon.
1. Menu bar
2. Event display
3. Parameters panel
4. De pot
5. Description panel
6. Display tools
Particle View comprises the following elements:
•The
menu bar (page 2–122) provides functions
for editing, selection, adjusting the view, and
analyzing the particle system.
•The
event display (page 2–127) contains the
part icle diagram, and provides functions for
modifying the particle system.