Version: 2022.3
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  • C#

ParticleSystem

class in UnityEngine

/

Inherits from:Component

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Implemented in:UnityEngine.ParticleSystemModule

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Description

Script interface for the Built-in Particle System. Unity's powerful and versatile particle system implementation.

General parameters

The Particle System's general parameters are kept inside a special Main module. These parameters are visible in the Inspector above all the other modules:



In script, these parameters are accessible through ParticleSystem.main.

Accessing module properties

Particle System properties are grouped by the module they belong to, such as ParticleSystem.noise and ParticleSystem.emission. These properties are structs, but do not behave like normal C# structs. They are simply interfaces directly into the native code, so it is important to know how to use them, compared to a normal C# struct.

The key difference is that it is not necessary to assign the struct back to the Particle System component. When you set any property on a module struct, Unity immediately assigns that value to the Particle System.

Also, because each module is a struct, you must cache it in a local variable before you can assign any new values to the module. For example, instead of:
ParticleSystem.emission.enabled = true; // Doesn't compile
write:
var emission = ParticleSystem.emission; // Stores the module in a local variable
emission.enabled = true; // Applies the new value directly to the Particle System


Module effect multipliers

Every module has special multiplier properties that allow you to change the overall effect of a curve without having to edit the curve itself. These multiplier properties are all named after the curve they affect - for instance ParticleSystem.emission.rateMultiplier controls the overall effect of ParticleSystem.emission.rate in a given system.

Constant value shorthand

Parameters support a shorthand notation for simple constant values. To set a constant value for a parameter, all you need to do is assign a number to it. It is not necessary to create a MinMaxCurve or MinMaxGradient object in the ParticleSystemCurveMode.Constant mode.

For example, instead of:
var emission = ParticleSystem.emission;
emission.rate = new ParticleSystem.MinMaxCurve(5.0f);
write:
var emission = ParticleSystem.emission;
emission.rate = 5.0f;

Performance note: When setting properties on particle modules, the settings are passed immediately into native code. This gives the best performance. This means that setting properties on a module struct doesn't set something in script that requires setting back to the Particle System; it all happens automatically.

Additional resources: Particle.

Properties

collisionScript interface for the CollisionModule of a Particle System.
colorBySpeedScript interface for the ColorByLifetimeModule of a Particle System.
colorOverLifetimeScript interface for the ColorOverLifetimeModule of a Particle System.
customDataScript interface for the CustomDataModule of a Particle System.
emissionScript interface for the EmissionModule of a Particle System.
externalForcesScript interface for the ExternalForcesModule of a Particle System.
forceOverLifetimeScript interface for the ForceOverLifetimeModule of a Particle System.
has3DParticleRotationsDetermines whether the Particle System rotates its particles around only the Z axis, or whether the system specifies separate values for the X, Y and Z axes.
hasNonUniformParticleSizesDetermines whether the Particle System uses a single value for the width and height (and depth, when using meshes), or if the system specifies different values for each axis.
inheritVelocityScript interface for the InheritVelocityModule of a Particle System.
isEmittingDetermines whether the Particle System is emitting particles. A Particle System may stop emitting when its emission module has finished, it has been paused or if the system has been stopped using Stop with the StopEmitting flag. Resume emitting by calling Play.
isPausedDetermines whether the Particle System is paused.
isPlayingDetermines whether the Particle System is playing.
isStoppedDetermines whether the Particle System is in the stopped state.
lifetimeByEmitterSpeedScript interface for the Particle System Lifetime By Emitter Speed module.
lightsScript interface for the LightsModule of a Particle System.
limitVelocityOverLifetimeScript interface for the LimitVelocityOverLifetimeModule of a Particle System. .
mainAccess the main Particle System settings.
noiseScript interface for the NoiseModule of a Particle System.
particleCountThe current number of particles (Read Only). The number doesn't include particles of child Particle Systems
proceduralSimulationSupportedDoes this system support Procedural Simulation?
randomSeedOverride the random seed used for the Particle System emission.
rotationBySpeedScript interface for the RotationBySpeedModule of a Particle System.
rotationOverLifetimeScript interface for the RotationOverLifetimeModule of a Particle System.
shapeScript interface for the ShapeModule of a Particle System.
sizeBySpeedScript interface for the SizeBySpeedModule of a Particle System.
sizeOverLifetimeScript interface for the SizeOverLifetimeModule of a Particle System.
subEmittersScript interface for the SubEmittersModule of a Particle System.
textureSheetAnimationScript interface for the TextureSheetAnimationModule of a Particle System.
timePlayback position in seconds.
totalTimeTotal playback time in seconds, including the Start Delay setting.
trailsScript interface for the TrailsModule of a Particle System.
triggerScript interface for the TriggerModule of a Particle System.
useAutoRandomSeedControls whether the Particle System uses an automatically-generated random number to seed the random number generator.
velocityOverLifetimeScript interface for the VelocityOverLifetimeModule of a Particle System.

Public Methods

AllocateAxisOfRotationAttributeEnsures that the axisOfRotations particle attribute array is allocated.
AllocateCustomDataAttributeEnsures that the customData1 and customData2 particle attribute arrays are allocated.
AllocateMeshIndexAttributeEnsures that the meshIndices particle attribute array is allocated.
ClearRemove all particles in the Particle System.
EmitEmit count particles immediately.
GetCustomParticleDataGet a stream of custom per-particle data.
GetParticlesGets the particles of this Particle System.
GetPlaybackStateReturns all the data that relates to the current internal state of the Particle System.
GetTrailsReturns all the data relating to the current internal state of the Particle System Trails.
IsAliveDoes the Particle System contain any live particles, or will it produce more?
PausePauses the system so no new particles are emitted and the existing particles are not updated.
PlayStarts the Particle System.
SetCustomParticleDataSet a stream of custom per-particle data.
SetParticlesSets the particles of this Particle System.
SetPlaybackStateUse this method with the results of an earlier call to ParticleSystem.GetPlaybackState, in order to restore the Particle System to the state stored in the playbackState object.
SetTrailsUse this method with the results of an earlier call to ParticleSystem.GetTrails, in order to restore the Particle System to the state stored in the Trails object.
SimulateFast-forwards the Particle System by simulating particles over the given period of time, then pauses it.
StopStops playing the Particle System using the supplied stop behaviour.
TriggerSubEmitterTriggers the specified sub emitter on all particles of the Particle System.

Static Methods

ResetPreMappedBufferMemoryReset the cache of reserved graphics memory used for efficient rendering of Particle Systems.
SetMaximumPreMappedBufferCountsLimits the amount of graphics memory Unity reserves for efficient rendering of Particle Systems.

Inherited Members

Properties

gameObjectThe game object this component is attached to. A component is always attached to a game object.
tagThe tag of this game object.
transformThe Transform attached to this GameObject.
hideFlagsShould the object be hidden, saved with the Scene or modifiable by the user?
nameThe name of the object.

Public Methods

BroadcastMessageCalls the method named methodName on every MonoBehaviour in this game object or any of its children.
CompareTagChecks the GameObject's tag against the defined tag.
GetComponentGets a reference to a component of type T on the same GameObject as the component specified.
GetComponentInChildrenGets a reference to a component of type T on the same GameObject as the component specified, or any child of the GameObject.
GetComponentIndexGets the index of the component on its parent GameObject.
GetComponentInParentGets a reference to a component of type T on the same GameObject as the component specified, or any parent of the GameObject.
GetComponentsGets references to all components of type T on the same GameObject as the component specified.
GetComponentsInChildrenGets references to all components of type T on the same GameObject as the component specified, and any child of the GameObject.
GetComponentsInParentGets references to all components of type T on the same GameObject as the component specified, and any parent of the GameObject.
SendMessageCalls the method named methodName on every MonoBehaviour in this game object.
SendMessageUpwardsCalls the method named methodName on every MonoBehaviour in this game object and on every ancestor of the behaviour.
TryGetComponentGets the component of the specified type, if it exists.
GetInstanceIDGets the instance ID of the object.
ToStringReturns the name of the object.

Static Methods

DestroyRemoves a GameObject, component or asset.
DestroyImmediateDestroys the object obj immediately. You are strongly recommended to use Destroy instead.
DontDestroyOnLoadDo not destroy the target Object when loading a new Scene.
FindAnyObjectByTypeRetrieves any active loaded object of Type type.
FindFirstObjectByTypeRetrieves the first active loaded object of Type type.
FindObjectOfTypeReturns the first active loaded object of Type type.
FindObjectsByTypeRetrieves a list of all loaded objects of Type type.
FindObjectsOfTypeGets a list of all loaded objects of Type type.
InstantiateClones the object original and returns the clone.
InstantiateAsyncCaptures a snapshot of the original object (that must be related to some GameObject) and returns the AsyncInstantiateOperation.

Operators

boolDoes the object exist?
operator !=Compares if two objects refer to a different object.
operator ==Compares two object references to see if they refer to the same object.