Emit Strands

This compound emits particle strands from the surface of a geometry, then initializes certain Strand attributes so that you can apply dynamics to the strands. You need to use the Strand Dynamics Framework compound in a simulated ICE tree on the same point cloud as these strands.

If you're using this compound with the Emit Filler Strands compound, this compound creates the guide strands.

Plug this compound's Emit output into an unsimulated ICETree node. On the same point cloud, create a simulated ICETree node that contains the Strand Dynamics Framework compound.

For more information on using dynamics on strands, see Creating Strand Dynamics [ICE Particle Simulations].

Tasks: Particles/Strand Dynamics

Output Ports: Emit

Emitter1	Plug in the geometry from which you want to emit particle strands. This must be a geometry with a surface. You can plug multiple geometries into this emitter.
Rate	The total number of particle strands that are emitted at once at the first frame of emission. See ICE Particle Rate (Amount) [ICE Particle Simulations] for more information.
Seed	This number is used as the basis for the random generation of particle strands. If two different particle emitters use the same seed, you may get identical results in their emission. Change the seed value to get a different random generation of particle strands.
Color	Defines the initial particle strand color as displayed in the viewport. Set the color value using the standard color sliders and color box. Rendered particles do not use the particle color values unless you've set up the shader to do so, such as with an Attribute_Color shader. See ICE Particle Color [ICE Particle Simulations] for more information.
Size	Defines how large the particle strand is. This value is the particle radius, but the particle display size is the diameter. For example, if the Size value (radius) is 1, the diameter (display) size is 2. See ICE Particle Size [ICE Particle Simulations] for more information.
Length	The total length of each strand in Softimage units.
Length Weightmap Name	Name of the weight map that you want to use to alter the strands' length upon emission. This creates a varied strand length effect similar to how a cut map affects hair. Where the weight map values are 1, the full Length value is used; values between 0 and 1 use a corresponding percentage of the strand Length. Where the values are 0, the strand has a length of 0. This weight map needs to be on the emitter object. To create a weight map, select the emitter and choose Get Property Weight Map.
Length Weightmap Reference	The Weights attribute of the emitter's length weight map that you want to use. The string should look like this, depending on the name of the weight map: .cls.WeightMapCls.Weight_Map.Weights To select a different weight map, click the Explorer button and select one from the list that appears, or click the Pick button and pick a weight map from another explorer. If you pick the weight map, make sure to remove the object name from the beginning of the string and add the Weights attribute to the end of the string so that the weight map name is displayed as shown above.
Num Segments	The number of segments in each strand. Note that this doesn't affect the overall strand length, just how the strand is divided.
Execute on Emit1	You can plug in nodes that have Execute output ports. These ports only get executed once when a particle gets created.