Modifying Library Emitters

Usually, you modify emitter objects in the viewport and Particle Controls panel and then copy them back to a library. See Working with Emitter Objects.

You can also edit an emitter in the library, but you cannot change its particle types. Instead, you edit the emitter properties (and transforms) and preview the emitter changes. Afterwards, you can save the changes to the library with the Update Emitter button; changes are not saved until you do this.

You may want to try a few changes to a library emitter before adding it to the clip. For example, you can change the shape from Area to Point to see if one emission point looks good in the Particles preview.

Note: If you want to change the particle types of a library emitter, you need to add the emitter to the viewport first. Then, you can save the modified emitter to the library by clicking Add Current to Library in the Library controls. (You may want to delete the emitter object from the viewport.)

To modify a library emitter:

1. Click Library to show the Library controls.
2. Select an emitter in the library.
3. Make sure the Particles preview is enabled.

If Enable Preview is turned off, you cannot see changes you make.

4. Click Emitter to show the Emitter controls. See Emitter Controls.
5. Change the emitter properties.

After your first change, a red outline appears around the Particles preview to show you are changing a library emitter (and not an emitter object).

6. Click Transform to show the Transform controls. You can change Rotation for a line emitter, and Rotation and Size for an area or circle emitter.

Note: These values are not used when you create an emitter object using the library emitter. They are used when you replace an emitter object with the library emitter. See Replacing Emitters.

7. If you want to use the modified emitter, click an Emitter tool in the Toolbar, and add it to the clip.

Note: If you want the emitter to appear exactly as it does in the preview, use the tool that matches the Shape setting in the Emitter controls. To do this automatically, double-click the library emitter and the appropriate tool is selected.

8. If you want to ignore the changes you made, simply select another library emitter. The library emitter reverts back to how it was.

Changes are not saved to the library unless you click Update Emitter in the Library controls.