Particular Path - Problem

[Matthias Mang]

Hi,

I'm trying to get trapcode particular to follow my exact path.

I get the emitter to follow the path more or less, but not the exact lines - the emitter is always  a bit off and sometimes "takes a shortcut". It looks like this:

I tried realigning it with via anchor point but it won't work.

I followed several tuturials but they didn't seem to have the problem.

Can anybody help me?

[Mylenium]

Particular is a 3D particle system. If things don't line up, your camera is not in the right place and/or the Z coordinates don't match. Start by creating a proper 3D camera and use e.g. light emitters to see the actual 3D path of an emitter.

Mylenium

[Matthias Mang]

Hi Mylenium,

thanks for the quick answer.

I was actually trying not to use a 3D path.

I am setting up the path by creating a solid, drawing out the path there, copy the mask path to the position of a null object and then pick whip an emitter to it.

(Gutter-Fish, i hope this answers your question as well.)

[P.M.B]

Does the null follow the path correctly?

[Matthias Mang]

yes, it does.

I also followed this turorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEkuuf0MEFQ&t=208s

After Effects Tutorial: Get Light To Follow A Path - YouTube

Mylenium​:

Interesting thing: The Null Object doesn't have Z - Coordinates, however when I pick whip the emitter to the Null object, it adds Z - Values to the emitter.

[P.M.B · Accepted solution]

Hmmm.   I'm using particular v2.6.0.   and on mine the emitter's z position is separate from the x,y position.   Your version seems to have x,y,z  as a single setting.   Have you tried making your null a 3d object?    Also have you tried skipping the null and just pasting the path directly to the x,y position of the emitter.  This works for me but again,  my version of particular has the the emitter's x,y positions as a totally separate setting from the z position..

[Matthias Mang]

Baaam, you're my hero of the day.

I had to make both - the path layer (from the solid) and the null a 3D object. Now everything works perfect.

Thank you both for your quick help!

Greetz from Germany.

[P.M.B]

matthiasm15817953  wrote

you're my hero of the day.

I guess I am sort of a hero, huh?  

[babynate]

Can you super super please provide more detailed steps to explain this? I have the same problem, and tried the suggestions above, clearly I'm missing something. 

Thanks!

[Davide Boscolo]

If you want the z position to be zero the all time, change that expression to:

nullp = thisComp.layer("Null 6").transform.position;

[nullp[0],nullp[1],0]

[babynate]

Change the Null, Partiular Layer, or Shape Layer to this expression? 

I tried and no resolve 😞

[babynate]

SOLUTION: 

Okay you guys already all solved the problem running old versions of trapcode on Adobe, but just wanted to clarify davide_boscolo's solution with: 

Add to existing Trapcode Emitter Position so FULL expression looks like this:

temp = thisComp.layer("Null 6").transform.position; [temp[0], temp[1], temp[1]] nullp = thisComp.layer("Null 6").transform.position; [nullp[0],nullp[1],0]

[P.M.B]

How are you trying to get the emitter to follow your path?  What steps are you taking?