Edit field attributes

The type of field and its attributes specify the kind of effect it has. You can set the field attributes before you create the field, or you can create a default field and set the attributes after creation.

To set field attributes before creating the field

1. From the FX menu set, select Fields/Solvers > fieldname > to display the options window for the field.
2. Set the attributes.

   To enter a value that exceeds a default slider range, type the value in the text box.

3. Click the Create to create the field.

To edit field attributes after creating the field

1. Select the field you want to edit.
   Tip:

   You can select the particle object connected to the field and the Attribute Editor displays a tab for the field.

2. Do one of the following:
   • Use the Attribute Editor or Channel Box to set the attributes. The attributes are described in the field descriptions in this chapter.
   • Use the workspace manipulators to edit commonly used field attributes (see Set field attributes with workspace manipulators).
     Tip:

     You can animate field effects by setting the field attribute values with keys or expressions. To turn off the effect of a field at some frame, you can key the value of its Magnitude attribute to 0. Make sure the key Tangents are Stepped if you want the Magnitude to change abruptly to 0 rather than with a gradual interpolation.

Set Volume Control Attributes and Volume Speed Attributes

In the Attribute Editor and the Create Emitter option window, attributes not applicable to a volume shape are dimmed. However, the Channel Box does not support dimming. We recommend you use the Attribute Editor instead of the Channel Box to edit volume field attributes until you become familiar with the attributes that apply to each volume shape. Some Volume Control Attributes, including, Volume Trapping, Axial Magnitude, and Curve Radius attributes are only available in the Attribute Editor.

To set Volume Field Attributes and Volume Speed Attributes

1. Select the field and display the Attribute Editor.
   Tip:

   You can select the particle object connected to the field and the Attribute Editor displays a tab for the field.

2. Enter values for the volume shape attributes.

   See Volume Control Attributes and Volume Speed Attributes.

Tips on using volume fields

• The action of a vortex field is still controlled by its Axis attribute, even for a Torus field. If you want a circular motion around the section axis of the torus, use the Volume Axis field (see Work with volume axis fields).
• You cannot deform or tweak the field volume. You are restricted to the volume types we provide—you can’t use general volumes.
• The field Max Distance attribute still applies with volumes.
• There are no manipulators for the field attributes.
• You can trap objects inside volume fields using volume trapping attributes. See Volume Trapping.
• You can use the Axial Magnitude to set field Magnitude along the axis of a volume shape field or volume axis curve. See Axial Magnitude.
• When working with volume axis curves, you can use the Curve Radius ramp to scale curve Section Radius along the curve’s axis. See Curve Radius.