Particles In Code

Precaching

Particle effects must be precached before they can be used. This is done by listing them in particles_manifest.txt, then making this call:

PrecacheParticleSystem( "your_particle_effect_name" );

Dispatching

Particles systems are "dispatched" on the client.

Tip:You can stop all systems tied to a given entity with StopParticleEffects( CBaseEntity* pEntity ). But you cannot otherwise control the lifespan of a system from code. It will self-terminate on its own internal schedule.

Simple

#include "particle_parse.h"

void DispatchParticleEffect( const char *pszParticleName, Vector vecOrigin, QAngle vecAngles, CBaseEntity *pEntity )
void DispatchParticleEffect( const char *pszParticleName, ParticleAttachment_t iAttachType, CBaseEntity *pEntity, 
				int iAttachmentPoint, bool bResetAllParticlesOnEntity  )

The first function creates the system at some arbitrary world co-ordinates. The second spawns it at an attachment.

Bug:Valve's code for dispatching a particle attached to a model is broken. Get the fix here.  [todo tested in ?]

Complex

If you need to control the system after it spawns, the helper functions above won't do. Instead:

#include "particles_new.h"

CNewParticleEffect* pEffect = ParticleProp()->Create( "rail_shot", PATTACH_ABSORIGIN );

pEffect->SetControlPoint( 1, vecSomeVector );

See also CNewParticleEffect.