Emitter group > Grid Emitter group

This parameter group lets you emit particles on a 2D or 3D grid. The Emitter Types Grid or Layer Grid needs to be selected for this parameter group to be active.

When Layer Grid is selected, the Layer Emitter group also becomes active. See our tutorial for 'Emitting Particles on a Grid' at the bottom of this page. See our tutorial for 'Emitting Particles from Layer Grid' on the Layer Emitter page.

At left, the full Grid Emitter group. At middle and right, the Grid and Layer Grid options in Emitter Type.

Particles in X, Y, Z

Controls how many particles are emitted along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis of the grid. Higher values make more particles.

Technical Note: Sometimes Particles in X, Y, X may not seem to have an effect on the grid of particles. To see the Grid more clearly, you may need to increase the Emitter Size values in X, Y, and Z to spread out the grid. Also, if the Initial Velocity is high, the movement of the particles will mask the grid formation as the particles move from their initial grid formation. The Emitter Size and Velocity parameters are in the main Emitter group.

Particles in X set low.

Particles in X set high.

Type

Type controls the style of particle emission along the grid. There are two options.

- Periodic Burst means that an entire grid of particles is emitted at once.
- Traverse means that one particle at a time is emitted while the grid is traversed in order.

Tutorial: Emitting Particles from Grid

Start with a new comp (Ctrl/Cmd-N), make it 640*480 at 30 fps. 5 seconds long. Create a comp-sized Solid (Ctrl/Cmd-Y), choose Make Comp Size, then click OK.

Apply Effect> Trapcode> Particular to the Solid. Set Emitter> Emitter Type to Grid. Doing so activates the Grid Emitter group. Set Emitter>Velocity to 0 so the particles are emitted without velocity.
Step one frame ahead so the particles can be seen:

Let's make the grid larger. Set Emitter> Emitter Size X to 200. Set Emitter> Emitter Size Y to 200.

Let's put more particles in the grid. Set Particles in X to 10. Particles in Y to 20.

Now we'll add some Gravity. Set Physics> Gravity to 200.
Hit RAM preview:

All the particles in the grid are emitted at once. Let's try another mode of emission where the grid is traversed.

In the Grid Emitter group, choose the Traverse option. Set Emitter> Particles/sec to 50. Set Emitter> Z Rotate to 180.
Hit RAM preview: