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Unity Engine

Custom Data module reference

Explore properties in the Custom Data module, to configure custom data formats in the Editor to attach to particles.
Read time 3 minutesLast updated 21 days ago
View and edit the settings you can use to define custom data formats for particles.
Use the Custom Data module to define two additional channels (
Custom1
and 
Custom2
) of data in the Unity Editor for each particle. You can use custom data to specify additional particle properties to control gameplay effects (for example, the health of a player) or particle appearance in a custom shader (for example, the temperature of a surface). For more information, refer to Define custom data formats for particles.
Note
If you want to set your custom data from a script, disable the Custom Data module.

Custom Data module properties

Each channel in the Custom Data module contains the following settings.

Property

Description

ModeSpecifies the format of your custom data. The following options are available:
  • Disabled: Disables the Custom Data module.
  • Vector: Defines up to four MinMaxCurve components.
  • Color: Defines an HDR-enabled MinMaxGradient using a fixed color or gradient.
Number of ComponentsDefines how many components to include in the vector. The minimum value is 1 and the maximum value is 4.

This property is available only when Mode is Vector.
XDefines how the 
x
component of the custom data changes over the particle’s lifetime. This corresponds with the 
x
channel in a 
Vector4
. For the X component dropdown options, refer to X, Y, Z, and W component dropdown.

This property is available only when Mode is Vector and Number of Components is 1 or higher.
YDefines how the 
y
component of the custom data changes over the particle’s lifetime. This corresponds with the 
y
channel in a 
Vector4
. For the Y component dropdown options, refer to X, Y, Z, and W component dropdown.

This property is available only when Mode is Vector and Number of Components is 2 or higher.
ZDefines how the 
z
component of the custom data changes over the particle’s lifetime. This corresponds with the 
z
channel in a 
Vector4
. For the Z component dropdown options, refer to X, Y, Z, and W component dropdown.

This property is available only when Mode is Vector and Number of Components is 3 or higher.
WDefines how the 
w
component of the custom data changes over the particle’s lifetime. This corresponds with the 
w
channel in a 
Vector4
. For the W component dropdown options, refer to X, Y, Z, and W component dropdown.

This property is available only when Mode is Vector and Number of Components is 4.
ColorDefines an HDR color or gradient for the particle. The following options are available:
  • Color: Uses a fixed HDR color value.
  • Gradient: Applies a color gradient over the particle's lifetime. The color changes from the start to the end of the particle’s life according to the gradient.
  • Random Between Two Colors: Uses a random HDR color between two color values.
  • Random Between Two Gradients: Applies a random gradient between two color gradients. The color changes from the start to the end of the particle’s life according to the gradient.
This property is available only when Mode is Color.

X, Y, Z, and W component dropdown

Property

Description

ConstantUses a fixed value throughout the particle’s lifetime.
CurveUses a single curve to change the value over the particle's lifetime.
Random Between Two ConstantsUses a random fixed value between two constants throughout the particle's lifetime.
Random Between Two CurvesUses a random curve between two curves to change the value over the particle's lifetime.

Additional resources