Scripting

The plugin does not run in the game. In the game, a script plays the effects through a ModuleScript named Part_Icles. The plugin keeps that module in ReplicatedStorage.

Exercise 17 introduces the module step by step. Exercise 18 plays an effect at a chosen place. This page lists every call. The pages of this section describe each call in full.

The three lines

Every script that fires an effect starts with these lines.

local Part_Icles = require(game.ReplicatedStorage:WaitForChild("Part_Icles"))
Part_Icles:Activate()

Part_Icles:AbsoluteEmit(workspace:WaitForChild("Explosion"))

Line	What it does
`local Part_Icles = require(...)`	Loads the module.
`Part_Icles:Activate()`	Starts the module. It is needed once on each machine where a script fires effects.
`Part_Icles:AbsoluteEmit(item)`	Fires `item`, as the Emit button of the HUD does.

The scripts of this section are LocalScripts. Effects must be fired from a LocalScript, not from a server Script. To show one effect to every player, the server calls FireAllClients on a RemoteEvent, and each player’s LocalScript fires it. Getting the module into a script gives the reason. Worked scripts gives both scripts.

What “Absolute” means

Two words are used on every page of this section. A stock emitter is a ParticleEmitter, Trail or Beam that the plugin has not transformed. A container is a Folder, Model, Part or Attachment that holds emitters.

A call without Absolute in its name acts on one emitter.

A call with Absolute in its name acts on the item and on everything inside it. It accepts an emitter, a stock emitter or a container.

Absolute call	Does this
`AbsoluteEmit`	`EnableEmit` for every emitter found.
`AbsoluteEmitAt`	`EnableEmitAt` for every emitter found. The layout of the effect is kept. A Folder is not accepted.
`AbsoluteEnable`	Switches every emitter found on, with no end.
`AbsoluteDisable`	Stops every emitter found. Particles in flight finish.
`AbsoluteSetTimescale`, `AbsoluteClearTimescale`	The timescale call for every emitter found.

Two calls without Absolute in the name also act on everything inside the item: Disable and SoftDisable.

AbsoluteDisable and Disable are different kinds of stop. AbsoluteDisable lets particles in flight finish. Disable removes them at once. To clear a whole effect at once, call Disable on its container.

Every call

In the tables, item is an instance. A ? after a name marks a value that may be left out. A call gives nothing back unless the table says otherwise.

Starting the module

Covered in Getting the module into a script.

Call	Takes	Gives back	What it does
`Part_Icles:Activate()`	Nothing	Nothing	Starts the module on the machine where the script runs.
`Part_Icles:Deactivate()`	Nothing	Nothing	Stops the module and removes everything it made.

Firing

Covered in Firing an effect.

Call	Takes	Gives back	What it does
`Part_Icles:AbsoluteEmit(item)`	An emitter, a stock emitter or a container	The seconds until the effect has finished. `nil` if some part never ends.	Fires everything in `item` once. Each emitter uses its own Emit count, Delay and Duration.
`Part_Icles:EnableEmit(item, link?)`	One emitter. An instance to link to.	Nothing	Fires one emitter once, with its own Emit count, Delay and Duration.
`Part_Icles:Emit(item, link?)`	One emitter. An instance to link to.	Nothing	Makes exactly one particle, now.
`Part_Icles:EmitAnimate(item, link?)`	One emitter. An instance to link to.	Nothing	Starts one Animate cycle, now.
`Part_Icles.await(seconds)`	A number of seconds	Nothing	Waits that long. It is written with a dot.

Firing at a place

Covered in Firing an effect at a place.

Call	Takes	Gives back	What it does
`Part_Icles:EnableEmitAt(item, origin, options?)`	One emitter. A `CFrame`, a `Vector3` or an instance. A table of options.	A play handle, and the seconds the play takes	Plays one emitter with its particles starting at `origin`.
`Part_Icles:AbsoluteEmitAt(item, origin, options?)`	An emitter, a stock ParticleEmitter, or a Part, Model or Attachment that holds emitters. Then as above.	A play handle, and the seconds the play takes	Plays everything in `item` at `origin`.
`handle:Wait()`	Nothing	The seconds waited	Waits until this play is over.
`handle:SoftDisable()`	Nothing	Nothing	Stops this play making particles. Those in flight finish.
`handle:Disable()`	Nothing	Nothing	Stops this play and removes its particles at once.
`handle:SetTimescale(scale, duration?, permanent?)`	A speed. Seconds. `true` for no end.	Nothing	Sets the speed of this play’s particles.
`handle:GetParticles()`	Nothing	A list of instances	Gives the particles of this play that are in flight.
`handle:GetPDatas()`	Nothing	A list of tables	Gives the module’s own records for those particles. Their layout can change with any version.
`handle:IsAlive()`	Nothing	`true` or `false`	Says whether this play still has particles or is still making them.
`handle.Active`	A value, not a call	`true` or `false`	The same answer as `handle:IsAlive()`.
`handle.Duration`	A value, not a call	Seconds, or `nil`	The length of this play. `nil` means it never ends.

Starting and stopping

Covered in Starting, stopping and waiting.

Call	Takes	Gives back	What it does
`Part_Icles:Enable(item, link?, duration?)`	One emitter. An instance to link to. Seconds.	Nothing	Streams particles at the emitter’s Rate while its Enabled is on.
`Part_Icles:AbsoluteEnable(item)`	An emitter, a stock emitter or a container	Nothing	Switches everything in `item` on and leaves it on.
`Part_Icles:Disable(item)`	An emitter or a container	Nothing	Hard stop. Stops everything in `item` and removes its particles at once.
`Part_Icles:SoftDisable(item)`	An emitter or a container	Nothing	Soft stop. Stops everything in `item`. Particles in flight finish.
`Part_Icles:AbsoluteDisable(item)`	An emitter, a stock emitter or a container	Nothing	Soft stop for everything in `item`, stock emitters included.

Speed

Covered in Speed.

Call	Takes	Gives back	What it does
`Part_Icles:SetTimescale(item, scale, duration?, permanent?)`	One emitter or one stock ParticleEmitter. A speed. Seconds. `true` for no end.	Nothing	Sets the speed at which the emitter’s particles run.
`Part_Icles:ClearTimescale(item)`	One emitter or one stock ParticleEmitter	Nothing	Removes that speed.
`Part_Icles:AbsoluteSetTimescale(item, scale, duration?, permanent?)`	An emitter, a stock ParticleEmitter or a container. Then as above.	Nothing	Sets the speed for the item and for every emitter and stock ParticleEmitter inside.
`Part_Icles:AbsoluteClearTimescale(item)`	An emitter, a stock ParticleEmitter or a container	Nothing	Removes the speed from all of them.

Links

Covered in Links.

Call	Takes	Gives back	What it does
`Part_Icles:SetLink(item, target, mode?)`	One emitter. An instance, the text `"camera"`, or `nil`. A Link Mode as text.	Nothing	Changes the emitter’s own Link, for every later firing.
`Part_Icles:SetEmitParent(item, parent)`	One emitter. An instance, or `nil`.	Nothing	Changes the emitter’s Emit Into.
`Part_Icles.LinkService:Activate()`	Nothing	Nothing	Starts the link service.
`Part_Icles.LinkService:Deactivate()`	Nothing	Nothing	Stops the link service and ends every link.
`Part_Icles.LinkService:Link(part, target, mode?, duration?)`	A Part, Model or Attachment. The instance to follow. A mode as text. Seconds.	Nothing	Makes `part` follow `target`. No particles are involved.
`Part_Icles.LinkService:Clear(part)`	The linked instance	Nothing	Ends its link.
`Part_Icles.LinkService:IsLinked(part)`	An instance	`true` or `false`	Says whether it is linked.

Textures

Covered in Textures.

Call	Takes	Gives back	What it does
`Part_Icles:Preload(root, force?)`	An instance. `true` to include every emitter.	Nothing	Keeps the textures of the emitters under `root` loaded.
`Part_Icles:Deload(root, force?)`	An instance. `true` to include every emitter.	Nothing	Releases what `Preload` held.

Limits and helpers

Covered in Limits and helpers.

Member	Takes	Gives back	What it does
`Part_Icles.MAX_ACTIVE_PARTICLES`	A value, not a call	A number. Starts at 1000.	The Particle Cap in the game. A script may set it.
`Part_Icles.Log.enabled`	A value, not a call	`true` or `false`. Starts at `true`.	Set to `false`, it silences the module’s Output messages.
`Part_Icles:GetFolder()`	Nothing	A Folder	Gives the folder that holds the particles in flight.
`Part_Icles:GetPoolFolder()`	Nothing	A Folder	Gives the folder that holds idle particles kept for reuse.
`Part_Icles.ActiveEmits`	A value, not a call	A list	Its length is the number of particles in flight. Read it only.
`Part_Icles:GetData(item)`	An emitter	A table, or `nil`	Gives the emitter’s settings as the module reads them. Read it only.
`Part_Icles.parseDuration(value)`	A number, or text such as `"1, 2"`	A number, or `nil`	Reads a Duration. Text of two numbers gives a random value between them.
`Part_Icles.Log.print(...)`, `Part_Icles.Log.warn(...)`	Anything	Nothing	Write to the Output window, unless `Log.enabled` is `false`.
`Part_Icles:Transform(item)`	An instance that is not an emitter	Nothing	Turns the instance into an emitter, as the Transform button does.
`Part_Icles.TransformCompleted`	A value, not a call	A BindableEvent	Its `Event` runs after each successful `Transform`, with the new emitter.

Worked scripts: complete LocalScripts to paste and change.
The event script and its payload: the script an emitter runs on an event.
Property reference: the attribute name of every row.
Nothing emits: what to check when a script fires and nothing appears.