# GetParticleAttribute<no value>

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    src="images/2_DevMode/vfx_editor/nodes/getpartattribute_1.png"
    alt="The GetParticleAttribute Node" >}}

This **Node** can be used to retrieve a single **attribute** from the particle that the system is currently spawning. As such the node *cannot* be used with an [Emitter](emitter/) block, as the emitter has no particle data and is simply for setting the spawn point and spawning characteristics of the particles. Using this node you can choose to get the *current* value for the attribute or get the *initial* value for the attribute. This choice is made by selecting the **ParticleLocationType** from the **Inspector** window:

![The GetParticleAttribute Properties](images/2_DevMode/vfx_editor/nodes/getpartattribute_3.png)The options here are:

-   **Current**: This will get the current attribute value, which will be updated every frame
-   **Source**: This will get the attribute value at the time the particle was initialised (as set in the [Init](init/) block) as a static value

Using **Source** is recommended when you have complex calculations in the initialisation to generate a value and wish to use the same value in the particle update (thus avoiding performing unnecessary complex calculations every frame).

 

**IMPORTANT**: It is possible to create an "infinite loop" that will crash the simulation using this node. This happens when you get an attribute, then modify it and try to apply it to itself. For example, if you get the **Size** attribute, then apply a [Multiply](multiply/) to it, then supply the result to the [ParticleSize](update/#h) attribute of the [Update](update/) node, it will generate an infinite loop.

 

 

### Node Output

This node has the following output:

 

-   ##### AttributeType

    The attribute type is set from the [Inspector](../menus/#h5) window:  

{{< image-center
    src="images/2_DevMode/vfx_editor/nodes/getpartattribute_2.png"
    alt="The GetParticleAttribute Options in The Inspector Window" >}}

    The following attribute types are available:

     

{{< table-wrapper >}}

    | String                  | Type  | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
    |-------------------------|-------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
    | `Age`                   | Float | Returns a value that goes from 0 to \[particle lifetime\].                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
    | `AgeOverLifeTime`       | Float | Returns a value that is between 0 and 1, representing the \[age\] normalised.                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
    | `Lifetime`              | Float | Returns a value representing the total \[particle lifetime\].                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
    | `Position`              | Vec3  | Returns a vector of the particle position.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
    | `Rotation`              | Vec3  | Returns a vector of angles (in degrees) of the particle rotation along the x axis, y axis, and z axis..                                                                                                                                                                                |
    | `Velocity`              | Vec3  | Returns a non-normalised vector of the direction for the particle (to be applied *after* the update pass).                                                                                                                                                                             |
    | `Size`                  | Float | Returns a value that represents the size (radius) of the particle.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
    | `Scale`                 | Vec3  | Returns a vector that represents the X/Y/Z scale for the particle.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
    | `TextureIndex`          | Float | Returns the current texture index value for the particle. Note that this value is only relevant when the [Output](output/) block has the **UVMode** set to "*Atlas*". For more information see the [ParticleTextureIndex](update/#h1) section of the [Update](update/) block. |
    | `id`                    | Float | Returns a value that represents the unique ID of the particle.                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
    | `Colour`                | Vec4  | Returns a vector of integer values (from0 to 255 each) corresponding to the RGBA values for the particle.                                                                                                                                                                              |
    | `VelocityRotationAxis ` | Vec3  | Returns a vector representing the particle axis in the coordinate space of the effect (world or local depending on the `<EmitInLocalSpace>` parameter on the emitter block).                                                                                                           |
    | `VelocityRotationRate`  | Float | Returns a float which is the velocity rotation rate in degrees per second.                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

{{< /table-wrapper >}}