bind surface axis help?

[super gnu]

ive got a very annoying client. 

object with particles on which is deforming. 

im using bind surface. 

it works fine, but client has requested that particles stay in place vertically, relative to camera, whist still remaining attached to surface as it expands and contracts in the other two axes.  

since object is actually deforming in all 3 axes, i have no idea how to do this!  

i can forsee problems (what to do if base object moves vertically and top /bottom particles are no longer on the object..?    

not a problem for my project as top and bottom of object remain stationary..) 




any suggestions?

[tyFlow]

Use a Custom Properties operator (set to continuous), and SET/GET the desired axis value before/after the Object Bind operator.

[super gnu]

Use a Custom Properties operator (set to continuous), and SET/GET the desired axis value before/after the Object Bind operator.

that sounds good... 

so, workflow would be to put custom properties before object bind, set to SET, custom float/position z, choose a channel (?)   and leave the rest at default. 

then, put another after the object bind, same settings, apart from GET?

[tyFlow]

Yup, that's it.

[super gnu]

ok ive been testing this method, but it doesnt work properly. if the faces of the bound mesh move diagonally, then the particles detach from the mesh, since they retain their x and y positions from the mesh, but when the z position is set after the bind operator, they are moved up or down to their original z position, detatching themselves from the mesh in the process.

im after a way to keep them on the mesh, but stay locked in position on the z axis, this would require the z postion to be ignored when following the mesh, but x and y bindings to still be respected.

[super gnu]

i thought i might be able to use the "limiter" op, and limit velocity or acceleration in the z axis to 0. however the particles still move in the z axis when the faces of the bound mesh move in z., and on top of that i get particles randomly jumping to new positions on the surface. so thats a no-no.

[tyFlow]

I don't really understand the problem. If you submit a scene to support@tyflow.com I can take a closer look, however I'm out of the country until next week.