random on/off for particles

I have been looking for some sort of controler script that would start then stop a particle effects script i got from the partical lab, with no luck what so ever and dispite several attempts at cut and past with scripts i can not manage to make it work so i am hoping some one here either knows of such a script or would be willing to lend a hand here

basicaly what i am trying to do is have this script start shooting particles then stop after 5 seconds, random starts would be a nice effect but that may be asking a bit much so if it started every 45 seconds or so that would work fine.

i tried to post the script...no amount of editing could get me past what ever it is that is blocking it from being posted though
it is the ""steam under presure" PARTICLE TEMPLATE" from the particle lab i can send it to you in world if that helps

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/LlSetTimerEvent

And to post the script make sure you don't have anything but a space or a number after a < sign.

Just put the call to your particle function ("particles()" or whatever it's called) in a timer event with a toggle to turn particles on and off...

// As a global variable ...
integer ON;
// In state_entry ....
llSetTimerEvent(5);
ON = TRUE;

//Then, later...
timer()
{
     if(ON)
     {
          particles();
          llSetTimerEvent((integer)llFrand(45));
     }
     else
     {
           llParticleSystem([]);
           llSetTimerEvent(5);
     }
     ON= !ON
}

You can also give the particle system a limited lifetime and let it turn off by itself.

This post explains how to deal with posting problems in these forums: /327/5d/330018/1.html.

This example illustrates one way to get the result you want:

(Edit) I've posted an updated version of this below, in view of Argent's comment.

float interval_max = 30.0;
float interval_min = 10.0;
float duration = 5.0;
list particle_rules = [PSYS_PART_FLAGS, PSYS_PART_EMISSIVE_MASK, PSYS_SRC_PATTERN, PSYS_SRC_PATTERN_EXPLODE];

default
{
    state_entry ()
    {
        llSay (PUBLIC_CHANNEL, "Hello, Avatar!");
        llSetTimerEvent (0.1);
    }
    timer ()
    {
        llSetTimerEvent (llFrand (interval_max - interval_min) + interval_min);
        llParticleSystem (particle_rules);
        llSleep (duration);
        llParticleSystem ([]);
    }
}

Note that because of a bug in the PSYS_SRC_MAX_AGE setting, it is often necessary to use an llSleep call followed by a call to llParticleSystem with an empty list as the parameter to turn the particles off after a certain time.

What bug?

Er, this one?

Caveats
1.When using particle systems that have a non-zero emitter age (PSYS_SRC_MAX_AGE) setting, you may notice that the particle system may restart without any scripted trigger going off. This is due to a bug which causes the emitter to "reset" when any of the prim properties are updated or otherwise sent to the viewer. As a result, you may have to use a timer or a forced sleep and then clear the particle system once the age has expired. Debbie Trilling has posted a work-around here: /54/fa/260031/1.html#post1996465

I must confess I haven't been able to reproduce this so far.

Since the particle system is being restarted randomly anyway, I don't think this is an issue.

This version uses the PSYS_SRC_MAX_AGE setting instead of an llSleep and llParticleSystem call to turn off the particles.

float interval_max = 30.0;
float interval_min = 10.0;
float duration = 5.0;
list particle_rules = [PSYS_PART_FLAGS, PSYS_PART_EMISSIVE_MASK, PSYS_SRC_PATTERN, PSYS_SRC_PATTERN_EXPLODE, PSYS_SRC_MAX_AGE, duration];

default
{
    state_entry ()
    {
        llSay (PUBLIC_CHANNEL, "Hello, Avatar!");
        llSetTimerEvent (0.1);
    }
    timer ()
    {
        llSetTimerEvent (llFrand (interval_max - interval_min) + interval_min);
        llParticleSystem (particle_rules);
    }
}

You'll need to initialize particle_rules in state_entry() because duration isn't a constant.

I'm afraid you've lost me there. It produces no compile or run-time errors, and it does produce bursts five seconds long.

ORLY? It sure didn't used to. I started working on a patch to make that kind of thing work but never finished it, when I fixed the negative number bug a few years back.

thanks very much, those scripts do work fine, i am just having some trouble incorporating the particle peramiters into it

float interval_max = 30.0;
float interval_min = 10.0;
float duration = 5.0;
list particle_parameters=[]; // stores your custom particle effect, defined below.
list target_parameters=[]; // remembers targets found using TARGET TEMPLATE scripts.

default {
state_entry() {
llSetTimerEvent (0.1);
}
timer ()
{
llSetTimerEvent (llFrand (interval_max - interval_min) + interval_min);
particle_parameters = [ // start of particle settings
// Texture Parameters:
PSYS_SRC_TEXTURE, llGetInventoryName(INVENTORY_TEXTURE, 0),
PSYS_PART_START_SCALE, < 0.05, .05, FALSE > , PSYS_PART_END_SCALE, < 1.0, 1.0, FALSE > ,
PSYS_PART_START_COLOR, < 1,1,1 > , PSYS_PART_END_COLOR, < 1,1,1 > ,
PSYS_PART_START_ALPHA, (float)0.5, PSYS_PART_END_ALPHA, (float)0.0,

// Production Parameters:
PSYS_SRC_BURST_PART_COUNT, (integer) 1,
PSYS_SRC_BURST_RATE, (float) 0.01,
PSYS_PART_MAX_AGE, (float)2.4,
PSYS_SRC_MAX_AGE,(float) 0.0,

// Placement Parameters:
PSYS_SRC_PATTERN, (integer)8, // 1=DROP, 2=EXPLODE, 4=ANGLE, 8=ANGLE_CONE,

// Placement Parameters (for any non-DROP pattern):
PSYS_SRC_BURST_SPEED_MIN, (float).01, PSYS_SRC_BURST_SPEED_MAX, (float)5.01,
// PSYS_SRC_BURST_RADIUS, 0.0,

// Placement Parameters (only for ANGLE & CONE patterns):
PSYS_SRC_ANGLE_BEGIN, (float) 0.01*PI, PSYS_SRC_ANGLE_END,(float) 0.02*PI,
PSYS_SRC_OMEGA, < 0,0,0 > ,

// After-Effect & Influence Parameters:
PSYS_SRC_ACCEL, < 0.0,0.0,0.0 > ,
// PSYS_SRC_TARGET_KEY, llGetLinkKey(llGetLinkNum() + 1),

PSYS_PART_FLAGS, (integer)( 0 // Texture Options:
| PSYS_PART_INTERP_COLOR_MASK
| PSYS_PART_INTERP_SCALE_MASK
| PSYS_PART_EMISSIVE_MASK
| PSYS_PART_FOLLOW_VELOCITY_MASK
// After-effect & Influence Options:
// | PSYS_PART_WIND_MASK
// | PSYS_PART_BOUNCE_MASK
// | PSYS_PART_FOLLOW_SRC_MASK
// | PSYS_PART_TARGET_POS_MASK
// | PSYS_PART_TARGET_LINEAR_MASK
)
//end of particle settings
];


}

link_message( integer sibling, integer num, string mesg, key target_key ) {
//if ( mesg != CONTROLLER_ID ) { // this message isn't for me. Bail out.
return;
} //else if ( num == 0 ) { // Message says to turn particles OFF:
//llParticleSystem( [ ] );
} //else if ( nu

In the code you post you set up the variable particle parameters, but I do not see you feed it to llParticleSystem anywhere. Also, using PSYS_SRC_MAX_AGE,(float) 0.0 creates a never-ending stream, which must be turned off explicitly.

i'll try that thanks