Controlling Strand length using flow along curve?

[Morten Bartholdy]

I am emitting particles which flow along curves, and I need a strand to trail after the particle, so I use Align Strand to Particle trajectory. My problem is that at the start of the curve, the strand, which is rather long, points straight down until the particle has traveled the length of the curve which corresponds to the trail length, after which the strand follows the curve nicely.

I have tried animating the length of the strand so it grows from zero length, which is what I would prefer, but this leaves me with a very short strand trail for the whole animation.

How can I fix the strand so it doesn't point straight down in the beginning, and is there a way to make the strand animate longer as the particle moves along the curve it flows along?

Thanks!

Morten Bartholdy

Tired particle pusher 

[olivier jeannel]

If I read correctly, you are using "Create Strands". Maybe "Generate Strands" compound would be more apropriate, it generates strands trail every frame.

[Chris Chia]

See image attached
[cid:image0...@01CE4050.0D2BAAD0]

[Leonard Koch]

Both LK Lightning 1.5.1 and LKL 2.0 do this out of the box very nicely.
1.5 is free too.
You can get them both on http://www.leonardkoch.com

Hope it helps.