Yes, you're doing something wrong. If you select an emitter and use the "Edit" menu Copy and Paste (or keyboard shortcuts), it will duplicate the emitter entirely, including position keys and everything. If you r-click on the stage and select "paste", it will position the emitter where you clicked, but should also retain all position keys.
The only way I know to get an emitter at the center of the screen with no position keys is to r-click on the graph window when position is selected in the hierarchy and "reset".
Alan.
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Alan Lorence
Product Manager
GenArts, Inc.
http://www.genarts.com
http://www.wondertouch.com