Click Through Invisible Prims (unless scripted for touch events)

One of the last SL updates changed ALT-dragging so that you couldn't orbit an invisible object. This is great for cases where a large invisible light prim is being used to light a room. It used to be it very hard to move your camera around those prims, since you'd keep targeting the light.

But such invisible prims still DO capture touch events, even if they have no scripts with touch handlers.

This would be a good thing to include in the next update, since it would match the new ALT-drag behavior. If you want an invisible object to block clicks, just give it an script with an empty touch handler. In most cases, however, if the thing is invisible, touches should go right through it.


Or, the invisible prim may need to be set phantom for touches to go through it. If you can't collide with something, how can you touch it, hmm?

I like this general idea, but dont like this part from the quote above. I think lopping untouchability onto the phantom status would break a few things. I think it should rather be implemented as a status flag like STATUS_TOUCHABLE, or something similar.

That bit was just a last minute idea thing... Forgetaboutit.

I wouldn't want to add a new TOUCHABLE status flag since making opaque objects non-clickable could get sorta messy. Far better to make it tied to visibility (if you can't see it, you can't click it) and allow that to be overridden by adding a script with a touch handler in it to the object.

The only problems adding this feature would cause, is where someone has been using an invisible prim to block access to touchable controls on an off/on basis. They could patch it by adding a new script to that object, removing the llSays.

I like to use animated sunbeams and light rays (in moderation, of course) but even though they're "phantom" they have a nasty habit of intercepting touches. I'd like to be able to exempt such phantom items from normal touches -- the way invisible objects are -- but still be able to get at them while in edit mode.

Yeh, I'd like to be able to have invisible body parts (like wings in different positions) not clickable, touchable, or droppable. I've dropped a box on my head a couple of times when I thought I was handing it to someone behind my avatar.

Yes, I'd love to see this!
I was having problems editing some prims I was adding to my avatar and the invisable prims were getting in the way. Damn it was annoying (and "taking off" the part didn't help, because then the humanform hidden by it was in the way).