Builder's Tips and Tricks

So far, I've had alot of fun with the building system, although there are some things I'm still working on. Hopefully I can share any tricks I know here and if anyone else needs help, they can get their questions answered here.

1. Use the advanced position tools to align objects quickly and accurately. By copying and pasting coordinates and size values, you can line things up very quickly so you can spend more time working on other stuff.

2. You can't currently make holes in anything, with the exception of the hollow tool. If you want to build something like an igloo, the best method I can think of is to use 2 spheres. You make them hollow, and you make the sizes and locations for each one exactly the same. To make an igloo out of them you simply change the dimple values so that one sphere is a cap, and the other sphere looks kinda like a ring. Then you adjust the start and end cuts so that there is a doorway, and viola! Instant igloo.

Question: One thing that I've been looking for though, is there any way to quickly duplicate objects? I seem to remember there being a button press or keystroke that would allow you to drag and object and leave a copy of it behind. Is there anything like that, and how do you do that? Ideally, I would like to be able to copy one small object many times, quickly by dragging and pressing a 'copy' button while I am dragging.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and add any tips/questions you have.

Hold the SHIFT key down while you are dragging an object and you'll drag a copy while the original object stays in the original position.

Salazar

You can also use CTRL-D to duplicate the currently selected object, but the duplicate will appear offset by <+0.500, +0.500, 0.000>, so you have to realign it as needed.

I've found that shift-dragging doesn't always work, and sometimes the original prim goes flying off into the ether.

Ah hah...shift dragging, thanks. The reason the duplicate was unsatisfactory is that I am working on a very small scale, and when I hit the duplicate button the object goes way off screen, forcing me to reposition the camera so I can pull it back to where I need it. Thanks for the help folks.