Aligning prims

Is there a special technique for aligning the edges of two or more prims together? No matter how hard I try I can never get them to match up perfectly. I’ve tried different ways to get them aligned but none have really worked. Any advice is appreciated.

if you work by the numbers alignment problems will dissappear. Ex 10x10 prim say 157.65 on y axis drag copy prim, control z, enter 167.65 in y positionbox perfect fit. Maybe a trip to the Ivory Tower is due

I generally copy-past location data and use the snap-to feature on the scale to align objects for larger, simpler moves.

It woud be nice if there were some alignment tools covering multiselect, but that would have to be submitted at then bought by some Linden.

-Crissa

Vissilith,

There are many ways to get prims aligned. Using math to calculate the X, Y, Z position is one way, another is to create the prims aligned.

When I exactly align prim “edges” it is a two step process. First I create two prims with their “sides” exactly aligned, then I align the edges. An example follows:

1. Create a .5,.5,.5 meter default cube.

2. While still in edit mode with the cube selected, click the “Create” button.

3. Select the “Copy Selection” checkbox and make sure the “Center Copy” checkbox is also selected.

4. Click on one side of the cube. This will create a second cube with the adjoining sides exactly aligned.

5. Next, make sure the “Use Grid” checkbox is selected, then select “Use Selection for Grid” in the “Tools” menu (Shift-G is the shortcut).

6. Now click on the new cube.

7. Let’s say I want to align the top edge of the original cube with a bottom edge of the new cube. I will left click and hold the top point of the blue, Z axis arrow. This brings up the alignment grid lines to the left and right of the Z axis. The zero grid line will be exactly centered on the center of the original cube because of step 5 above.

8. Without letting go of the mouse button, I move the mouse pointer to the side so it is in one of the grid line patterns. This will cause the new cube to snap to the closest grid line, normally .25m above or below the starting position unless the default snap to distance has been changed. Dragging upwards, keeping my mouse pointer in the grid lines area, the cube will snap to each line in turn. If the grid spacing is set to the defaults, two snaps up will be exactly .5 meter aligned on the original cube. The edges of the two cubes are now aligned.

It sounds like a lot of steps but if you try it a few times it becomes second nature. You can also use the grid lines to move the second cube two snaps along the X or Y axis to exactly align the corners.

Yessssssssss! "Center Copy", how could I not see it?! And then step 4 after that, awesome, thx!

It also helps, a LOT, to position prims on fairly simple position coordinates where possible. For example, placing your first prim at x=35.250 is more likely to be a 'stable' position than x=35.139, because of possible rounding errors. And 35.000 is far more stable than any fractional value.

Of course, if the prims themselves are not nice even invcements in size, you can't usually do that. But it's helpful for larger prim alignment issues.

I am compelled to say, "Nice post Exel."

I can't wait to get online to try the last couple of steps.

Actually I would go one step farther. That was an Exel-lent post. Have been building, scripting for quite a while and never knew about center copy.

Could it be the lack of documentation for the build tool? You pretty much have to find things by accident with that thing. If somebody could point me to a good comprehensive document or set of documents for it I will happily remove recently inserted foot from mouth.

I've actually started a little excel workbook with some basic formulas for doing most of the math I was doing with the calculator before.. we'll see where that goes

Z