Grid snapping being broken the last several releases.

[Lawton]

I've been building in Second Life since 2007.  I have been using the build tools and the grid since viewer 1.

In the last several releases of the LL and Firestorm viewers, the grid snapping functionality has changed.  In all previous versions you had consistent snapping, no matter the camera distance.  In the new versions of the viewer, grid snapping will jump several snapping points based on camera distance from the object.  Where this becomes a problem is when you are working with normal sized prims and you have to zoom out to see your prims.  Once zoomed out, you can't get a good snap because the grid keeps jumping past where you want to snap.  Enabling sub units doesn't fix the problem, because you have to be close enough to see sub units for snapping.

And so, functionality that has been the very basis of prim alignment, is broken.  There have been several JIRA's reporting this problem.  It has been fixed once, only to be reintroduced again in a subsequent release.  My guess is LL wants this new functionality to stay, which is sad, because it breaks the grid--a core feature for being creative in Second Life.

Today Firestorm announced blocking of 4.6.9, the last version of Firestorm to still have the old grid functionality.  I have a JIRA open with Firestorm and am hoping they add in a fix.  In the meantime, I'm not able to use either LL or Firestorm to build effectively.

I just want to say I think it's sad that something so fundamental and important to building in Second Life can be changed in such a way to negate its usefulness.  It's hard enough to learn how to use the grid for some, now it'll be even more frustrating to newcomers who want to use the grid but can't get a good snap. 

Grid snapping should not be dependent on camera distance. It never has been in the past and it shouldn't be now.

I've resigned myself to the fact that I have to use a separate viewer for building, or just build in Blender instead.  It's like the people who made the change have never built or used the grid.  Trying to get something done with a JIRA is like pulling teeth.

I guess I'm just venting, because it's frustrating.  Anyone else share my pain?

 

[mikka Luik]

Noticed this too but thought was a mistake on my settings (using Kokua 4.0.1.37934 so same source more or less) but yes - rather annoying as it seems to 'collapse' a little too quickly.  ( I see several jira entries, is

Grid Lines Changing Scale Depending on Distance from Camera

the most recent? )

I also use distant view to snap and seeing this even at a conservative 0.125 grid setting.

[Lawton]

I know there have been several JIRA's, but I've expended too much energy trying to get something done with it, I give up.
I've started using Singularity for building.  The latest update was in 2015, which means it's up to par but still has the old grid functionality.  If they start blocking old viewers, I swear I'll move to open sim.  I checked InWorldz, their viewer works the old way and Singularity is recommended for open sim.  I can use an older viewer with open sim to build, then export and import if I have to.