Is your skybox too low? (Here is a simple tip)

[Abnor Mole]

As many of us know (or should know if you have read the Covenant in Bellisseria) skyboxes and building platforms in Bellisseria should be kept above 2000m in the sky. If you or a friend already have a skybox or are building one and it is too low but you don't know how to move it that high, here is a very simple script that might help. 

default
{

    state_entry()
    {
        llOwnerSay("Moving to current position + 2000m");
        llSleep(1.0);
        llSetRegionPos(llGetPos() + <0,0,2000>);
        llRemoveInventory(llGetScriptName());
    }
    
}

Dropping this script in any object (as long as you can modify the object) will send the object 2000m directly up from it's current position and then delete the script from the object's contents. It is very handy if you already have your skybox all set up but neglected to place it at an altitude that is compliant with the Covenant. You can even sit on a prim or other object (like a chair) and drop the script in it and it will take you to with it. From there you can save a landmark or set up a teleporter for yourself to reach your skybox from ground level.

For objects you cannot use this script to move, the simplest way to move an existing skybox is to select and edit the object, look under the Object tab, and manually change the Z value by adding 2000 to the number. 

In this case, change 53.98655 to 2053.98655 and the object will move to that altitude. You will have to do this with each object individually. If you do this with all the objects in the skybox when you are finished the skybox will be exactly the same as it was, only at a higher altitude and in compliance with the Covenant.

Please feel free to share this tip with your fellow residents who may not be as adept at setting up or moving a skybox as others.

[Persephone Emerald]

Just to add information.  Two Skyboxes might be set to the same height but each be at slightly different heights because their height is going to be based on the height of the base prim for that skybox. I make simple, open skyboxes with a mesh box on a box prim base. I set the box prim base as my base prim, in part so this will be the set height of my skybox. If I want to be able to teleport using the "gth" function in local, I may set my skybox base at 2009 m high, so I can type "gth 2010" and land myself just above the floor.

If I were to set my 10 m tall mesh box as the base prim, then send the skybox to 2000 m, the floor would actually be at 1995 m and my avatar would end up 5 m off the ground when typing "gth 2000" in local. I'm sure no one is going to complain if the floor of your skybox is actually at 1995 m, but if you want to be safe, it's ok to add 9 or 10 meters to your height.

* Abnor's tip about adding 2000 m to your skybox height is also very useful when it comes to decorating your home or land, especially when you're trying to decide which chair or tree to use. Add 40 or 50 to a ground-level object's height, and it will disappear from view while still hovering over your parcel with the same x & y coordinates. Decide which item you like better, bring that one back down to the correct floor height, then delete other objects you've left hanging in the air above.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Persephone Emerald

[Tary Allen]

I usually take them to at least 3000 m. I like it up there, hardly anyone around

[Abnor Mole]

34 minutes ago, Persephone Emerald said:

* Abnor's tip about adding 2000 m to your skybox height is also very useful when it comes to decorating your home or land, especially when you're trying to decide which chair or tree to use. Add 40 or 50 to a ground-level object's height, and it will disappear from view while still hovering over your parcel with the same x & y coordinates. Decide which item you like better, bring that one back down to the correct floor height, then delete other objects you've left hanging in the air above.

Here is a script for that. It moves the object 30m vertically for 5 minutes or until it is touched.
 

//Moves object 30m into the sky for 5 minutes when dropped into its contents. Deletes itself after returning to original position.

vector originalPosition;
vector currentPosition;

default
{

    state_entry()
    {
        llSetTimerEvent(300);
        originalPosition = llGetPos();
        llSetRegionPos(originalPosition + <0,0,30>);
        
    }
     
    touch_start(integer total_number)
    {
        llSetRegionPos(originalPosition);
        llRemoveInventory(llGetScriptName());
    }
     
    timer()
    {
        if (currentPosition != originalPosition)
        llSetRegionPos(originalPosition);
        llRemoveInventory(llGetScriptName());
    }
}

Edited July 14, 2022 by Abnor Mole

[Nika Talaj]

For the more daring, or for those who have a lot of unlinked stuff in their skybox, here is a NOT simple tip.  Forgive me if everyone reading this thread knows how to do this.

Basically, you put the whole thing, and all the linksets in it, into edit simultaneously, and then go to the Object tab on the build menu and set add a nice round number to the z value.  One must be VERY careful when doing this!

> Go to the Build pulldown on the menu bar.

> In Options, check "Select by Surrounding", "Show Selection Outlines", and "Select Only My Objects".

> Go up to the skybox (I usually fly next to it, but as Abnor suggests, some people like to sit on something that's been selected, so that they move with the skybox)

> Position your camera so it is NOT pointing at the ground, or at any other build that you own.  (Particularly important if you have unchecked "Limit Select Distance" under the Advanced menu, like I have.) 

> Put the skybox, or part of it, in edit.  Now, press and hold your left mouse button while you draw a big rectangle enclosing the entire skybox.  Release the mouse button.  All of the items in the skybox should now be in edit, and be highlit!  Look at the count of selected items in the build menu.  If it is too high, you've accidentally selected something else you own...so left click on anything to deselect everything, and try again.

> At this point you can move your camera all around the skybox to be sure everything is selected (I use  alt-click to set the camera position, then cam around with arrow keys.) If just a couple things are not selected, you can add them to the selection using shift-mouse click. 

> Then you go to the object tab and add something to the Z-value, and everything moves. 

You then have to do the same thing for every avatar who owns stuff in the skybox.  You may ask: if I have the ability to edit the objects of everyone who owns stuff in the skybox, why can't I just not set "Select Only My Objects" and do this?  Answer: you can.  It's just that much more risky.  Particularly if you have other typists on that land who have given you permission to edit their objects.  In my experience, it is best if every typist moves their own stuff.

After you do this, remember to set the Build options back to the way you had them!

[Aethelwine]

When group selecting objects to move you might find that you don't get the option to move the cluster because you have in advertantly selected some of your neighbours prims or some landscaping. A tip to make it easier is to temporarily use the option to only select your own objects. The option is there in firestorm at least I presume in other viewers too. 

[Fay Starlight]

 I usually rezz the skybox on the ground, make sure it's not overhanging the parcel, then I right click it>edit and then go to the objects tab and in the position Z axis (blue) I type in 2000.00 or a higher number (I usually do 2100.00 so no uncertainty any part will be below 2000) then click enter and it will shoot straight up there in a flash. You can then TP up there to it or fly up and save your "home" or make a landmark and you are set. You can do this with anything and or all your decor or part of it etc.

Edited July 15, 2022 by Fay Starlight

[Love Zhaoying]

I may have missed something but..the method I was taught is:

1) Rez a cube on the ground.

2) Resize the cube to be a reasonably sized "temporary platform" (flat sheet - let's just say 10x10, etc.):

- Big enough for you to sit on, and not fall off when you go up into the sky

- Big enough to easily rez your "skybox rezzer" onto.   You do have your skybox in a rezzer, I hope!

3) Sit on the temporary platform (the cube you just rezzed and resized)

4) Edit the platform, change its location to your desired height.

Magic! Your temporary platform is in the sky. And you are sitting on it!

5) Stand up - CAREFULLY (if you want to, or wait until later).  Don't fall off the temporary platform!

6) Rez your skybox "rezzer" onto the platform. 

7) Click the skybox rezzer, and rez your skybox. 

Magic! (Delete your "temporary platform" - it may be hiding under your rezzed skybox..)

Edited July 15, 2022 by Love Zhaoying

[AzureWaves]

16 minutes ago, Love Zhaoying said:

I may have missed something but..the method I was taught is:

1) Rez a cube on the ground.

2) Resize the cube to be a reasonably sized "temporary platform" (flat sheet - let's just say 10x10, etc.):

- Big enough for you to sit on, and not fall off when you go up into the sky

- Big enough to easily rez your "skybox rezzer" onto.   You do have your skybox in a rezzer, I hope!

3) Sit on the temporary platform (the cube you just rezzed and resized)

4) Edit the platform, change its location to your desired height.

Magic! Your temporary platform is in the sky. And you are sitting on it!

5) Stand up - CAREFULLY (if you want to, or wait until later).  Don't fall off the temporary platform!

6) Rez your skybox "rezzer" onto the platform. 

7) Click the skybox rezzer, and rez your skybox. 

Magic! (Delete your "temporary platform" - it may be hiding under your rezzed skybox..)

This is the best instructions. Thank you.

[Love Zhaoying]

6 minutes ago, AzureWaves said:

This is the best instructions. Thank you.

You're welcome!

(A more advanced method that skips some steps:

You can also skip the temporary platform, Rez the "skybox rezzer" on the ground, sit on that (!) and change its location..then click it to Rez your skybox while you're sitting on it!  A lot scarier.)

[Abnor Mole]

2 hours ago, Love Zhaoying said:

I may have missed something but..the method I was taught is:

1) Rez a cube on the ground.

2) Resize the cube to be a reasonably sized "temporary platform" (flat sheet - let's just say 10x10, etc.):

- Big enough for you to sit on, and not fall off when you go up into the sky

- Big enough to easily rez your "skybox rezzer" onto.   You do have your skybox in a rezzer, I hope!

3) Sit on the temporary platform (the cube you just rezzed and resized)

4) Edit the platform, change its location to your desired height.

Magic! Your temporary platform is in the sky. And you are sitting on it!

5) Stand up - CAREFULLY (if you want to, or wait until later).  Don't fall off the temporary platform!

6) Rez your skybox "rezzer" onto the platform. 

7) Click the skybox rezzer, and rez your skybox. 

Magic! (Delete your "temporary platform" - it may be hiding under your rezzed skybox..)

That is indeed the recommended method for building or setting up a skybox. I would add that a good rule of thumb is to make the temporary platform the same size as your parcel and aligned with its borders so once it is up in the sky you know where your parcel boundaries are.

The scripty/edity tricks are something that is meant to help if during step #4 (Edit the platform, change its location to your desired height...) your "desired height" was not quite enough to be within the Covenant and now you have a fully decked out skybox with painstakingly adjusted nick-knacks and paddy-whacks that all need to be raised higher in the sky. 

We hate having to tell residents with a beautifully done skybox that while it is great looking... it needs to be far more than 500m in the air. 😢

Edited July 15, 2022 by Abnor Mole

[Love Zhaoying]

18 minutes ago, Abnor Mole said:

That is indeed the recommended method for building or setting up a skybox. I would add that a good rule of thumb is to make the temporary platform them same size as your parcel and aligned with it's borders so once it is up in the sky you know where your parcel boundaries are.

The scripty/edity tricks are something that is meant to help if during step #4 (Edit the platform, change its location to your desired height...) your "desired height" was not quite enough to be within the Covenant and now you have a fully decked out skybox with painstakingly adjusted nick-knacks and paddy-whacks that all need to be raised higher in the sky. 

We hate having to tell residents with a beautifully done skybox that while it is great looking... it needs to be far more than 500m in the air. 😢

Ahh yes, "moving" an existing skybox is harder. If your stuff is in it, the rezzer has "frozen" the location, etc.

[Blush Bravin]

When I want to create a platform in the sky this is what I do:

• rez a prim and resize it so it fits exactly inside my parcel boundary
• open the build menu and set the z elevation of the platform to the desired location (ex. 2000m)
• standing where the platform was only seconds ago, I open the map and in the z location type in the location +1 meter above where I sent the platform (example 2001m)
  • when you open the map the teleport button is greyed out but as soon as you change the z elevation and hit enter the teleport button comes alive.
• click teleport

voila I'm standing on my platform at the desired location ready to rez whatever I want. I've been using the open the map and type in the desired z location for a long time. You won't find me sitting on a prim!

Also, make a landmark and drop it in your favorites bar and you won't need a teleporter to get from the ground back up to your platform/skybox.

But you can believe I've made a copy of Abnor's script. Because if I find I want to move my fully furnished skybox to a different elevation, I'm not going to want to take the time to do the math to reposition everything by typing in a new z elevation. Being able to drop that script into whatever I want to move exactly the same distance as all the other objects is a lifesaver. So thanks Abnor for that little gem.

 

Edited July 16, 2022 by Blush Bravin
comment about Abnor's very useful script.

[xViXeNx71]

Just here to add some shortcuts that people might not be aware of. These work in the Firestorm viewer, I don't know about other viewers.

I see people using all kinds of complicated methods to fly up to a certain height, but all you have to do to fly up to for instance 2000m, is type in your nearby chat: gth 2000 (and hit enter)

You will be teleported to that height straight away, make sure you are in fly mode lol.

To rez a platform to build on, all you have to do is type in your chat: rezplat (and hit enter)

You can do this at any height.

[Leora Greenwood]

1 hour ago, xViXeNx71 said:

Just here to add some shortcuts that people might not be aware of. These work in the Firestorm viewer, I don't know about other viewers.

I see people using all kinds of complicated methods to fly up to a certain height, but all you have to do to fly up to for instance 2000m, is type in your nearby chat: gth 2000 (and hit enter)

You will be teleported to that height straight away, make sure you are in fly mode lol.

To rez a platform to build on, all you have to do is type in your chat: rezplat (and hit enter)

You can do this at any height.

Sweet, thank you!  I had heard (and forgotten) the gth shortcut but was not even aware of rezplat.  Clearly, 15 years in SL and I need to go back to school!

[kali Wylder]

I don't use a fancy skybox. My skybox is a big hollow cylinder with a floor, a roof and a pose stand, total LI =4. It's textured so I can see out but you can't see in. Well, I take that back.  A determined person can cam inside, but it requires effort.  I rez it centered over my house to make sure I'm not exceeding the XY boundaries, then hop on the pose stand and raise it by editing the Z to be 2000 more than it is on the ground. That's my dressing room and I can't see the point in wasting any more of my land impact there.

Edited July 16, 2022 by kali Wylder

[diamond Marchant]

8 hours ago, xViXeNx71 said:

Just here to add some shortcuts that people might not be aware of. These work in the Firestorm viewer

As expected, Inara Pey explains it https://modemworld.me/2015/02/24/firestorm-ttt-command-line-shortcuts/

I didn't not even know about this stuff until a year ago. I use "dd" all the time.