Want to save my work from a sandbox, so i can return later and continue

[donaldpkelley]

I learning SL by building in a sandbox. Is there no way to save or archive my work so I can return, rez my objects in their proper positions, and continue where I left off? I've looked all over for an answer. I guess it's not easy to do. Please respond if you have a tip. Thanks.

[VanillaSunsets]

You have to "simply" take back your build into your inventory. I know nothing in SL is simple... but that is what you have to do.To do so, right click the object and select Take. Next time you want to work on you build again, you rezz it again from inventory. Make sure you name it properly before taking it back, so you know what to look for. 

[Rolig Loon]

It's almost as simple as Vanilla says, as long as all the parts are linked.  If not, it's almost as easy, but you have to save the work as a coalesced object.  Read about that here >>> https://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Building-tips/ta-p/700041#Section_.1 .

You may also want to take a free building class at someplace like Builders Brewery.  :smileywink:

[Amethyst Jetaime]

I use a rez box when I can't keep a work in progress rezzed to come back to, and the creation is in several parts.  I rez the control box in the on my building platform or the sim where I am building,  then as I create each section I put the rez script in it's root prim and a copy in the box.  If I change the object and the root remains the same, I just reset it's script and replace the part in the box.  If the root changes then I remove the previous script and put a new rez script in the new root.  In the end when I need to save it, I just take the box. 

If you do this, be sure to name each section and name the box with different version numbers of your build so you know which one is the latest.  You can delete earlier versions in your inventory if you want, however I tend to keep the last few in case I want to go back to a part of an earlier version.  Unless I am building something with a very specific detailed plan from a client, I do tend to visualize and over all plan but design details on the fly, as most of my clients give me that lee way.

The beauty of this is that when I return to the build I can just rez it out and all the sections are exactly where they need to be and it's easy to move around using the rez box.  When the build is finished, it's already packed and all I have to do is add any instructions.  If I am going to sell something as a whole object, I just rez it out and link it together as necessary. 

There are free rez boxes on the Marketplace.

[Nalates Urriah]

So far, everyone has given good answers but, not an overview of the process and reasons for doing some things one way or the other.

When building you can have individual prims. They can be moved as a group by using the Build panels selection tool to drag a selection box around them. The process is tricky as it is easy to miss capturing all the individual prims.

We can link up to 256 prims, essentially making them a 'group' of prims. (Limits) All the prim centers have to be within a 54m bounding sphere. (Linking Rule) Selecting any one of them selects the whole group. There is a setting in the Build panel to allow selecting just the individual prims in a group so they can moved and changed.

I've used coalesced objects to move builds in and out of inventory. That process has some problems too. You can read about them at the bottom of this page: https://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/Building-tips/ta-p/700041

A bit tedious but more reliable is the the use of a rez box. This is a prim with a script that handles storing all the prims inside it self and allowing you to simple move the single prim in and out of inventory.

For small builds, few prims, linksets are the quick simple method. Select them all and link them at the end of building sessions. Rez them and unlink them at the start of session. There are some hidden problems with this method. If you try to rez a linkset or anything with a Land-Impact that exceeds the available prim limit, you'll run into problems.

Somewhere in the middle size of built things coalesced objects are easiest.

Large builds are complicated and you have to find what works for you. But, if you plan to sell the item you are building, say a castel, you want it easy for the buyer to rez. Then a rez box is often the best answer.