It is also possible to modify many of the properties of a prim by editing the prim's properties window. Right-clicking a prim and then selecting “Edit” will bring up the prim's properties window. Figure 1.5 shows the properties window for a prim.

Figure 1.5: The General Properties of a Prim

    When editing a prim the properties window will appear. There are several tabs that can be selected to edit different aspects of the prim. The tabs that appear with any prim are shown here.

• general
• object
• features
• texture
• content

    Each of these tabs allows a different set of properties to be edited. The next few sections describe how to edit the properties on each of these tabs.

General Prim Properties

    The general properties are shown in Figure 1.5. The general properties allow basic properties, such as the prim's name and description to be edited. The primitive's owner and creator are also shown. The creator of a prim can never be edited. However, it is possible to change the owner of a prim by selling that prim.

    There are checkboxes that allow the permissions of the prim to be set. These allow the next owner to copy, modify or sell/give away the prim. You can also define what other uses are allowed to do to this prim.

Object Prim Properties

    The object properties prim Mark Biss2007-12-09T00:00:00Heading is Object Prim Properties. Is "object properties prim" the same?allows the size, position, rotation and other important properties of a prim to be edited. Figure 1.6 shows the object properties of a prim.

Figure 1.6: The Object Properties of a Prim

    The object and texture properties are the two tabs most commonly used for Second Life building. The object tab allows the x, y and z values for the position, size and rotation to be specified. The visual method of adjusting size, rotation and position is often used, but then the numbers are adjusted so that they are even. For example, if I rotate a prim to 93 degrees visually, I will edit the 93 degrees to be 90 degrees. This allows all of my angles to be “true” and produces a more “mathematically perfect” final object.

    Other properties, such as path cut, hollow, twist, taper and top shear can bend, twist and hollow the object. The best way to get a feel for these properties is to place a simple prim and then adjust the properties and observe the effect.

    The material type of a prim can also be defined. Wood is the default material type. Most objects created in Second Life never change the material type. As a result, most of the Second Life world is made of wood. The material property is really only useful for defining the friction between the prim and other prims. For example, glass has very little friction, whereas rubber has a great deal of friction. Friction will become very important later in this book when “physical” objects, such as vehicles, are created.

Features Prim Properties

    The features prim properties tab allows lighting and flexible path options to be set. Figure 1.7 shows the features properties tab.

Figure 1.7: The Features Properties of a Prim

    There are two check boxes, as seen on Figure 1.7. The first check box, the flexible path, allows a prim to be flexible. A flexible prim flexes in response to wind, movement and gravity. Flexible prims are used to create flags, flexible hair, and flexible clothing in Second Life.

    The second Check Box, light, allows the prim to emit light. Various options can be defined for light, such as color, intensity, radius and falloff. The light produced by a prim is most clearly viable Mark Biss2007-12-09T00:00:00Or visible?at night.

Texture Prim Properties

    The textures properties tab of the prim properties window allows the texture for a prim to be defined. The texture of a prim defines what material the prim appears to be made of. The textures property tab can be seen in Figure 1.8.

Figure 1.8: The Textures Properties of a Prim

    As can be seen from the above properties tab, the texture can be selected as well as the color. To create a solid color prim, choose the texture “blank” and then select the color. The shininess of the texture can also be chosen. This allows some interesting effects to be created. Shininess can also be defined for prims. The textures can also be scaled and offset.

Content Prim Properties

    The content properties tab for a prim allows objects to be placed inside the prim. This is where scripts are added. Figure 1.9 shows the content properties of a prim.

Figure 1.9: The Content Properties of a Prim

    Objects placed into the content tab of the prim have no effect on the visual appearance of the prim. Objects placed here are used by the scripts that execute within the prim. Each prim can have several scripts that execute. Objects in Second Life are usually made of a number of linked prims. Each of these linked prims can have its own set of content.

    Content includes scripts and everything needed by scripts. Audio files, scripts, textures and other objects can all be included in an object. Later chapters will show how to use some of these objects in conjunction with a script. To create a script in an object, right-click the object and choose “Edit”. Then choose the “Content” tab of the prim properties window. Press the “New Script” button. A new script is created, as shown in Figure 1.10.

Figure 1.10: A New Script

    Second Life provides default code for the script. This default script can be seen by double-clicking the “New Script” shown in Figure 1.10. The default script can be seen here.

default
{
    state_entry()
    {
        llSay(0, "Hello, Avatar!");
    }

    touch_start(integer total_number)
    {
        llSay(0, "Touched.");
    }
}

    The default script does very little, it is simply a placeholder until a more complex script is created.