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I have a building block that has a cube for the ceiling, walls, and floor. It also has a blast door that overlaps the walls to fit into the next building block.

The problem is that when I align the building blocks together, I want to align the edges of the walls together, using snapping. When I try to do so, however, it snaps using the edge of the projecting blast door to the edge of the opposite wall, instead of wall-to-wall. I'm snapping from corner to corner. I made an example image:

enter image description here

It would be nice if I could still use snapping, like temporarily choose a specific vertex to use as a snap. What is the best way to do this?

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    $\begingroup$ Could you add a screenshot of these rooms and doors? $\endgroup$
    – lemon
    Commented Nov 29, 2020 at 7:22
  • $\begingroup$ sure thing will do. $\endgroup$
    – RBlong2us
    Commented Nov 29, 2020 at 7:33
  • $\begingroup$ Is it edge center to edge center? $\endgroup$
    – lemon
    Commented Nov 29, 2020 at 7:47
  • $\begingroup$ hold on. I'll elaborate $\endgroup$
    – RBlong2us
    Commented Nov 29, 2020 at 7:52

3 Answers 3

Reset to default
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This is the workflow I've found for doing this repetitively in Object mode. The setup:

  • Pivot set to '3D Cursor'
  • Snap-magnet: 'Off'
  • Snap set to 'Vertex' and 'Center'. Because of the 'Pivot' setting, 'Center' refers to the location of the 3D Cursor at the start of the move.
  • (The active tool is 'Tweak'.. it always is, for me)

The moves, for each snap:

  • Shift-Right drag the cursor. Once you're in charge of the cursor, you can release the Shift.
  • Still Right-dragging, hold Ctrl to snap the cursor to the desired 'From' vertex. You have now established the snap 'From' point.
  • Now Left-drag the 'From' object to the 'To' object, with Ctrl, hovering over the target 'To' vertex. The 'From' point will snap to it.

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ I'm not used to handling the 3d cursor like that, but I should: its quicker than the empty trick and lead to similar results. $\endgroup$
    – lemon
    Commented Nov 29, 2020 at 8:33
  • $\begingroup$ @lemon Just for once, I think this way is better :). I still wish the cursor was a more complete tool. If you set the cursor-tool orientation to 'Geometry', Shift-S snapping should respect that straight away. ATM, you have to drag the cursor across a surface to get it to adopt the face orientation which screws the snap, so you have to do it again. $\endgroup$
    – Robin Betts ♦
    Commented Nov 29, 2020 at 8:45
  • $\begingroup$ Robin, yes this way is better (you should remove the "for once"). Also you may complete your answer with the door alignment maybe? $\endgroup$
    – lemon
    Commented Nov 29, 2020 at 8:48
  • $\begingroup$ @lemon Ahh I see! You meant rotations? Your way may reduce the moves for those? $\endgroup$
    – Robin Betts ♦
    Commented Nov 29, 2020 at 9:02
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    $\begingroup$ I gotta say, I like how you did this! I've never had to change the Snap To setting before, but that's not a bad thing to have to do. Thanks a lot for helping me with this! Awesome quick way to do it! $\endgroup$
    – RBlong2us
    Commented Nov 30, 2020 at 3:37
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Not really short, but...

You want to snap A on B.

First step

Set the snapping to "edge center" and snap with "active".

Add an empty and bring it on the side of A.

Select A and the empty with empty as active.

Snap them 2 on the side of B: that aligns the rooms.

enter image description here

Second step

Move the empty on top of the door part.

Set snapping to "edge perpendicular".

Move A and the empty (active) to the top of B: that aligns the door.

enter image description here

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  • $\begingroup$ actually, the first step completes my question. The blast door is supposed to overlap into the next building block. Thanks for the tip! $\endgroup$
    – RBlong2us
    Commented Nov 30, 2020 at 3:32
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New in Blender 4! - use the 'b' key mid-move.

To Snap the corner of Box A onto Box B

( Assuming "Snap To" includes Vertex )

  • Select Box A and press [g] to begin a move.
  • press [b]
  • click on the corner you want to use as a snapping point.
  • now resume moving Box A and you'll be able to snap that corner to Box B

Note "Snap" is automatically enabled when you press 'b' in this way. You can also select edges etc, not just vertices.

Another handy V4 feature: hold Alt and use middle mouse to rotate your view mid-move.

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