Category: Simulator User Group

SL project updates 16 21/2: server, viewer, Bento

Posted on by Inara Pey

Frisland; Inara Pey, May 2016, on FlickrFrisland – blog post

Server Deployments Week #21 – Recap

As always, please refer to the server deployment thread for the latest information and updates.

There was a fast-tracked security update deployed to the LeTigre RC channel on Friday, May 20th. This update was also deployed as a server maintenance package to the Main (SLS) channel on Tuesday, May 24th.

On Wednesday, May 25th, all three RC channels were updated with a server maintenance package which combines the security update plus a new crash fix.

The security patch was apparently a precautionary measure, rather than a response to an actual exploit

Week #22 Deployments

The current RC update should move to the Main grid on Tuesday, May 31st, and the RCs should all receive a new package comprising:

  • A fix for BUG-10979 [Bento] Scripted attachments attached to the new enhanced skeleton attachment points show as worn on “Invalid Attachment Point” in the script limits floater
  • More checks for per-agent script limit
  • Internal improvements.

More news on these last two to follow.

Project Bento

As noted in my Project Bento update, the plan is for the back-end of Project Bento to be enabled on the main grid during week #22, most likely on Tuesday, May 31st. This will allow content making use of the Bento extensions to the avatar skeleton to be uploaded to the main grid. However, Bento content requires viewer-side updates in order to render correctly. Currently these are restricted to the Bento Project viewer and those TPVs which have adopted the Bento code ahead of the curve.

This also doesn’t mark the end of the Bento project; at this point, enabling Bento on Agni, is to expose the capabilities to a wider audience of content creators and allow broader testing.

Bento Viewer

The Bento Project viewer updated to version 5.0.0.315657 on Thursday, May 26th. This version includes the following significant updates:

reset skeletionA “Reset Skeleton” option, intended to fix cases where an avatar is distorted in your world view as a result of incorrectly applied joint updates. For example, a non-human avatar may show as “crunched up” because it is still in a human pose. Note that this option should also work for non-Bento avatars when become deformed as a result of swapping shapes / forms / animations as well.

Right-clicking on the affected avatar (your own or another) and selecting Reset Skeleton from the avatar context menu should correct the avatar’s appearance in your view. As this is a viewer-side update, it will not affect how anyone else sees the affected avatar until they use Reset Skeleton. The Lab has requested feedback on the capability if it fails to work as intended.

The viewer also includes a few late-breaking changes to the slider support for mesh avatars, including jaw shape and head shape. Sliders that affect the scale of mPelvis now also alter mHindLimbsRoot, to better keep the front and hind legs synced up.

SL Viewer

Other than the Project Bento viewer update, the list for official viewers remains as per the first part of this report.

 

SL project updates 16 21/1: server, viewer

Posted on by Inara Pey
Holly Kai Park: picnic area
Holly Kai Park: picnic area – blog post

Server Deployments Week #21

As always, please refer to the server deployment thread for the latest information and updates.

There was a fast-tracked security update deployed to the LeTigre RC channel on Friday, May 20th. This update was also deployed as a server maintenance package to the Main (SLS) channel on Tuesday, May 24th.

On Wednesday, May 25th, all three RC channels will be updated with a server maintenance package which combines the security update plus a new crash fix.

SL Viewer

A new Maintenance RC viewer entered the release channel on Monday, May 23rd. Version 4.0.6.315551 includes a modest but useful set of 24 fixes and updates to the viewer.

The Inventory Message RC viewer updated to version 4.0.6.315555 on May 23rd. This viewer sees the removal of deprecated and unused UDP inventory messaging mechanisms from the viewer code. This update sees the RC merged with the Quick Graphics release viewer.

The remaining official viewer remain unchanged from the end of week #20:

  • Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions), version 5.0.0.314884, dated May 5th – this build contains several updates related to joint offsets and meshes and slider changes
  • Oculus Rift project viewer, version 3.7.18.295296, dated October 13, 2014 – Oculus Rift DK2 support
  • Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.

Other Items

Visual Outfits  Browser

The Visual Outfits Browser viewer, which I last mentioned in February, is still moving forward, and might be approaching either project viewer or RC viewer status. It is designed to provide a means by which users can store and browse images associated with their outfits in inventory, simplifying the act of identifying an outfit prior to wearing it.

Those wishing to build it themselves can do so via the public code repository.

Note this viewer isn’t intended to work like popular RLV-driven wardrobes, where you can browse images of outfit then click on one to wear it; rather it is more of a visual aide-memoire on what he imaged outfits look like.

Aditi Issues

There has been some improvement on Aditi following the issues reported in week #20. BUG-16714 has been resolved, and it is hoped that several other database-related issues have been rectified.

SL project updates 16 20/1: server, viewer, Aditi

Posted on by Inara Pey

Regency Buckingham; Inara Pey, May 2016, on FlickrRegency Buckingham – The King’s Gallery – blog post

Server Deployments Week #20

As always, please refer to the server deployment thread for the latest updates.

  • On Tuesday, May 17th, the Main (SLS) channel was updated with a server maintenance package previously deployed to the RC channel, containing minor internal improvements and a crash fix.
  • On Wednesday, May 18th, all three RC channels should be updated with a new server maintenance package, originally held over from week #19, described as also minor internal improvements with no visible functional changes to Second Life.

SL Viewer

A new RC viewer appeared in the release channel on Monday, May 16th. Version 4.0.5.315019 is the anticipated Inventory Message Viewer. This viewer comprises Aura Linden’s work removing from the viewer all of the old UDP inventory messaging paths which have already been replaced by more robust mechanisms (and in some cases already had the server-side support for them removed), but which have until now remained a part of the viewer’s code.

A full list of the messages which have been removed can be found in the release notes for the viewer, and it is noted that any messages in the list which still have back-end support will see that support removed in the near future.

This means the current SL viewers which are available comprise:

  • Current Release version: 4.0.4.314579 (dated April 28th, promoted May 5th) – formerly the Maintenance RC viewer
  • Release candidate viewers:
    • Quick Graphics RC viewer, version 4.0.5.315117, dated May 11th – comprises the graphics pre-sets capability and the new Avatar Complexity settings
    • Inventory Message RC viewer, version 4.0.5.315019, as noted above
  • Project viewers:
    • Project Bento viewer, version 5.0.0.314884 dated May 5th containing several updates related to joint offsets and meshes and slider changes
    • Oculus Rift project viewer, version 3.7.18.295296, dated October 13th, 2014 – Oculus Rift DK2 support
  • Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847, dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.

Project Bento

As a reminder, it is anticipated that server-side support for Project Bento will be enabled on the main (Agni) grid some time during week #21, to allow for more extensive testing of the new avatar skeleton capabilities. Those wishing to try the skeleton extensions and new sliders when rigging mess models will need to use the Bento project viewer or a third-party viewer with the Bento code.

Note that if you are running a non-Bento viewer and happen across someone testing the Bento capabilities, any mesh they are wearing rigged to the new Bento bones will appear distorted  / broken in your view.

Aditi Grid

Issues continue with Aditi (the beta grid), notably with apparent inventory content loses and even the potential for inventory corruptions (see BUG-16714 for details of some of the issues being encountered).

These problems take the form of assets appearing in inventory, but generating a “Missing from database” error when attempting to rez / wear / attach. Some reports suggest the issue is restricted to items added to Aditi inventories following the most recent syncing operations between Agni and Aditi.  Normal corrective actions, such as clearing cache, do not correct matters.

The Lab staff looking after the beta grid have been appraised of the situation, and summed-up their response in a single phrase (and I’m apparently quoting): “bleargh!” – an understandable reaction, given the upsets Aditi caused in week #19. They are however, digging into the problem.

SL project updates 16 19/2: server, viewer, Bento Agni deployment

Posted on by Inara Pey

Rosemoor; Inara Pey, May 2016, on FlickrRosemoor – blog post

Server Deployments Week #19 – Recap

The RC server maintenance package deployment planned for Wednesday, May 11th was postponed as a result of the 3-day Aditi outage delaying testing. The update, which comprises minor internal improvements which present no visible functional changes to Second Life, will now most likely go ahead until week #20 (week commencing Monday, May 16th.

Viewer Updates

The Quick Graphics RC viewer updated to version 4.0.5.315117 on Wednesday, May 11th, brining it to code parity with the current release viewer. Providing no major issues are uncovered, this might be the last RC update for this viewer prior to its promotion as the de facto release viewer.

Project Bento

As noted above, the Project Bento meeting was severely disrupted by continuing Aditi issues, which left people unable to reach the meeting either via direct log-in or via teleport.  As Vir Linden was also unavailable (due to an unrelated matter), Troy Linden steered the meeting, fighting against a slowly deteriorating region condition.

A pile-on test had been planned for immediately after the meeting with the intention of stress testing a region with a large number of animated Bento avatars all with active animations. The test was to have been an internal Lab test, but members of the Bento user group were invited to join-in as well if they wished. Unfortunately, the continuing poor Aditi performance force the test to be postponed.

Agni Test Release Deployment

Allowing for things like stress testing and unforeseen issues, the plan is for a test release of Bento on Agni (the Main grid) to be made during week #21 (week commencing Monday, May 23rd).

The release will be the current server-side support for Bento, plus the project viewer. It has not as yet been decided to make the deployment grid-wide, or restrict it to an RC channel  / dedicated channel.

The deployment is to gain a broader audience testing Bento assets and content and using the viewer. This does mean that if you wish to see or try Bento content, you will have to be using either the Bento project viewer, or a TPV which has the Bento updates.

Continuing voice issues rendered recording the meeting impractical, so hopefully normal reporting will resume  next week.

 

 

SL project updates 16 19/1: server, viewer

Posted on by Inara Pey

Playa Flamingo; Inara Pey, May 2016, on Flickr Playa Flamingo – blog post

Server Deployments Week #19

There was no deployment to the Main (SLS) channel on Tuesday, May 10th.

At the time of writing, the planned deployment of a new server maintenance package to the RC channels planned for Wednesday, May 11th, was under question as a result of an outage of Aditi, the Beta grid, throwing out the testing schedule for the updates. Should it go ahead, this deployment is described as “Minor internal improvements. No visible functional changes to Second Life.”

SL Viewer

The Quick Graphics viewer is still awaiting update, which should occur once it has been merged with the current release viewer (formerly the Maintenance RC viewer). This leaves the SL viewer list unchanged from the end of last week:

  • Current Release version: 4.0.4.314579 (dated April 28), promoted May 5th – formerly the Maintenance RC viewer
  • RC viewers:
    • Quick Graphics RC viewer, version 4.0.4.314426, dated April 26th
  • Project Veiwers:
    • Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions) viewer, version 5.0.0.314884 dated May 5th – this build contains several updates related to joint offsets and meshes and slider changes
    • Oculus Rift project viewer, version 3.7.18.295296, dated October 13th, 2014 – Oculus Rift DK2 support (download and release notes)
  • Obsolete platform viewer, version 3.7.28.300847, dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.

 

SL project updates 16 18/1: server, viewer

Posted on by Inara Pey

Airship Pirates Town; Inara Pey, May 2016, on Flickr Airship Pirates Town – blog post

Server Deployments Week 18

On Tuesday, May 3rd, the Main (SLS) channel received the same server maintenance package originally deployed to the three RC channels in week #17, comprising a crash fix and minor internal improvements.

There will be no deployment to the RC channels on Wednesday, May 4th, and no scheduled restart of simulators on that channel.

SL Viewer Updates

The two release candidate viewers currently in the release channel were updated at the end of week #17:

  • The current Maintenance release candidate updated to version 4.0.4.314579, dated April 28th
  • The Quick Graphics release candidate updated to version 4.0.4.314426, dated April 26th.

This means there has been no promotion of an RC to de facto release status, while the project viewers have not been updated, leaving the complete list of remaining official viewers as follows:

  • Current Release version: 4.0.3.312816, dated March 23rd and promoted on April 1st,  formerly the HTTP / Vixox RC viewer
  • Project viewers:
    • Project Bento (avatar skeleton extensions), version 5.0.0.313876, dated April 15th
    • Oculus Rift project viewer, version 3.7.18.295296, dated October 13, 2014
  • Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.

Avatar Complexity

There are still some issues yet to be resolved with Avatar Complexity which is why this viewer is currently not progressing towards a release status at present. One of these is avatars which should render as solid colours (or “Jelly Dolls” as the popular term for them is now) or imposters are invisible.

This has been a long-standing issue (see BUG-10330), which has proven hard to reliably reproduce, and has had a number of theories attached to it. Recent testing has suggested one of the causes is a possible conflict between the viewer trying to render avatars as Jelly Dolls whilst trying also to account for any alpha mask applied to the avatar with all the layer check boxes ticked.  This is possibly because ticking the alpha mask check boxes result in a “special” UUID being applied. Currently, the precise cause of the issue has yet to reach a consensus opinion, and investigations and tests continue.