Tag: SL Viewer

Server Deployments

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

• On Tuesday, June 6th, the Main (SLS) channel was updated with a server maintenance package (17.05.26.326655), containing fixes to help with the caps (capabilities) router, particularly with reference to trying to teleport to regions which have a heavy avatar load (see here for details).
• On Wednesday, June 7th, the RC channels should be updated as follows:
  • BlueSteel and LeTigre should each receive the same server maintenance package (17.06.01.326763), comprising internal fixes.
  • Magnum should receive a server maintenance package, but details were still TBD at the time of writing.

Capabilities Losses at Region Restart

Some regions are still suffering capabilities failures at restart (see this forum thread for an example, and see these wiki pages for more information on capabilities: Capabilities and Current Sim Capabilities). This overall caps system is shared at the server level, so when problems like this occur, it affects all of the regions on that server, which then require an individual restart to correct.

SL Viewer

There have been no further viewer updates since my last project updates article. This leaves the current viewer pipeline as follows:

• Current Release version 5.0.5.326444, dated May 18th, promoted May 23rd – formerly the Maintenance RC viewer overview
• Release channel cohorts:
  • Maintenance RC viewer, version 5.0.6.326731, dated June 1st
  • Voice RC viewer, version 5.0.6.326589, dated on May 31st
  • Project AssetHttp viewer, version 5.0.6.326593 dated May 26th – overview
    
• Project viewers:
  • Project Alex Ivy 64-bit viewer, version 5.1.0.505089, dated May 11th
  • 360-degree snapshot viewer, version 4.1.3.321712 dated November 23rd, 2016 – ability to take 360-degree panoramic images
• 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

Environmental Update

“We are going to kick off a set of environment improvements – exact scope is still TBD,” Oz Linden states at the Simulator User Group meeting on Tuesday, June 6th. “[but] there are a couple of hot problems that need to be stomped first.”

While the exact nature of these improvements is still TBD, the comment sparked a conversation on parcel windlight settings, which Oz indicated the Lab is still planning on implementing. While all discussion on this is still somewhat speculative, the current thinking on this at the Lab is:

• The precedence will be 1) viewer local (so if you set a windlight through the viewer, that will take priority over any windlight indicated by the region / parcel) , 2) parcel (if allowed by estate), and 3) region
• Currently, it is unlikely that the parcel controls will allow setting windlight environments by altitude (aka Firestorm zoning).

The latter point is perhaps the most contentious for those using the current Firestorm zoning for windlight – not only does this allow different windlight conditions for different altitudes (particularly useful in role-play regions which may have different locations stacked vertically, each of which is ideally suited it its own environmental setting), it also things like caves and caverns to have their environment set to midnight, naturally darkening them (a technique we use at Caitinara Bar for the benefit of those using Firestorm).

In addition to parcel windlight, the Lab is looking to add an experience-controlled way to change environment for an individual avatar – so that those joining an experience will have their viewer automatically adopt the windlight setting for the experience, if one is set. This could also provide a means for “altitude zoning” of windlights to some degree.

None of these additions will prevent users applying their own viewer-side windlight should they wish (as noted above).

Other subjects possibly on the list of environmental settings:

• Selectable cloud textures (similar to the capability in Firestorm)
• The ability to change the moon texture
• Adjustable day length (so, for example, one SL day =  a physical world day)

As Oz noted in the meeting, the details of what the Lab would consider working on with the environment improvements has yet to be fully defined; however, he also added, “When we get to the point where we’re ready to start work on it (hopefully very soon), we’ll post a description of what we’ve got in mind … and yes, we’ll accept suggestions for improvements then.”

Costa Blanco – blog post

Server Deployments

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

• On Tuesday, May 23rd, the Main (SLS) channel was updated with the server maintenance package previously deployed to LeTigre in week #20, containing the updated server-side parcel access override settings (more below)
• On Wednesday, May 24th, the RC channels should be updated with a new server maintenance package containing the parcel access override controls, together with a fix for BUG-100704, “[Server] If Anyone Can visit is selected after Allow Group was set only group members can enter”.

SL Viewer

The Maintenance viewer, version 5.0.5.326444, dated May 18th, 2017 was promoted to release status on Tuesday, May 23rd.

This viewer is notable for its inclusion of some improvements to Trash purging behaviour, and support for the parcel access overrides which as of this week are fully deployed across the grid.

I have an overview of this viewer, which examines both the Trash purging changes and the parcel access overrides in detail, as well as touching on the other updates included in the release.

Outside of this, the current pipeline remains as:

• Release channel cohorts (please see my notes on manually installing RC viewer versions if you wish to install any release candidate(s) yourself):
  • Voice RC viewer, version 5.0.5.325998, dated May 5th
  • Project AssetHttp project viewer,  version 5.0.5.325940, dated May 4th – This viewer moves fetching of several types of assets to HTTP / CDN – overview
    
• Project viewers:
  • Project Alex Ivy 64-bit viewer, version 5.1.0.505089, dated May 11th
  • 360-degree snapshot viewer, version 4.1.3.321712, dated November 23, 2016 – ability to take 360-degree panoramic images.
• Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847 dated May 8th, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.

Expect the two RC viewers to be updated to bring them to parity with the new release viewer viewer.

Infrastructure Updates

As noted in my week #20 updates (notably the TPV Developer meeting notes), the Lab is working on a range of infrastructure updates, together with updates to things like the teleport re-try throttle (which can place a considerable load on the “receiving” region’s simulator). It is hoped that these updates will a) help SL progress into the future, b) potentially offer further increases in the numbers of avatar regions can support.

Other Items

Changes to Mesh Upload Access

Linden Lab recently changed the requirements for being able to upload mesh content to Second Life. For more information, see my separate update.

Instancing Regions?

Note: this is not an actual project with the Lab, nor is it necessarily on the roadmap for SL development. What follows is purely in the realm of speculative discussion.

During the Simulator User Group Meeting on Tuesday, May 23rd, it was asked if instancing regions (notably private standalone regions) might some day be possible. That is, if there is a stand-alone region hosting a very popular event, a copy of the entire region might be spawned, which would then allow people into it to deal with the demand.

While there are a wide range of infrastructure, permission system  and other issues associated with it (how is the instance to be paid for? what about No Copy items, can they be reproduced in an instance of a region, where technically they aren’t a duplicate? How is the required hardware managed & what happens when demand for additional server space isn’t high?, etc.), the idea wasn’t ruled as being completely out-of-bounds. Right now it remains purely on the “someday maybe” wish list.

Crystal Garden Estates – blog post

Server Deployments

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

• There was no Main (SLS) channel deployment or restart on Tuesday, May 16th.
• On Wednesday, May 17th, the three RC channels should be updated as follows:
  • Magnum should be updated with a server maintenance package with internal fixes
  • Bluesteel should receive a new server maintenance package the updated simulator build using a newer version of Linux
  • LeTigre should receive a server maintenance package containing the new parcel access overrides.

Simulator Operating System Update

The build of the simulator code using an updated version of Linux was initially deployed to LeTigre in week #19. However, it was rolled back on Thursday, May 11th and replaced with the server maintenance package originally deployed to the Magnum RC channel that week. The reason for this can be found in BUG-100667, “Krafties HUD does not work on LeTigre regions only”. The BlueSteel deployment should hopefully correct this issue.

SL Viewer

The Alex Ivy 64-bit viewer was updated to version 5.1.0.505089 on May 11th. If you’re on a 64-bit version of Windows, make sure you click on the correct download link to avoid receiving the 32-bit version.

On Friday, May 12th, the Maintenance RC viewer, version 5.0.5.326168 was released. This viewer includes improvements to Trash purging behaviour designed to assist with avoiding inventory losses and the new UI controls for the new parcel access overrides – both of which have been previously noted in these updates, with the latter being deployed to LeTigre this week.

In addition, the Maintenance viewer has additional fixes and UI improvements, including a contributed feature which allows users to search and replace asset links in their inventory. This should greatly simplify updating links related to a product when it has itself been updated. The default media playback volume has also been reduced, in keeping with recent requests from some Community Gateways.

Outside of these two viewers, there have thus far been no other changes to the viewers in the pipeline, which remain as:

• Current Release version: 5.0.4.325124, dated April 3rd, promoted April 19th – overview
• RC viewers:
  • Voice RC viewer, version 5.0.5.325998, re-released on Friday, May 5th
  • Project AssetHttp project viewer, version 5.0.5.325940 dated May 4th
• Project viewers:
  • 360-degree snapshot viewer,version 4.1.3.321712, dated November 23rd, 2016
• 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.

Terrain Issues

The golfing community has noticed an apparent behaviour change affecting wither the terrain or scripted golfing systems. The change manifests in a number of ways, for example: indicators which should only be triggered when a ball registers as being in Linden Water triggering when the ball is on land; golf balls apparently penetrating the terrain and being marked as deep under it; balls hitting prim objects and bouncing wildly, etc.

The problem has been noted a multiple golf course and appears to affect all popular golf systems – those by Fa Nyak or Cowley, for example. The issues have been around for about 5-6 weeks, and reports are that they are getting worse. They don’t appear to be linked to issues of “lag” either in the viewer or at the simulator end (e.g. due to the volume of avatars in a region), as the problems can pop-up with just two people playing a round; they are also somewhat inconsistent and difficult to deliberately reproduce. A JIRA has been requested on the problem to help the Lab investigate.

The Mill, Pale Moonlight – blog post

Server Deployments

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

On Tuesday, May 9th, the Main (SLS) server channel was updated with the server maintenance package previously deployed to the LeTigre RC channel, containing sim logging improvements.

On Wednesday, May 10th, the RC channels should be updated as follows:

• BlueSteel and Magnum should receive a server maintenance package with “internal updates”
• LeTigre should receive a server update comprising a new version of the simulator code built using a newer version of Linux. This has previously been on test both on Aditi and the Cake micro-channel. In the words of the Lab, it sees pretty much everything change.

Commenting on the current underpinning server updates the Lab are carrying out, Simon Lab said, at the Simulator User Group meeting on Tuesday, May 9th:

We have some internal projects that are pretty big that will occupy us for months at this point.  They’re needed and will help set up SL for a long-term life … it really is investing in the future … Imagine what our back-end systems look like. The design is ancient, it’s been added-on and adjusted for 14+ years. Sometimes we have to stop and do overhauls.

SL Viewer

A Maintenance RC viewer is anticipated this week. However, at the time of writing there have been no updates since the end of week #19, leaving the viewer pipelines as follows:

• Current Release version: 5.0.4.325124, dated April 3rd, April 19th – formerly the Maintenance RC viewer overview
• Release channel cohorts:
  • Voice RC viewer, version 5.0.5.325998, dated Friday, May 5
  • Project AssetHttp project viewer, version 5.0.5.325940, dated May 4th
    
• Project viewers:
  • Project Alex Ivy (LXIV), 64-bit project viewer, version 5.1.0.504536, dated April 25th (download and release notes)
  • 360-degree snapshot viewer, version 4.1.3.321712, dated November 23rd, 2016
• Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847, dated May 8th, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.

Group Chat Issues

Group chat on some of the larger groups again seems to be acting up – messages being dropped, people unable to send messages, etc.

Should you encounter repeated  / severe issues with group chat, the recommendation is to file a support ticket with a request in the format of: “group XX is suffering excessive chat lag, please check its server”, where XX is the name of the group itself. All such requests should be passed on to Operations, who will take a look at the server responsible for managing that particular group’s chat sessions.

Server Deployments  – Recap

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

• On Tuesday, May 2nd, the server maintenance package with the improved region capacity and access capabilities were promoted to the Main (SLS) channel
• On Wednesday, May 3rd the three RC channels were updated as follows:
  • BlueSteel received a  server maintenance package with “internal fixes”
  • LeTigre and Magnum received a new server maintenance package containing “Sim logging improvements”.

SL Viewer

On Thursday, May 4th, the AssetHTTP RC viewer updated to version 5.0.5.325940, which looks to be to addressing further crash issues with the previous RC version.

All other viewers in the pipelines remain unchanged:

• Current Release version: 5.0.4.325124, dated April 3rd – formerly the Maintenance RC viewer overview
  
• Project viewers:
  • Project Alex Ivy (LXIV), 64-bit project viewer version 5.1.0.504536, dated April 25th
  • 360-degree snapshot viewer version 4.1.3.321712, dated November 23rd, 2016 – ability to take 360-degree panoramic images
• Obsolete platform viewer version 3.7.28.300847. dated May 8th, 2015 – provided for users on Windows XP and OS X versions below 10.7.

Inventory Loss Issues

I recently reported on people’s experiences with inventory losses, as recorded through the forums. As a result of both the forum discussion and JIRAs filed such as BUG-100541), the Lab has been looking again at inventory and possible causes of inventory loss. This will be resulting in some viewer behaviour changes  as Grumpity Linden explained during the Server Beta meeting on Thursday, May 4th:

So we are actively looking at the various reports of inventory loss (Quick thank you to everyone who takes the time to file bug reports… It helps!). With this recent wave of reports, it seems like there are a lot of things ending up in trash unexpectedly and we can’t be sure whether there’s an evil gremlin in the machinery or a bunch of accidental key presses. So we’re putting in some viewer changes to at least make the accidental key presses less likely. We’re:

1. Amending the prompt that comes up when you have over 5K items in trash to show the trash folder when you’re ready to purge it – before you can purge it.
2. Backspace will only delete on mac, not windows.
3. [The] purging trash warning will give you the count of items you’re deleting and will be unavoidable.
4. You’re going to have to see the “Are you sure you want to delete this thing” warning at least once per session.

Also, I’d like to clarify something – a lot of reports we’re seeing come up right now but are actually of past incidents. I think the discussion on the forum(s) has led to an increase in reporting.  which is great because then maybe we’ll finally get a reproducible scenario and find ways to fix.

These changes may not resolve all the issues being experienced, but they may help with at least some, and in creasing people’s awareness of what might be happening in their Trash folder. There is currently no time frame as to when these updates will appear in an RC  / project viewer; I’d assume they would most likely be appearing in a Maintenance RC.

Profile Feed Snapshot Uploads

People are (once again) experiencing issues with uploading snapshots to their Profile Feed. A bug on the matter has been raised – BUG-100516.