The OSgrid Region Launcher is a somewhat newish utility I wrote back late August – it’s designed to be a dead-set-simple zero-configuration region launcher for OpenSim. It’ll automatically deploy your own region on OSgrid, hosted on your own computer; and while not perfect – it can be a nifty way of checking out OpenSim without too much hassle. This is a new version of the tool for those who were testing it several weeks ago – version 0.22 brings in a bunch of new features, including confirmed Linux compatibility (and presumably OSX too.)
This tool is a from start-to-finish utility for launching regions, it will automatically negotiate with your router to forward ports as required; and it will handle automatic updates of new versions using the official OSgrid.org Binary Releases. The basic release contains all the features of the default OSgrid binary release (including preconfigured Groups, Physics, Scripts, etc.). Shameless Plug: Obviously this has all the limitations of regions hosted from home – namely bandwidth & network considerations – if you want to host something permanently and reliably with support, come take a look at SimHost.
This new version of the launcher includes the following new features
- Confirmed & Tested Linux Support (and presumably OSX with Mono)
- New Zip Library (uses Ionic.Zip now) – works better on Linux.
- Completely rewritten UI – Now provides a great deal more feedback on what the tool is doing at any specific point in time.
- Ability to manually position a region optionally.
- Basic Input Validation (Bug: Glitchy on Linux – if you cant close the tool, input a few characters into the current field)
- ILMerge’d Release – now just one self-contained .exe
To use the tool, follow the following steps:
- Drop the .exe in it’s own folder somewhere. Run it.
- Enter a region name – must be between 1 and 64 alphanumeric characters. Some symbols & UTF8 characters are fine too. Known invalid symbols include: [ ] \r \n.
- Select either automatic positioning (default), or enter a pair of free coordinate values. X first, followed by Y. Coordinates must be between 0 and 65,535.
- Enter your Avatar Name on OSgrid.org – Firstname followed by Lastname.
- Click Launch
- At this point, the tool will download, unpack and install your region – you may be prompted to perform certain tasks manually (such as if Automatic Port Forwarding fails you may be asked to port forward manually.)
- Once the OpenSim console appears – you should be good to go.
How to get this tool:
This is an Open Source utility released under a liberal BSD license. The latest source may be obtained via github
Source Code: http://github.com/AdamFrisby/OSGridLauncher
Release Download: http://www.adamfrisby.com/OSGL-r0.22.exe
Enjoy.
Adam –
Fantastic! And very much appreciated.
Is there a version of this that works with hypergrid standalones — such as the Diva Distro?
Thanks,
Maria
Maria Korolov
5 Dec 09 at 11:57 pm
Hi Adam,
the launcher looks promising, here are my first impressions: it doesnt complete if it cant set up a working connection to osgrid, maybe a “local only” switch would be great. (btw. what happens to the reserved sim position in osgrid?)
I took a quick look at the source and found your test for a “NAT” address might have a flaw: the 172.16.xx.xx range goes up to 172.31.255.255 (a 20 Bit range).
Thanks, Neo
Neo Cortex
17 Dec 09 at 1:14 pm
Hrrm, I’ll note the 172.16 bug for the next time I do an update.
The launcher does require an osgrid connection – there are several reasons for this:
It’s for OSgrid (puts a region on osgrid, not standalone)
It downloads the latest OSgrid Prebuilt Package as it’s source.
It uses OSgrid’s website to configure certain parameters – like region position.
If you want a standalone Launcher, I believe the Diva distribution includes a simplified opensim launcher.
Adam Frisby
22 Dec 09 at 9:47 am
Hi Adam,
I am also looking for a specific launcher. Sort of a hybrid of yours and the Diva Distro. I want a standalone that allows visitors to connect from the internet. Also, it must be able to run on a dynamic IP much like many of us have at home. I want to do some building with one or two friends, until I really feel ready to grid in to OSgrid. Hopefully not enough traffic (bandwidth usage) to anger the ISP GODS.
Any good tutorials out there, if not a simply distro like the Diva? I have the Diva working local, but need the thing to allow logins from the outside world.
Ethos Erlanger
24 Dec 09 at 12:24 am
This launcher worked well once I got the UPnP working on my computer. I had fun inviting a guest to my region on OSGrid for the first time ever. Served it from my own computer over a wireless modem and it was slow, but functional.
But it only works once. How do I start it the second time?
Ethos Erlanger
26 Dec 09 at 6:44 pm
Hi Adam.
I read your blog with great interest as I have found the technical information invaluable. I wonder if you would be interested in having someone with some documentation skill write up a guide for installation on OS X. It would be great to allow the mac gurus of which I am one… have their own guide to installing OpenSim. As you know there are many caveats to doing this… versions of mono and OS X produce different results and have you have to have certain configurations of software preset before you attempt the install. If I commit to writing this up will you act as a guide?
Dell
3 Jan 10 at 8:33 pm
Ethos –
I use the Diva Distro to run my little mini-grid, and I am able to remotely log into it by giving my IP address followed by the port number as the grid address, and also to teleport in from OSGrid.
– Maria
Maria Korolov
20 Jan 10 at 12:00 am
holy crap Adam! this is fantastic! i know what i am doing soon!!!
thank you Adam! =)
Ener Hax
17 Apr 10 at 1:42 am
Adam,
With XP SP3 r0.22 hangs during ‘Testing network’ and crashes with the message:
Mono.Nat.MappingException: Exception of the tyoe ‘Mono.Nat.MappingException’ was thrown
at Mono.Nat.Upnp.UpnpNatDevice.EndGetAllMappings(IAsyncResult result)
at MOno.Nat.AbstractNatDevice.GetAllMappings()
at OSGridLauncher.MonoNatForward.Unmap(Protcol protecol, Int32 port)
Ci Sense
18 Apr 10 at 9:57 am