Q -How do I backup and restore my server prop file ? - It's a fact of life in palace that the prop file for your server will, at some point, get corrupted. This is due to a few bugs in just how the server manages the prop file. With Communities.com gone out of business, there will not likekly be any fixes to these bugs in the near future. So - it's best to keep backups of your server prop file and know how to use them.

Backing up Your Prop file - You have several basic options for backing up the server prop file.

Option #1 - Do Nothing - Sounds like a bad idea at first - but if you don't have prop rooms on your palace, this is actually the best thing. The only real reason to make backups is to save the props associated with your prop rooms. If you don't have any prop rooms - or scripts that rely on props - don't bother. If your prop file ever does become corrupt, just start over with an empty, clean server prop file.

Option #2 - FTP - You can FTP to your palace server and copy your server prop file down to your computer at home. The file is located in your account at palace/psdata/paserver.prp.

Option #3 - User Utility Page - The User Utility Page provides you with a quick way to backup your prop file. See the FAQ on Backing up you prop file via the User Utility Page.

Option #4 - Prop Bags - You can use the prop file on your home computer - often called a prop bag - to backup the props associated with your prop rooms. When you view a prop on palace, a copy of that prop is kept in your prop bag - even if you can't see it when you open the bag. See How Props Work if you need more explanation of this. Because the client saves all props it sees in the prop bag, you can use the prop bag as a backup.

• Step 1 - Get a vergin prop bag (see What's a Virgin Prop Bag ? for details)
• Step 2 - Log onto your palace and go to your prop room(s)
• Step 3 - Go through your props one at a time slowly. At this point, your palace client is storing a copy of each prop you look at in the client prop bag.
• Step 4 - When you're done, set that prop bag aside for future use. Do NOT use this prop bag for regular palaceing. Put it aside.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Before using any of the backup options above, you MUST shutdown your palace. Backing up the server prop file while your server is still running will usually result in an unuseable file.

Q -Does Chatserve back up my server prop file for me ? - No. We do not backup your prop file because making a good backup of this file requires shutting your palace down to ensure the file is not busy. You decide when to shut down your palace and make the backup.

Q -How often should I back up my server prop file ? - The server prop file only needs to be backed up whenever you make modifications to your prop rooms. The rest of the props in your server prop file are just background props people have worn on your palace and do not need to be backed up.

Restoring Your Prop file - You also have several basic options for restoring the server prop file.

Option #1 - Start With a Clean Prop File - You can use the Restart and Truncate option in the User Utility Page to start your palace up with an empty prop file. See the FAQ on Restart and Truncate for details. Use this option if you just want to start fresh, have no prop rooms to worry about, or to prepare to rel;oad your prop rooms from your client prop bag.

Option #2 - Restore a backup on the server - If you previously used the Backup Prop File option on the User Utility Page, you can use the Restart from Backup option in the User Utility Page to start your palace up with an empty prop file. See the FAQ on Restart from Backup for details.

Option #3 - Retore via FTP - If you previously copied your prop file to your home computer via FTP, you can restore this backup file using FTP.

Option #4 - Restore from Prop Bag - If you previously backed up your prop rooms to your client prop bag, you can use that prop bag to restore your severver prop file.

• Step 1 - Shut your palace down and use the Restart and Truncate option from the User Utility Page. See the FAQ on Restart and Truncate for details.
• Steo 2 - Get the backup prop bag you made before and rename it palace.prop so it will be loaded when you start palace
• Step 3 - Start your Palace Client, log onto your palace and go to your prop room(s)
• Step 4 - Go through your props one at a time slowly. At this point, your palace client is sending a copy of each prop you look at from the client prop bag to the server prop file. This process is commonly called flashing.
• Step 5 - When you're done, set that backup prop bag aside again for future use