Refreshing Props 101

Proper maintenance of your palace involves periodically 'cleaning up' the server prop file (pserver.prp). The 'clean up' process throws away props which have not been recently processed by the server. This not only reduces the size of the prop file but reduces the risk of file corruption and loss of all the props. An important part of this maintenance is 'refreshing' your props which causes the server to process them so they will not be thrown away.

The Background:

Props can be kept on both the server and your client's prop bag. For you to see a prop (your own or someone else's) that prop must be in your prop bag.

Your prop bag is made up of two kinds of props - the ones you put in there and can see when you open your prop bag and 'invisible' ones which the server has put there but which you can not see in your prop bag.

If your client wants to display a prop it first checks to see if it is in your prop bag (either visible or invisible). If it is, the client displays the prop without notifying the server that anything has happened. If the prop is not in your bag (either visible or invisible) the client asks the server for it. If the server has the prop, the server sends it to your client which then displays it. This 'refreshes' the server (marks the prop as recently used). If the server does not have the prop it can not send it to your client and you will not be able to see it.

When you 'purge' the server it throws away props which it has not used recently. When you 'flush' the server it throws away the props which it has not used recently and rebuilds the prop file. Both reduce the size of the server prop file but flushing also helps prevent corruption in the file.

The purpose of Refreshing Prop Rooms is to automate the 'refresh' cycle which marks props as recently used by the server. This allows you to purge or flush the props without losing the ones you want to keep on the server.

Prop File Maintenance:

1. Refresh the props:

• Put on a 'virgin' prop bag. This is a prop bag which has never been worn.
• Wear this prop bag on the server and put on each prop you wish to save. The Refreshing Prop Room, Refreshing Room Script and Refreshing Control Scripts automate this process.
• If a prop doesn't appear, it is not on the server. To put it back on the server you must put on a prop bag which has the prop in it (visible), open the bag and scroll until the prop is visible.
• Throw the 'virgin' prop bag away. It can not be used to 'refresh' the server again because all the props are now in it as 'invisible' props.

2. Flush the server:

• Assume Owner privilege and enter the command: 'flushprops -N. The server will throw away any prop which has not been refreshed in N hours and rebuild the prop file. Make sure N is longer than it took you to refresh the props.

3. Back up your prop file:

• Shut down your server (use the 'shutdown command while an Owner)
• Copy your prop file and save the copy.
• Restart your server.
• If you want to make sure you didn't lose any of your props perform the refresh cycle again and verify that you see them all.

One last note: In order to refresh any props which the server has lost you need to have them all in prop bags on the client. It is a good idea to have backups of them, as well, in case they should corrupt.