Preview release 1.7.0(26) is now available!

Preview release 1.7.0(26) is now available for residents with existing accounts on the main grid.

The preview grid is for testing purposes only. While user information is fetched from the main grid, all currency, content, land, and other transactions are transitory. Updates made on the preview grid will not be applied to the main grid. All users will have a starting L$5000. As with object, attachment, clothing, etc. updates, monetary transactions on the preview grid will not be reflected on the main grid.

The preview environment is transitory and for testing purposes only!

To report a bug in 1.7.0, please use the in-world Help menu and go to the "Report bug..." window and provide detailed feedback about the problem that you are experiencing. We will soon be announcing updates on the status of known issues -- check here for updates!

Unfortunately, the preview grid is currently only open to adult residents; teens are not permitted at this time.

The preview viewer can be downloaded at http://secondlife.com/preview/

Preview Release Notes:

Second Life 1.7.0(26) Aug 30, 2005
==================================
Major Features:

* Simulator Performance Improvements
o Previously the simulators (also known as "sims" or servers)
would run as quickly as they could, regardless of whether or
not they had something to do. When there were tasks to do
(scripts to run, moving objects, people connected) they would
run at "normal" frame rates, like 60 frames per second. But
when not loaded, they would report frames rates over 1000.
This was not a very efficient mode of operation.
o In 1.7, the simulator now attempts to run at a fixed frame rate
(45 frames per second) which is the same as the physics frame
rate. This means that if there are a large number of scripts
on the simulator, the frame rate will stay the same, but all of
the scripts will run less frequently/slower
o In addition, there has been a major redesign of the way we
transmit objects from the simulator to the viewers. Internally,
we call this code the "interest list".
o These improvements reduce the load or "lag" when lots of people
are on the simulator. For example, a big event or party should
result in less load and smoother motion.
* Added Multi-Select in Inventory
o Most inventory operations (move, delete, drop in world) can now
be done on multiple inventory items at a time.
o Ctrl-Click and Shift-Click are both supported.
o Some move operations don't support multi-select; in these cases
the last item selected is used.
* Added a HUD attachment point
o Attachments appear in the Users Heads-Up-Display (HUD) and not in the world.
o These attachments can only be seen by the person wearing them,
not by other residents.
o Eight HUD attachments were added.
* Full Bright Objects
o Objects now have the ability to be lit with a full brightness
lighting effect. It makes the faces (textures) appear as if the
sun is shining directly on them, regardless of the time of day.
o This effect can be applied to all faces or individual faces of an object.
* Improved World Map
o More details for each square tile.
o Less server load to generate the map.
o Auto-complete when typing in estate name, landmarks and friends online.
o Removed the drop down dialog from the Map Region Box, because
it has too many regions in it for a menu.
* Added a "Publish on to web" checkbox to the Resident Profile UI and
Postcard Dialogue UI that controls whether information can be seen
on the Second Life web site. Profiles are always visible inside Second Life.
* Residents can no longer be negatively rated. Old negative ratings
have been removed.
* The land sale tool has been reorganized.
o Land sale includes confirmation before setting land for sale for zero dollars.
* New "Open" window to interact with object contents
o Only available when object is rezzed in-world.
o Replaces using "Edit" window to view object contents.
* Residents can create classified ads in the "Profile" window.
o Ability to advertise for a fee; includes image, location and information.

Minor Features:

* Added a clear cache button to the Network tab in the Preferences window
* Updated the Toolbar
o Added "Build" and "Clothing" button
o Combined "Find" and "Events" under "Directory"
o Renamed "Mini-Map" to "Radar"
* Removed "Net Worth" From the Leaders page in the View menu
* Enable Windows XP Limited User Accounts the ability to run Second Life
o Admin and Power Users are still required to install Second Life
* We now ask on a client crash if its ok to send in your crash report,
rather than on install
* For Preview: Inventory is now fetched from the main grid, so new
users can now run preview
* Music is no longer auto started on parcel entry
* On receiving of an item, the dialogue box now distinguishes
between objects and avatars
* The Terms of Service (TOS) has been updated
* Turned off ability to negatively rate a resident

Script Changes:

* Users can now set the default pay price and the quick pay button
values via the script llSetPayPrice function.
* Add DATA_SIM_RATING for llRequestSimulatorData to query the rating
(PG or MATURE or UNKNOWN) of a simulator.
* Added llGetInventoryType - Give users the ability to get the type
of an inventory item.
* Added Full Bright option to llSetPrimitiveParams:
o Usage:
llSetPrimitiveParams([PRIM_FULLBRIGHT, side, enabled);
o Enable full bright for an entire object:
llSetPrimitiveParams([PRIM_FULLBRIGHT, ALL_SIDES, TRUE]);
o Disable full bright for face 2 of an object:
llSetPrimitiveParams([PRIM_FULLBRIGHT, 2, FALSE]);

Bugs Fixed:

* Objects move when scaling w/ grid snap
* Camera view when zooming in on prims doesn't work
* Leave a group confirmation, "are you sure" box should be modal
* Uploading image files without an extension causes crash
* Stop button broken in New Gesture console when creating a new gesture
* Objects being auto returned to trash
* Client crashes when moving no-copy objects to inventory and ignoring pop up
* Selection silhouette outlines only 50 prims
* Show all folders option does not work properly for multiple inventory
and filter windows
* The parcel object count is incorrect when max objects reached and items
selected during a parcel subdivide/join
* Taking Snapshot w/UI in next snapshot feature enabled is broken
* Mac OS X: Computer accounts encrypted with FileVault? are unable to hear
UI and user sounds
* Should always be able to reduce group land contribution to 0
* Movies no longer appear on texture if url or auto-scale option changes
* Group signup fee is ignored if the group is open enrollment
* Touch events make objects draggable by owner
* A large gesture wait time can cause a client crash
* Ask on crash about sending crash reports, not on install
* Installer pauses without message for 3-4 seconds
* Set bandwidth on first login based on download rate
* Distinguish object vs avatar gives in notification box
* Avatar skin and clothing permissions work around
* Edit window tab pane bounding box extends off the window
* Vendors get messages that "objects" were purchased
* Force parcel ownership can cause incorrect object returns
* Residents can delete their Trash folder
* Deleting a script removes object's phantomness
* Avatars can be set collisionless using llVolumeDetect()
* Child prims do not maintain phantom status on unlink
* Name tab background is visible from far away
* Locked object cannot be unlocked
* Typing sounds when focus in chat editor and mouse event
* High res snapshots give no progress feedback
* Minimize and restore breaks 'Mute Audio' in preferences
* Add a time window for honoring money transactions
* Calling cards all say (no modify) (no transfer)
* Base64 encoder/decoder doesn't understand Unicode
* llSetText, llSetSitText and llSetTouchText can now display unicode.

Known issues (more detail to follow):

* Sale info and other object properties lost on attachment rez
* Many objects on the map appear black
* Custom terrain textures not shown on map
* Teleport location for downed sim appears as valid on map.
* Objects don't appear after teleport until you move
* Cannot drag a folder of items
* Searching twice for a resident in same Find session blanks out blue buttons.
* Sims offline at time of map update are not visible
* Pressing the build button pops the cursor to the center of the screen
* llSetScale on a child prim of an attachment moves the prim.
* Button up after mouse steering when button down was on an attachment moves cursor to middle of screen
* Offer Teleport is broken
* Directory is labeled ""find""
* New buttons on bottom bar don't work in 800 * 600 resolution
* Viewer fails to tell the user they were disconnected when someone logs in at another location
* Region boundaries show up on a plane instead of in 2-D
* Propery lines draw in front of everything when HUD object has alpha
* All shiny objects appear full shiny on NVIDIA 5500, 5800
* Cracks in terrain
* TargetOmega rotation stops on selection

Discuss the 1.7 preview here: /163/1.html

The latest version of 1.7 is now available for preview. Please launch your preview copy of SecondLife, download the latest version, and jump right in!