01. Installing OpenSim

In order to setup a basic standalone sim on your home PC you need just two pieces of software, the OpenSim server software, and a client (viewer) to connect to it.

Step 1: Installing and Setting up the Server
The OpenSim server software can be downloaded from the OSGrid website. While on the OSGrid download page, I recommend that you also download the new Hippo viewer, especially designed for grid use, and with a very nifty new Grid button. It supports 45,000 prims and allows building up to a height of 10,000 m. Megaprims of up to 256x256x256 m come as standard, and it has several other exciting features. You can, of course, use the SL viewer, and this tutorial will guide you through using both the Hippo viewer and the SL viewer.

Once you have downloaded the OpenSim server software, unzip it, and get the Bin folder out. This folder contains all the files needed for the OpenSim server. This folder can reside anywhere you like on your hard-drive. The steps required to get the server ready for use are as follows:

  1. Create a shortcut on the desktop to the OpenSim.exe file in the Bin folder.
  2. Rename the opensim.ini.example file to OpenSim.ini, and made sure that you are in standalone mode by going to the [Startup] section, and setting gridmode=false (if you intend to connect your region to a grid, such as OSGrid, you will need to set this to true, but for now, practice with a single standalone region). (Note: Vista users should ensure that they are in Admin mode, before completing the next steps)
  3. Double-click the OpenSim desktop shortcut and a DOS-like server control window will open, and various status messages will scroll by. Once it has stopped it will ask for the basic 9 settings it will use to create your first region, with the default settings in square brackets. To accept a default setting, just hit the Enter key:

    Region Name [openSim Test] name your region here, anything you like *
    Grid Location (X-Axis) [1000] do not change
    Grid Location (Y-Axis) [1000] do not change
    Internal IP address [0.0.0.0] do not change
    Internal IP Port [9000] do not change
    External Host Name [127.0.0.1] keep, for now *
    First Name of Master Avatar [Test] change to whatever you like *
    Last Name of Master Avatar [User] change to whatever you like *
    Password for Master Avatar [test] keep or change to whatever you like *

All the parameters marked * you should make a note of, as you will need them later when setting up your viewer.

After entering the last parameter the Server creates the default.xml file in the Bin\Regions folder, and when you see the line,

Region (root) # :

you know the server is ready.

Step 2: Installing and Setting up the Hippo Client (Viewer)

One of the nice things about the new Hippo viewer is that you do not need to mess about with changing the Target in the shortcut's Properties. Instead, launch the Hippo viewer, and you will notice a new Grids button, next to the Connect button. In here you can choose which grid to connect to, add new grid details, etc. Let me walk you through setting this up for your own region you just created.

  1. Click on the Grids button, you will see in the 'Select a Grid' drop-down box that connection details to 3rd Rock, openlife, osgrid and secondlife have already been set up. So, to create your own, click on the Add button. Set the details as follows:

    Loginuri: http://127.0.0.1:9000 (this is the External Host Name parameter and Port)
    Platform: Opensim
    Grid Nickname: same as the Region Name in the server setup above
    Grid Name: same as the Grid Nickname
  2. Click on Apply. If you want your region to be the default region that Hippo connects to when it starts up (rather than the current default grid of osgrid, just choose your region from the Select a Grid drop-down box, and click the Default button.

Ok, you are now good to connect to your sim. Enter the Master Avatar details you provided earlier to the server, and click on the Connect button. You should now be standing in your very own standalone sim!

Step 3: Setting up the SL Client (Viewer)

If you already have SL installed on your PC, and have a shortcut icon to launch it on your desktop, then configuring it to connect to your standalone sim is straightforward.

Right-click the shortcut and choose Copy. Right-click on the desktop and choose Paste. Rename the new shortcut to Opensim or the name of your first region.

Right-click the new shortcut and choose Properties. On the General Tab you will see a text box labelled Target. Go to the end of the text in this box, insert a space, then type the following:

-loginuri http://127.0.0.1:9000/

Click on Apply, then OK.

You can now log in with the Master Avatar details you provided earlier to the server, and click on the Connect button. You should now be standing in your very own standalone sim!

26 comments:

  1. Anychance you can help me install OpenSim on my Linux CentOS server? I am ok with Windows setup but for GRID purposes I wish to use Linux.

    E-Mail me if you can help.
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello,
    many thanks for creating this tut.
    But I'm a little confused about
    "Rename the opensim.ini.example file to OpenSim.ini"
    - firstly I see two with OpenSim.ini - one a NotePad, but none in lower case.
    Then when I try to rename the "example" one I get an error message to say there's already a file of that name!
    I'm sorry of I'm being terribly thick!, but I'd be very grateful if you could spare the time to help me.
    Many thanks,
    B

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  3. The opensim software does change from time to time with regards to the opensim.ini file. At times there has been no opensim.ini, but an opensim.ini.example file instead, which needed renaming. At other times there has been an opensim.ini AND an opensim.ini.example file, and at other times there has been an opensim.ini file and no example file. So,

    1. If you only have an opensim.ini file, use it
    2. If you only have an example file, rename it
    3. if you have both use just the opensim.ini

    Rock

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  4. HELP I had OpenSim working but I was getting ruth, when I would log back in. so I went back into the opensim.ini to figure out why I kept getting ruth'd out. I found that I missed one ";" . So I put it in and now I can't log in at all. I have even tryied to delete bothe the bin file and the MySQL file to start over clean and I still can't log in.Then I tried to recopy and paste the tutorial # 4. to get the brown lettered links and the tutorial # 4 is or was off line.

    paganray@qnect.net

    ReplyDelete
  5. C:\Program Files\OpenSim\Regions is where I found it on my Installation of OpenSim0.6.3Setup.exe

    I still need a 6.4 release in EXE form. I need the upgrade, so much still wronge with 6.3, and didn't want to need to figure out all of this and compiling too. Need an upgrade bad that won't ruin all my settings.

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  6. I tested on my Vaio with Vista Home Premium x64 but seems not working :( Anyone has suggestions?

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  7. what if you have DNS and a router? I run on windows but can't connect to the region.

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  8. I seem fine until I type in my first name, and then it crashes.

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  9. How I reconfig Opensim. An error epear and I want to chang the IP.

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  10. I love this tutorial and have found it immensely useful for each upgrade of Opensim. Is there anyway you could update this tutorial for the recent version of OpenSim?

    Thakks!

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  11. Always crashes trying to connect to a grid even though I set it to false. Sad.

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  12. http://forge.opensimulator.org has a useful setup for opensim

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  13. when i run either Opensim.exe or OpenSim32 it crashes halfway through just after a red message appears for a few seconds-'Registration of Region With Grid Failed' then the programme shuts down auotmaticaly-any ideas on what the problem is?

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  14. the 1st attempt loaded right up to & after the 11 questions but now i get this Red Message Error. I didnt change anythin it just crashed

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  15. hmmm now ive got as far as when i log in on Hippo Viewer i get an instant Log In Failed window. I got past the red Error message by not using the Grid Location of 1000,1000 as with that-i got the red error message everytime. Still not working & so far spent 15 hours tryin :-(

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  16. i think all this info is for versions before 0.6 (old) Not for new versions after 0.6

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  17. This tutorial is spot on. Of course as versions change semi-weekly, so will the commands. If you are just trying to setup your own "virtual world" to play with it's a good way to learn, but understand "I got a red message halfway down the loading screen" doesn't really give anyone a clue of what is going on. There are so many variables when running a server, let alone running multiple servers on one computer (.net/SQL/OpenSim) and THEN trying to connect to them with a home DSL line. With these tutorials (through step 3) I have been able to get operational, setup 3 sims, load 2 terrain maps, and have 7 AVs logged in from as far away as literally halfway around the world. Still have to do the migration to MySQL..but I anticipate the same successes

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  18. When I try to connect to my Opensim with any account I create, I recieve a error that says "DNS could not resolve the host name"

    I use hippo and 0.7, any solution?

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  19. Is there any ways to blog out copybot viewers from opensims? It is so frustiating kick out users who are using copybot viewers. It would be much better if there is somekind way to blog out all those clients which are copybot viewers.

    Is there any solutions for this?

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  20. Curso intensivo de opensim

    http://www.youtube.com/user/eduardorojosanchez?feature=mhum#p/c/D959805E075C3008/0/m0zkPIyKyHk

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  21. can u have more than one sim on your pc as long u ahve the space and speed?

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    Replies
    1. Yes.
      add a new region is all.
      Create Region [name] [file name]
      if your region is 1000x1000 port 9000 make the next one like 1001x1000 port 9001

      Delete
  22. Any new users wanting to setup and run OpenSim in windows will find that "New World Studio" makes it real easy to opensim up and running in less then 10 mins. Also you will get a webpage thats setup and users can start new accounts from.
    [at your ip:9000/site ] I played around with it, and it was fun.
    Web page is at: http://www.newworldstudio.org/site/en

    On a other note:
    I did install opensim later on its own with mysql.

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  23. Hi, I seem to be having an issue getting started, I seem to be a little behind times looking at the post dates so I am assuming some things have changed. Following along in step 2 I look for this line in opensim.ini "setting gridmode=false" I can't seem to find it. Has this line been removed? I have tried to start the sim and get this error message when creating the main avatar. "[OPENSIM]: Unable to store account. If this simulator is connected to a grid, you must create the estate owner account first at the grid level." I'm at a loss.

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  24. Need assistance with OpenSIM diva-r24886 external clients being dropped at regional handshake.
    Everything set as per all instructions included with the DL.
    Address is: facklerland.ddns.net:9000

    Any help is appreciated.
    Regards,
    AJ

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  25. I applied this to localhost (I'm very much a noob, but am loving this already), and it works just fine with Singularity and the OpenSim version of Firestorm. Now to start building, hehehe. Thanks! :)

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