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I'm a world owner and want to upgrade my world server to 3.3. What do I need to do?

Version 3.3 of the Active Worlds Server contains several changes to the format of the world database files (the various .dat and .idx files that contain the data describing your world.) In order to upgrade your server, these files must first be converted to the new format, using the various database dump and load utilities that come with the server.

Each database dump utility (i.e. propdump for cell.dat, cell.idx, sector.dat, and sector.idx, atdump for attrib.dat and attrib.idx, and ejdump for ejection.dat and ejection.idx) knows how to dump both 3.3 and pre-3.3 database formats into the latest format. Upgrading a particular database consists of using the dump utility to dump that database to a text file, and then using the corresponding load utility (propload, atload, and ejload) to load it again into the new format.

The world server includes a convert script which automates the entire upgrade process. In addition, if the Windows version of the world server installer detects a pre-3.3 installation of a world server in the directory to which it is being installed, it will attempt to convert the server databases automatically. If you are running a world server under Unix, you will need to invoke the convert script manually after installing the new server.

We strongly recommend making a complete backup of your current world server folder before upgrading your server in case of any unexpected mishaps!

Upgrade Procedure

1. Download version 3.3 of the Active Worlds Server.

2. Make sure your world server is not running. To stop a world server under Windows, right-click on the globe icon in the system tray and select Exit. Use the kill command under Unix.

3. Make a complete backup of your world folder or directory.

4. Install the 3.3 world server. This portion of the procedure differes depending on your Operating System:

Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP

Double-click on the install program to install the new server. When choosing the installation directory, make sure you choose the same directory as your current installation.

If you are upgrading from version 3.0 or earlier and you have more than one world running on your computer, pick one world server and upgrade that one. After the upgrade is complete, you can move all of your other worlds into a single server installation.

If the installer detects a pre-3.3 version of the world server, it will attempt to upgrade the database files automatically. If it succeeds, your world is ready to be restarted. If it encounters a problem, you may have to carry out some or all of the upgrade steps manually.

Unix (Solaris or Linux)

Uncompress the world server using the gunzip (or gzip -d) command. Copy the uncompressed .tar file to your existing world server directory. Extract the world server using the tar -xvf command.

Next, upgrade your database files to the new format by invoking the convert script. You should see the following:

Dumping databases...
Converting world to 3.3...
World successfully upgraded to 3.3

5. Restart the server.