Bringing this module or one like it up to Drupal 7

Posted by druplette on January 11, 2011 at 10:25pm

I see that the Second Life module hasn't been updated since Drupal 5. Is anyone interested in working on this again? I would be more than happy to help with the module to get a version that works with Drupal 7. I have not used the old version because I don't have a site running on that platform.

Comments

See:

Posted by mile23 on January 12, 2011 at 6:00am

See: http://drupal.org/node/395366

Also: https://github.com/paul-m/metaverse

what about the future ?

Posted by ssm2017 Binder on January 15, 2011 at 1:18am

hello
i think that this is time to make something else using the opportunity of a new major drupal release.

we can state now that :
- secondlife is a trademarked name and this is difficult to use this name in opensource projects.
- the maintainer of the secondlife framework does not look very motivated to update the project.
- some users are using opensim too
- in this group, there are some lsl/drupal devs

so :
- we can make something new using another name and forget the secondlife name.
- we should find a place to meet and speak about this freely

where ?
i have made 2 different drupal groups about opensimulator or else but they were rejected.
in a sad day, i have posted a reaction there : http://groups.drupal.org/node/100384
and i have asked to get the group called "metaverse"
i have asked it again 3 days ago
if some of you know a g.d.o admin... :)

edit : group 'metaverse' created on 2010-10-22

Need for "Drupal" <--> "Generic SL Grid" connector object

Posted by Romaq on January 15, 2011 at 2:38am

I agree with your post. I would really like a better name than, "Generic SL Grid" to call the group of grids including "SecondLife", "OpenSim", "InWorldz" and so on. I'm just not clear that "Metaverse" works for the purpose given that the specific word, "Metaverse" has so many applications as to be useless for someone seeking this particular module. "DruGrid" is something you could trademark, at least in the name claiming sense. A Google for the word "DruGrid" doesn't turn up anything, so it gives you a blank slate upon which to write what the module (and the group of enthusiasts) is trying to accomplish: Connect "Second Life like grids to the Drupal database".

The OpenSim code does not make for a web server. Web servers should do web server things. But suppose you submitted patches that made generic webserver hooks for OpenSim that made things trivial for Drupal to interact with a specific Grid in an 'admin' context?

http://www.skidzpartz.com/index.php/chat2/303-if-i-ran-linden-labs has an interesting list. Suppose I made my own OpenSim and I could then use Drupal as the 'public face' for my grid? Suppose I could use Drupal via the web to perform OpenSim admin, or from within OpenSim 'publish' changes to the grid's public Drupal site? Of course, the features in the current SecondLife module would be duplicated in the new Drupal 7, but I'm thinking of a long term strategy that uses Drupal to make a great 'public web face' for OpenSim projects. "Metaverse" is simply too open.

Anyway, I'm glad to see you are working on the problem of carrying the SecondLife module forward. The project needs life. And I'm VERY much in favor of a Drupal <--> OpenSim connector that fills needs and wishes sorely lacking within Second Life. I would be quite pleased if your work forced Linden to seriously look at using 'web interface' connections for interacting with objects within the SL world.

--Romaq Rosher

So happy someone is out there

Posted by druplette on January 15, 2011 at 4:37am

I appreciate both your comments.

We can always meet and talk freely inworld. I have land in SL. I'm a noob with Metaverse, but not opposed to meeting in other worlds. Perhaps we'd have more success with Drupal.org if we adopted a strategy more like Romaq suggested.

Romaq, the metaverse project

Posted by mile23 on January 15, 2011 at 4:38am

Romaq, the metaverse project I linked to above is the OS/SL <-> Drupal link object you're talking about. It's mostly designed to allow the development of web sites related to OS/SL topics, and allow users to link their various avatars on different grids to the same drupal user ID. https://github.com/paul-m/metaverse

Joomla already has some OS features, like you sign in on Joomla and that creates your in-world avatar. Many OS grids are using this system already.

I believe ssm was working on an OS sim/grid management system for Drupal. He'd be able to answer those questions better.

Also I asked kbahey about co-maintaining the secondlife module to some success, but I haven't followed through due to being busy with all kinds of holiday stuff. I'll address it again soon.

All is happy in my corner

Posted by Romaq on January 15, 2011 at 7:41am

My point-of-view for OpenSim is that it should offer 'web server agnostic hooks', and it likely does. I've not attempted to set up my own server in several years. But OpenSim shouldn't care what flavor of Content Management Framework, Drupal, Joomla or other such CMF. I do hope that is the case. If the Drupal Metaverse Project is 'the' collector for all things connecting Drupal with OpenSim, Second Life, InWorldz and anything else that compiles LSL, that's fine. Moving 'a' direction beats not having movement at all.

--Romaq Rosher

when i purpose the name

Posted by ssm2017 Binder on January 15, 2011 at 11:47am

when i purpose the name "metaverse", this is not to name a module, this is to name a groups.drupal.org group.
my idea is to try to gather and think about any metaverse world and ways to link to drupal.
this group can maybe have categories like opensim, secondlife, inworldz...
then we will be able to build a set of usefull universal modules that can work for any kind of metaverse world but we need to make a plan and i think that the secondlife group is not appropiated for that.

"Metaverse" will do

Posted by Romaq on January 15, 2011 at 3:00pm

Ok. I will be glad to participate as I have anything to contribute. And I would like to see Drupal <--> Sim connectors continue to grow with Drupal. Cheers!

--Romaq

group approved !!! :)

Posted by ssm2017 Binder on January 15, 2011 at 9:49pm

hello
the group "metaverse" was approved on today.
we can go there now to speak about metaverse solutions and drupal :)
http://groups.drupal.org/metaverse

Romaq: "My point-of-view for

Posted by mile23 on January 23, 2011 at 1:07am

Romaq: "My point-of-view for OpenSim is that it should offer 'web server agnostic hooks', and it likely does."

I'm pretty sure it has no hooks for anything in terms of nearby web servers. The secondlife and metaverse modules work by having in-world scripted objects use http to talk to drupal. secondlife implements a sort of funky posting protocol, and metaverse only needs standard urlencoded form elements. Either way, these modules let you set up communication between web site and simulator, but require in-world objects to do the communication.

Other ideas, such as using drupal as a web-based tool to manage sims or grids, or to manage user sign-up.... These would require sim-specific means of talking to the sim/grid databases. At the moment that doesn't exist, tho I think ssm might have something to say about it. :-)

some pages to fill

Posted by ssm2017 Binder on January 23, 2011 at 10:50am

here are 2 pages i have made trying to gather infos on how to communicate.
http://groups.drupal.org/node/121324
http://groups.drupal.org/node/121329
feel free to join this group and edit these pages

Shops in SL and in InWorldz + a Drupal Site

Posted by Romaq on June 6, 2011 at 7:28am

Ok, I have several assets... I have a shop in Second Life on Raglan Shire, and I am making a shop on InWorldz. I also have a working Drupal 7 install.

Now that I have resources, I would like to 'do something' under the theory that 'doing something' is better than waiting on something, and it keeps interest and discussion. Otherwise, a D7 <--> 'metaverse' connector will simply rot.

What I would 'like' would be some way for a realtime warning on my connected PC that someone is at one of my venues. I would also of course need to know which venue. One use case for example is that I'm typing on here now means I'm focused on this, and I'm not logged on into either SL or InWorldz. But if someone were to show up at either venue, I would REALLY like to at least see some sort of 'toaster' warning, and if I had to I'd be willing to keep a specific web page on my Drupal site for that purpose. As it is, I'm strongly considering some sort of email trip box that would let me know, but that sort of thing gets expensive in a hurry since I'm not only on metered mail, but I have GMail as the final in-box. I REALLY don't want to flood my inbox with people coming by. A 'toaster' notice that vanishes when someone leaves would be ideal. I can work without having to maintain two logins while still having a chance to respond if someone drops near either venue.

The next step after the 'toaster warning' would be some means to communicate with them via a form of IM. I think at this point we are really talking about some form of AJAX (I think) that is on the site. Drupal responds to a request, it happens to know I'm watching the page, the page is secure as I'm the only one who can get to it. From that point I can actually talk with someone to see if they are just passing by, or if I should really try to login and greet them personally. Bonus points, of course, if the 'watcher' object in-world that communicates with Drupal also reflects my online status as well as being able to 'talk' on my behalf.

I'm not clear on what I can do to help other than, "If you have something to try, I'll be glad to try it." I don't have time to invest in learning PHP + Drupal 7 to help on the programming side. I'm spread pretty thinly as it is. But if something turns up here, I'll read and contribute what I can.