IM issues between grids

[Snoots Dwagon]

I and a friend just tested communications.

An IM sent from OSgrid to Kitely comes through OK.

An IM sent from Kitely to OSgrid gets a "busy" notice on the Kitely side, and isn't received on the OSgrid side.

I wouldn't know how to tell if this is a Kitely or OSgrid problem. But thought we'd report it here for checking. : )

[Snoots Dwagon]

Hi Snoots,

Was the IM sent from OSgrid to Kitely sent by a Kitely avatar or one belonging to OSgrid?

Was the IM sent from Kitely to OSgrid sent by a Kitely avatar or one belonging to OSgrid?

Did those two avatar both visit the same region (on either grid) during that session?

[Snoots Dwagon]

Both avatars originated from each grid.

Both avatars logged in to each grid.

As verification, I've noticed this issue prior, several times. Today was just an "official test" to validate the problem existed.

[Snoots Dwagon]

Please try to duplicate this between OSgrid and a different, non-Kitely, grid.

[Snoots Dwagon]

I brought in my av from DigiWorldz and friended me. Then the av went back to Digiworldz. Digiworlds Snoots tried to contact me. Didn't get through.

So DigiWorldz Snoots reloggged and IMed me. Didn't go through. I IMed him, and it did:

[19:25] Snoots.Dwagon @grid.kitely.com:8002: You there?
[19:25] Snoots Dwagon (DigiWorldz): Yes I'm here.
[19:25] Snoots Dwagon (DigiWorldz): (busy response): Unable to send instant message. User is not logged in.

(Kitely Snoots didn't get the "Yes I'm here." reply.)

So I had the Kitely Snoots relog as well.

19:34] Grid: Incoming message from Snoots.Dwagon @grid.kitely.com:8002
[19:34] Snoots.Dwagon @grid.kitely.com:8002: Can you read this?
[19:34] Snoots Dwagon (DigiWorldz): Yes I can read this
[19:34] Snoots Dwagon (DigiWorldz): (busy response): Unable to send instant message. User is not logged in.

Again, DigiWorldsz Snoots got the IM, Kitely Snoots didn't.

So I took Kitely Snoots to DigiWorldz to friend myself. After friending, returned to Kitely:

[19:42] Snoots Dwagon (DigiWorldz): Can read this message?
[19:42] Snoots.Dwagon @grid.kitely.com:8002: Yes got this message
[19:43] Snoots.Dwagon @grid.kitely.com:8002: Can read this return?
[19:43] Snoots Dwagon (DigiWorldz): Yes got return

I discovered I had to FRIEND the avatars on BOTH grids to open IM communications.

So then I logged off with both avs and relogged to begin afresh. Neither avatar showed as "online" to the other. Both names grayed out. However when IM sent:

[19:47] Snoots Dwagon (DigiWorldz): Got milk?
[19:47] Snoots.Dwagon @grid.kitely.com:8002: No but got booze.
[19:48] Snoots Dwagon (DigiWorldz): Woohoo! WANT!

So evidently avatars must be friended on BOTH grids in order for IM communications to work. Friending on just Kitely didn't suffice.

Next experiment: try between DigiWorldz and OSgrid.

[Snoots Dwagon]

OSGRID to DIGIWORLDZ test

In this case, both avatars were already friended, but friending wasn't done on both worlds. Not sure which world friendship was initiated. However, IM worked fine between OSgrid and DigiWorldz:

[19:52] Snoots Dwagon (Kitely): Halloo. You dere?
[19:52] Snoots.Dwagon @login.digiworldz.com:8002: Yesh. I here. You dere?
[19:53] Snoots Dwagon (Kitely): No. I not here. This is answering machine.
[19:53] Snoots.Dwagon @login.digiworldz.com:8002: Isn't! I can hear you breathing.
[19:53] Snoots Dwagon (Kitely): Drats. Foiled agains!

So to test further, DigiWorldz unfriended OSgrid:

[19:56] Snoots Dwagon (Kitely): You dere dwagon?
[19:56] Snoots.Dwagon @login.digiworldz.com:8002: Yesh, but I unfriended you!
[19:56] Snoots Dwagon (Kitely): Mwhahahaha. I gots skillz.

Then I unfriended both, brought DigiWorlds to OSgrid, and friended OSgrid Snoots.
Both showed up on each other's friends list.

[20:12] Snoots.Dwagon @login.digiworldz.com:8002: Hi dere Dwagon. Does you haz cookies?
[20:13] Snoots Dwagon OSG: Yush, but they in vault
[20:13] Snoots.Dwagon @login.digiworldz.com:8002: Wot? How I get to dem?
[20:13] Snoots Dwagon OSG: Mwahahahah <---- ebil laugh

Relogged both avatars.
When I relogged, Snoots DW showed up in Snoots OS friends list (where the friending was done). Snoots OS did not show up on the Snoots DW friends list. However, Snoots OS could IM Snoots DW, and Snoots DW could answer (but not initiate) the conversation.

[20:19] Snoots Dwagon OSG: Halloo. You dere Dwagon?
[20:20] Snoots.Dwagon @login.digiworldz.com:8002: Yush I here. And CUTE!

So I took Snoots OSG to DW and initiated a friendship there as well. Returned to OSG.

[20:23] Snoots Dwagon OSG: I *knows* you can hear me.
[20:23] Snoots.Dwagon @login.digiworldz.com:8002: No not can. But can read you!

Then I relogged both avatars. (pant... pant... pant... need food and water...)

Both avatars now show in both friends lists... but don't show online.

[20:27] Snoots Dwagon DW: Snorts.
[20:27] Snoots.Dwagon @hg.osgrid.org: Re-Snorts.

Total testing time: 1 hour

Results: It appears that there is a flaw in the Opensim or Hypergrid software that prevents two-way IMs unless avatars are friended on BOTH grids of origin. If friended on only one grid, the avatar on the grid of friending will be able to contact the other, but the friendship will not be registered on the other avatar's grid, and the other avatar will not be able to initiate IMs until the first avatar comes to the 2nd avatar's grid and friends that avatar on the 2nd grid as well. Friending on both grids is required for full 2-way permanent communication.

Issue summary: Findings of previous post confirmed. Avatars from 2 grids friending on one grid does not register on the other grid, preventing one avatar from initiating IMs. Friending must occur on both grids to allow full IM initialization by both avatars.

[Selby Evans]

When I friend someone on another grid, I usually get a friend request in Kitely the next time I log in.

[Snoots Dwagon]

Based on Selby's post, some additional experiments were run. Results are... confusing and contradictory to prior testing.

* Regardless of which avatar visits which grid, the NATIVE avatar must initiate the friendship.
--- In fact, the visiting avatar cannot initiate friendship. It is grayed out.
* The visiting avatar must accept the friendship.
* Upon returning to their home grid, the visitor will immediately receive a friendship request. They can even log out first, then log in to their world.
* Once that friendship request is accepted, the friendship will be registered on both grids.
* Both avatars will thereafter (circumstances being good) show up as online in each other's list when such is the case.
* Both avatars will be able to initiate IMs.

This is most confusing, as it differs completely from the hour-long test conducted yesterday... which is shown above step-by-step... and today's test differs from past experiences where friendships were continually lost.

/me bashes head repeatedly against Opensim wall.

(Will be trying the same experiment between Kitely and OSgrid tomorrow... once the stars have dissipated.)

[Ilan Tochner]

Hi Snoots,

I suggest you try this with newly created alts on both grids so that no server-side or viewer-side caching will come into play.

[Selby Evans]

My experience differs from that of Snoots. I have not had noticeable losses of friend connections.