Return to SL and find... empty inventory folders?

[IndiaRose Muircastle]

Hello, all!

After a long hiatus, I've returned to SL over this past week. I have started to embrace the mesh avi lifestyle, and decided to have some fun checking out my old prim clothing, to see what might still be wearable. I was quite started to find that many (I'm guessing over 50%) of my once susbtantial inventory is now comprised of empty folders. 

I started SL a bit over 12 years ago, and one of my favorite hobbies was shopping. I enjoyed a lot of stores that are now gone, such as Ivalde, Blaze, The Black Canary, and Evie's Closet. Those were some of the first folders I looked in when I returned, and they are almost all empty. (I did find a few outfits from TBC, but many are gone.) Shoes are gone, hats are gone, old RP outfits... it's really quite startling. 

I'm currently using a Phoenix viewer, although I use the standard SL viewer when my old computer will tolerate it. I've relogged many times, but to no avail. I forget if there is a way to force inventory to repopulate, or something similar? 

I also recall that I was once able to get permission from a Linden to use the test grid, in order to try and find some items I lost when my system crashed, and again due to a problem with a sim where I was suddenly no longer a renter. (A very long story, but all my stuff was supposedly returned, and some of it didn't make it, so I was able to go back and try to look for old copies.) I don't know if that is even possible anymore, but if so, I'd love to hear how to request it. 

Any other tips or tricks that you have to offer would be very welcome. It's sad to want to wear my favorite clothes and just stare at an empty closet. I'm almost afraid to look for old momentos, in case they are missing, too. 

Thanks in advance,

IndiaRose

ETA: I am using a Firestorm viewer, not a Phoenix. Don't know why I typed that, I remember that whole bru-ha-ha!

Edited August 25, 2020 by IndiaRose Muircastle

[FairreLilette]

Waves, Hi IndiaRose!  

Welcome home!  hehehe

I believe you may want to go to a sandbox (preferably one nearly empty) as you need as low a lag area as possible and then clear your cache.  For sandboxes try Builder's Brewery.  Join a good sandbox such as Builder's Brewery and don't use the free ones (meaning the one's where you don't have to join a group).  

We used to have to clear our cache's once in a while but in SL now it's preferred that you NOT use clear your cache until there is no other choice.  

Join Firestorm Support Group (English) inworld and verify there if clearing your cache is what they'd recommend.

I believe Evie's Closet is still on Marketplace.  

As far as the test grid, Aditi, you need to sign up for that and then wait to be processed for entrance, so meanwhile contact Firestorm Support Group inworld.  They may be your best bet for help.

 

Edited August 24, 2020 by FairreLilette

[Lindal Kidd]

Fairre is correct that a cache clear is not recommended for most issues.  However, for "missing" inventory, clearing the cache is an excellent step to try.

Here is what the Firestorm folks have to say about it: https://wiki.firestormviewer.org/fs_missing_inventory

You say you are using a "Phoenix viewer".  I hope you mean Firestorm, as the Phoenix viewers have been deprecated a LONG time now and lack a lot of the functionality you need to even SEE properly in today's Second Life.

 

[Silent Mistwalker]

24 minutes ago, Lindal Kidd said:

Fairre is correct that a cache clear is not recommended for most issues.  However, for "missing" inventory, clearing the cache is an excellent step to try.

Here is what the Firestorm folks have to say about it: https://wiki.firestormviewer.org/fs_missing_inventory

You say you are using a "Phoenix viewer".  I hope you mean Firestorm, as the Phoenix viewers have been deprecated a LONG time now and lack a lot of the functionality you need to even SEE properly in today's Second Life.

 

It can't be Phoenix as all releases were blocked by the FS team years ago. The viewer wouldn't even be able to connect (she wouldn't be able to log in at all) so it has to be FS. Might be FS in Phoenix mode though.

Edited August 24, 2020 by Silent Mistwalker

[ChinRey]

1 hour ago, IndiaRose Muircastle said:

After a long hiatus, I've returned to SL over this past week. I have started to embrace the mesh avi lifestyle, and decided to have some fun checking out my old prim clothing, to see what might still be wearable. I was quite started to find that many (I'm guessing over 50%) of my once susbtantial inventory is now comprised of empty folders.

Welcome back IndiaRose!

I hope FairreLilette's tip help you. An empty water region, such as Bevel - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Bevel/121/116/2 - is even better than a sandbox. Strip yuor avatar down to the absolute minimum (you may or may not want to wear some system clothing for modesty's sake). The idea is to minimize the load and let the viewer focus entirely on rebuilding your inventory.

Once you're there, clear inventory cache (not the regular cache - you'll find it in the same place: Preferences -> Network & Files -> Directories) and then relog, cross your fingers and wait a few minutes.

If that doesn't work, nothing will. You didn't say how long you've been away but since you're talkign abut the Pgoenix viewer, I suppose it's been quite a few years and LL had made it very clear that they can't guarantee that the inventory is kept for avatars that have been active for that long.

 

[elise Voxel]

I had that same problem when I used the SL viewer. Half my stuff was gone out of their folders and I was freaking out. Then I opened Firestorm and all my stuff was there, working fine and all that. When I tried logging into SL viewer, my stuff was still gone. I don't have any idea what happened but I've never bothered to use the SL viewer again.

[AdminGirl]

If clearing cache doesn't work, log a support request. They may be able to recover some of it.

[Lindal Kidd]

1 hour ago, SassySam87 said:

I had that same problem when I used the SL viewer. Half my stuff was gone out of their folders and I was freaking out. Then I opened Firestorm and all my stuff was there, working fine and all that. When I tried logging into SL viewer, my stuff was still gone. I don't have any idea what happened but I've never bothered to use the SL viewer again.

Explanation:  The SL viewer's local inventory cache on your PC has been corrupted, but the cache used by the Firestorm viewer, which is on your PC but not in the same location, was not corrupted.  Log in using your stock SL viewer  viewer, and do the cache clear operation described by Chin Rey.  You can go back to Firestorm afterwards, if you prefer it (I do!) but it's nice to have two different viewers, both working.

[elise Voxel]

1 hour ago, Lindal Kidd said:

Explanation:  The SL viewer's local inventory cache on your PC has been corrupted, but the cache used by the Firestorm viewer, which is on your PC but not in the same location, was not corrupted.  Log in using your stock SL viewer  viewer, and do the cache clear operation described by Chin Rey.  You can go back to Firestorm afterwards, if you prefer it (I do!) but it's nice to have two different viewers, both working.

Thanks for the explanation! Really appreciate it.

[IndiaRose Muircastle]

Thank you, everyone! 

First of all, I mistyped when I said I was using Phoenix. I'm actually using the most recent Firestorm viewer. (I'm not sure why I said Phoenix. I remember the viewer dramas from years ago, and certainly don't want to revisit them!)

I cleared my inventory cache, and on the advice of a friend I increased my cache allowance as well. I logged out, logged back in, and voila! Returned inventory! I immediately hopped onto a pose stand and started to play dress-up. That was always one of my favorite things to do in SL, heehee! Some things have not held up very well, but it's such a relief to have them back, I don't really mind. 

Thank you all for your advice. I'm going to keep note of it, in case this ever happens again ::shudders:: It's great to be back on the grid! 

[Lewis Luminos]

4 hours ago, IndiaRose Muircastle said:

Thank you, everyone! 

First of all, I mistyped when I said I was using Phoenix. I'm actually using the most recent Firestorm viewer. (I'm not sure why I said Phoenix. I remember the viewer dramas from years ago, and certainly don't want to revisit them!)

I cleared my inventory cache, and on the advice of a friend I increased my cache allowance as well. I logged out, logged back in, and voila! Returned inventory! I immediately hopped onto a pose stand and started to play dress-up. That was always one of my favorite things to do in SL, heehee! Some things have not held up very well, but it's such a relief to have them back, I don't really mind. 

Thank you all for your advice. I'm going to keep note of it, in case this ever happens again ::shudders:: It's great to be back on the grid! 

Glad everything all came back. I remember Blaze (got my first ever suit from there) and Ivalde was my partner's favourite (she worked there for a while and has almost their entire collection). 

The good news for you is that now we have Bakes on Mesh you will be able to wear all of those on your mesh body too. (You might want to ditch the shoes though *cringe* As well as looking bad in comparison with new shoes, they won't fit your mesh avatar at all).

[IndiaRose Muircastle]

On 8/25/2020 at 3:46 AM, Lewis Luminos said:

Glad everything all came back. I remember Blaze (got my first ever suit from there) and Ivalde was my partner's favourite (she worked there for a while and has almost their entire collection). 

The good news for you is that now we have Bakes on Mesh you will be able to wear all of those on your mesh body too. (You might want to ditch the shoes though *cringe* As well as looking bad in comparison with new shoes, they won't fit your mesh avatar at all).

Tell your partner that I send my regards as a fellow Ivalde fan! As to shoes, I have found that even my beloved Stiletto Moody shoes no longer fit my feet, no matter how much I resize my avi tootsies. I think this is a hint as to where I should do my shopping first!