[Opensim-dev] Folder numbers

[Diva Canto]

The devs of the Alchemy viewer reached out to us pointing out that the 
number OpenSim has been using for the root folders (9) is inconsistent 
with what viewers expect (8). The enum that rules this is here:
https://bitbucket.org/lindenlab/viewer-release/src/9f2f82e7c37127106b340b18c3a938f1ecf121cf/indra/llinventory/llfoldertype.h?at=default

So far, it appears that viewer devs have simply been working around the 
problem in order to support OpenSim -- basically disabling a number of 
consistency checks at login, otherwise the viewers would crash. A root 
folder anything other than 8 will crash viewers that check for it.

The Alchemy devs are now adding support for OpenSim from a clean-slate, 
and ran into this. Instead of proceeding to work around it again, they 
are asking if we can make OpenSim consistent with the protocol.

While changing the code is trivial, this has implications beyond that. 
Specifically, grid operators might need to change the DB in order to 
change all root folders to 8.

Now, it is my understanding that the DB change is not urgent, as the 
popular viewers (Singularity, FireStorm) will continue to disable those 
consistency checks for a while. But Singularity will likely pick up any 
improvements we make that will decrease the number of work-arounds for 
OpenSim. So in the long run, it will be wise for grid operators to make 
that change (it's a trivial UPDATE statement).

Also related to this, the Suitcase folder number that gets sent to the 
viewer is... 8. So we'd need to change that to another number, because 
that's reserved for root folders (in the viewers that check). -1 is the 
default, and it's harmless. But in talking to these viewer devs, they 
seem to be open to introducing a new special folder number for the 
Suitcase (100 or 64), so that eventually they may even do special things 
with it in terms of UI.

I would like to hear of any objections to proceeding with (1) complying 
with the protocol for root folders and (2) changing the Suitcase folder 
number to something other than 8 (Oren, you did that, so please let us 
know).