auto-lease v2.x Instructions
From Apez
The Auto-Lease is a user-friendly full-featured space lease/rental system. It can be configured and managed in-world through menu/dialogs and chat commands or via the www.apez.biz on-line lease management service.
The Auto-Lease helps you automate leasing of space for vendors, tenants etc. It is easily spotted and allows vendors to self-serve to take out a new lease, extend an existing lease and other functions. The Auto-lease sends timely reminders to vendors and you, the owner (with adjustable verbosity).
As the space owner, you can set prim limits, price per week, min/max number of weeks, number of initial weeks for free (or 0), add a contract/info notecard that will be dispensed upon touch, automatically share income and more.
You can interact with the Auto-Lease via chat functions or an interactive menu dialog as outlined below. The Auto-Lease can also optionally email its transaction and event log to you. If you have many spaces to lease, you may find management via the www.apez.biz web-site a convenient way to manage multiple Auto-Leases from a central location.
You can change the Auto-Lease to fit your own look, as the texture/prim used to display 'Space for Lease', 'Space for Free' (in case of initial free weeks), and the leased state 'info' sign are all modifiable, as it the prim itself.
The Auto-lease comes in 3 versions: Free, Single and Full. The Free version is copyable, but pays 4% of lease proceeds to the creator. The Single version is not copyable, but pays 100% of the lease proceeds to its owner. You'll need to purchase one copy of the Single version for each leased space. The Full version is copyable and also pays 100% of the lease proceeds to its owner. However, it is more expensive but will be more economical if you intend to lease more than about 15 spaces.
Contents |
Initial Configuration
The Auto-Lease contains two editable notecards in its inventory. You should first edit the 'Config' notecard to set-up the name of your location (mall/shops) etc., and some default values. You may also edit the 'Contract' notecard to indicate any special information relevant to your space, if standard contract isn't to your liking. The Contract notecard will only be offered upon touch if so configured (see below).
An example Config notecard looks like this:
locname MyMall price 50,min 1, max 10,prims 35,initfree 0,contract on, menu on, light off rules Set all objects to group upon joining.
You should at least change the location name from 'MyMall' to something appropriate for your location. It is also a good idea to edit the object's name so that each Auto-Lease unit has a unique space name, such as 'vendor space #1' or something similar (using the edit tool from the pie context menu). The idea is that all your Auto-Lease units in a given place will have the same location name, but different space/object names to distinguish them. Whenever the Auto-Lease sends notification IMs to you or lease-holders, it uses both the location name and space/object name like this: at : for example, if someone takes out a new lease, you'll be notified with a message similar to this: Auto-Lease: vendor space #12 at MyMall [Arcata (116,48,33)]: New lease by ImSoCool Mann for 7 weeks paid L$150 (Note that when delivered the default name is "Space #1 [Auto-Lease v2.x]" so that you can identify it in your inventory. However, there is no need to keep the [Auto-Lease..] text in the name - as the name & version is also shown in the object description and when touched)
The price per week, minimum lease period (weeks), maximum period and primitive limits can be set. The text following the 'rules' command is displayed when touched by a potential new lease holder. You may want to make the rules text more specific, for example if there is a particular group you'd like vendors to set their objects to, mention it there. The rules string must be fairly short, but you can put lots of detail in the contract notecard (see below). If you'd like to provide some initial period of free lease time, set it after 'initfree'. In such a case, the vendor will be required to pay for a lease for 'min' weeks at the given rate, then will automatically get the specified number of additional weeks free when taking the lease. If the 'contract on' command is present, the Auto-Lease will offer the 'Contract' notecard upon being touched for 2secs (and will indicate that when touched; except by the owner). The other commands are described in the secion below.
When you save the Config notecard the Auto-lease will re-read it and execute the commands it contains. WARNING: Don't edit the Contract or Config (or anything in the prim's Content tab) while there is a lease active, as it will become vacant!
Most of the regular chat commands as listed below may also be placed in the Config, seperated by commas.
Note that the Auto-lease only uses a two infrequent script timers, and no listeners (unless in settings mode), so it will be easy on the sim. Since v2.7 the Auto-Lease can also be contacted by the www.apez.biz server and will send out an email to update its status. (for example if you click one of the 'refresh' buttons on the apez.lease.spaces web page)
Interactive settings mode
The interactive settings mode is entered by the owner by touching and *holding* the Auto-Lease for about 4secs. If the touch is too short, the current settings are displayed (as for everyone). Once in settings mode, the chat commands as described below are available until exited (via the 'done' command). If menus are enabled, the settings dialog/menu is also displayed on each touch (by the owner). Configuration options changed via settings mode will persist (unless the Auto-Lease scripts are reset). If you want them persistent across resets, place them in the Config notecard. Once you have the settings you want, you may duplicate the Auto-Lease (except for the non-copyable Single version) and each copy will retain the new settings. This also includes taking and rezzing from your inventory. Transfering ownership of the Single version will cause it to reset. NB: Some changes made to the settings in-world may take some time (upto 6 hours) to be reflected on the apez.lease web-site, unless you explicitly click the refresh button next to the Auto-Lease entry or use the 'update' chat command. For this reason it is better to make settings changes on the web-site, as they'll be propagated to the Auto-Lease in a minute or two.
Chat commands
The chat commands can only be used when the Auto-Lease is in 'settings mode'. This is achieved by the owner by touching/holding the Auto-Lease for 3-4 seconds. It will indicate if settings mode has been entered once you release your touch (if the touch is short, the current settings are displayed). The 'done' command exits settings mode. The Auto-Lease will also exit settings mode automatically after some time, in case you forget. Once in settings mode, the following commands are available (as listed by the 'help' command):
Basic commands
- locname X -- Sets the location name of this unit to X (e.g. MyMall)
- prims X -- Sets max prim use to X prims.
- min X -- Sets minimum lease time to X weeks.
- max X -- Sets maximum lease time to X weeks.
- price X -- Sets price to L$X per week
- rules MyRulesGoHere -- Sets your terms of use. Do not use commas!
- done -- Exits settings mode and resumes operation
- settings -- Shows all current settings.
- ahelp -- Shows list of advanced commands
Advanced Commands
- initfree X -- Sets number of free weeks at start of new lease
- delete! -- the Auto-Lease will delete itself (self-destruct!) after unregistering with the server.
- contract on|off -- Turn on or off giving the 'Contract' notecard when touched for 2 secs
- terminate -- Terminates lease, notifying lease holder and refunding remaining cost
- vacant -- Forces occupied slot to become vacant. Use with care!
- daysleft X -- Sets number of remaining days in lease - Used to give free bonus days
- refund X -- Pays a L$X refund to the current lease holder. It does NOT go vacant.
- email me@myaddress.com -- E-mails activity log to me@myaddress.com
- share X [K] -- Shares X% of income with avatar key K (or touch if omitted)
- imlevel X -- set owner IM verbosity (0=none...3=verbose) [default 2]
- testpay X -- as if payed, but in test mode (owner lease, 1 day == 3 secs)
- newlease K -- Start a new lease (for min weeks) for avatar key K (**see note on income sharing)
- reset -- Resets everything to defaults. Use with care!
- offset V -- set info box position offset vector (e.g. <1,2,10>); use <0,0,0> for default
- transp [on|off] -- Transparency on/off (or toggle).
- light on|off -- Turn on or off light (material property)
- menu on|off -- Turn on or off the setting menu/dialog
- update - send a state update to update the web with current settings
- copyfrom key|name - copy settings (& lease if any) from existing unit to this one
- transferfrom key|name - transfer active lease and settings from exsiting unit to this one
- register - re-register with the Apez server
- notifyuser - send user add-on script update link message (to linked & external scripts)
- vacantscale V -- set vacant prim scale (size) to vector V (e.g. <1,1,1>); use <0,0,0> for default
- leasedscale V -- set leased info box scale to vector V
- savescale -- save the current prim scale as vacant/leased scale
- setpos V -- set the current position in the sim to V (*absolute* local region coords.)
- setrot R -- set the current rotation to R (Euler vector)
- version -- displays model name, version and build numbers
- key -- outputs the unit's key (prim key containing the scripts)
- clear -- clears the activity log
- log -- shows activity log
If you don't wish others to see what you say while issuing commands, you may use the private chat channel, shown between []s when entering settings mode. For example if you see: Auto-Lease v2.0: Entered settings mode. Say 'help' for commands; 'done' to exit. [545] You can enter commands like this: >/545 log or >/545 email my@email.address.com
Dialog/Menu
Many of the chat command take an argument. When these commands are used from the dialog menu, they will cause the Auto-Lease to prompt for input. In this case just enter/say the argument alone (the command isn't necessary). If you change you mind, just click the Auto-Lease to cancel the input.
Transfering an active lease to a new Auto-Lease unit
If you have an Auto-Lease unit with an active lease, you can automatically transfer the lease to another vacant unit using the 'transferfrom' chat command. This is useful if you're updating from an older version to a new version. Simply follow these steps: 1. Rez a new Auto-Lease unit near by the 'old' unit with the active lease you want to transfer. 2. Touch&hold the new unit for 3-4secs to place it into settings mode. 3. Enter the chat command 'transferfrom ', where you should replace with the name of the old unit to transfer the lease from (it is the object name - which you can copy from the edit tool's General tab). For example, if the old unit is called 'MyMall Space #14', you'd enter 'transferfrom MyMall Space #14'. In order for that to work the name must be unique (if not, see below) 4. After a few seconds, you'll see a message from the Apez server indicating the transfer has started. After a couple minutes the transfer will be complete and you'll see another message saying so. (don't forget the new unit is still in settings mode)
If you don't have a unique name (say you have two malls each with a Space #14), then you may have to use the Auto-Lease unit's key to identify it instead. You can discover the key by placing the old unit in settings mode, and issuing the 'key' chat command. Copy that 36digit key from your chay history window. Ensure the old unit is out of settings mode ('done') before putting the new unit in settings mode to issue the 'transferfrom ' command, where (obviously) you should replace with the key of the old unit.
Note also that unlike most Auto-Lease commands, the 'transferfrom' and 'copyfrom' commands require the Apez server to operate. So if the server is off-line it will not work (you'll normally get an error message).
The 'copyfrom' command work in the same way as the 'transferfrom' except that it doesn't effect the Auto-Lease being copied from. This is one way you can duplicate all the settings from one unit to another (in addition to doing it on-line).
Testing mode
As the owner, if you pay the Auto-lease or use the 'testpay' command while vacant, it will enter into a testing mode where it issues you a new lease, but one 'day' of the lease will pass every few seconds. If you pay the Auto-lease while a lease is active, you'll be extending the lease on behalf of the lease holder. It is usually more convenient to use the 'daysleft' command.
Income sharing
It is possible to setup the Auto-Lease to share a percentage of income with another avatar. For example, to share 40% of the income with a friend who is present while you're in settings mode, enter: >share 40 (NB: '>' denotes input to enter/say, don't enter the '>' character) Then the Auto-Lease will prompt for your friend to touch it. Once touched by your friend, the Auto-Lease will pay them 40% of all income from new and extension lease payments. If you touch it yourself, or enter the command: >share 0 then income sharing will be disabled. If the avatar with whom you wish to share income it not present, you will need to obtain their key and enter that. For example: >share 40 08d28acc-d795-44c5-a4a8-6cea5183dab8 Note that in this case, the Auto-Lease may initially display the avatar's name as 'unknown' or the key string, but it will determine their name automatically eventually. You can also use this command directly in the Config notecard if desired.
(**The newlease command starts a new lease as if the Auto-Lease was paid by an avatar. If income sharing is setup, then the share partner will be payed a share of the minimum lease fee! Also, for Auto-Lease Free owners, the 4% commission will also be payed! To avoid this, if you want to manually start a new lease in another avatar's name, use the www.apez.biz on-line lease service instead)
Remote configuration & management
You can configure and manage all your Auto-Lease units conveniently in one place by just signing up for an account on-line at www.apez.biz. There is no cost for the service. If your lease-holders also sign-up for an account, they'll be able to manage their active leases too (for example, to monitor how many days they have remaining and to extend their lease etc.) Please read the on-line FAQ for details.
The Apez.lease service also offers the ability to list your vacant spaces under the 'find' listing. If you opt to list your spaces publically (for a small fee) potential lease holders will be able to browse your vacant spaces on-line and start a new lease at the click of a mouse. To list vacant spaces under Apez.lease.find, simply login, select the 'edit' icon next to the location you want to advertize, select the 'public' option and provide an appropriate picture and description of the location.
Auto-Lease add-on scripts
For LL Script programmers, the Auto-Lease now includes a feature to allow external scripts to be sensitive to the leased-state and issue chat commands. Scripts in other objects can receive state update notifications and scripts in prims linked to the Auto-Lease prim can additionally issue any of the chat commands available. For example, if you're a Mall owner and you wish to script your vendor space doors to open and close in response to the Auto-Lease being leased or going vacant, you can now do so. If you lease appartments you could even key the appartment door to only allow the lease holder to enter. Look for the Auto-Lease add-on kit with example script for details.
--
We hope you enjoy the Auto-Lease. Please IM Apez / Cenji Neutra for support. Future point release upgrades will be free. Please don't hesitate to suggest new features for inclusion in a future version the www.apez.biz forums. For (infrequent) updates via IM and support, please feel free to join the 'Auto-Lease Owners' group (free membership).
Changes
1.3: 6/Aug/05: Bug fix - minor that required selecting Edit & SL 'Tools->Reset scripts in selection' menu to force Config notecard re-read.
2.0: 15/Aug/05: Bug fix - once becoming vacant after lease termination, the prim would return to its default dimensions instead of the user modified dimensions prior to lease start. 16/Aug/05: Bug fix - Free version wrong commission (originally the commission was 5%, then is was changed to 4%, but by mistake it still took 5% of lease extension payments) New features - dialog setttings menu, sharing, light, adjustable IM verbosity, use of OwnerSay, Remote management ready
2.7: 17/Sept/05: Increased security of Auto-Lease <-> Console encrypted communication for remote administration. Version >=2.7 now required with Console 1.1.
2.8: 7/Nov/05: Minor update. Reduced memory consumption of main script. Now also saves prim size on rez in vacant state.
2.9: 24/Jan/06: Interim update to 2.x series. Now sends update to web-site on lease payments & expirations. Console no longer supported. The 'name' command was changed to 'locname' to avoid confusion between the location name and the object/space name. Adds commands for position offset & prims position/scale. New Auto-Lease add-on feature.
2.10: 12/Mar/06: Main additions: support for user add-on-scripts in linked prims (can send chat commands); New commands for copying and transferring settings and active leases ('transferfrom' and 'copyfrom'). Other minor commands added and some minor bugs fixes and changes.
2.11: 7/July/06: Minor update to fix touch problem on very slow sims (where scripts run so slowly that even a quick touch looks like an extended hold instead and causes offer Contract notecard or no action if disabled)
2.12: 9/July/06: Fix to eliminate leases passing 1day every hour after some sim crashes. Due to bugginess in LSL llGetTime() function, made worst in the last update, switched to llGetUnixTime(). This has the effect that lease holders are charged for time even if the sim/grid is down (since it now times from real clock-time). Also updated to new lighting model, so light on/off now switches fullbright on/off.
3.0: In development - will not support the Auto-Lease Console as configuration via www.apez.biz will be the preferred remote management method.
