Plugin & Extension Issues
Tips for troubleshooting and examining Ruby plugins and extensions used to customize your program.
The installation method depends...
where you get them and its file extension
VirtualStore Check ThomThom - Checks if files in the Plugins folder has ended up in Windows' VirtualStore.
Simple Plugin Installer ThomThom - Adds menu items for easy installation of RBZ or ZIP packaged plugins, as well as RB and RBS files.
Manually installing plugins with RB and RBS file extensions
Unless a developer instructs you to do otherwise, most of the Ruby scripts, plugins, and add-ons live in the SketchUp's Plugins directory. Place the files in the following directories:
Windows:
SketchUp 2014 and later
In Windows XP/Vista/7/8 the plugins folder is at
C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data\SketchUp\SketchUp 2014\SketchUp\Plugins
In Windows XP/Vista/7/8 the plugins folder is at
C:\Program Files\Google\Google SketchUp 8\Plugins
and in Windows Vista/7/8 64-bit it is at
C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google SketchUp 8\Plugins
You reach this through My Computer, not through the Start menu. By default, the contents of the C: drive and the Program files folders are hidden, so you must make them visible to be able to manipulate them. You must also have Administrator privileges to place files there.
Mac OS X:
SketchUp 2013
Mac HD > Users > [User] > Library > Application Support > SketchUp 2013 > SketchUp > [Folder, e.g. Components]
an alternative: Open a new Finder window, press and hold the Option key on your keyboard, the click Go in the menu bar > Library > Application Support > SketchUp 2013 > SketchUp > Plugins.
Pre-SketchUp 2013 - 'Hard Drive' [your user name]/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/Plugins
This "Library" folder is at the top level of your hard drive & should not be confused with the folder of the same name in your user (home) folder. If you are having trouble finding it, from the Finder, select "Go to Folder" from the "Go" menu. In the box that appears, type "/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/plugins" (without the quotes) & click the "Go" button.
Calling Whaat and Fredo!! new MAC issues (SOLVED) Troubleshooting the confusing issues about plugin location on a Mac hard drive.
Note: RBZ files are just renamed ZIP files containing the .rb and any sub-folders. You can open an .rbz file with WinZip or equivalent, and manually move the content into the SketchUp Plugins directory, or you can rename a .zip to a .rbz and have SketchUp install it.
But if you try having SketchUp load your self-named RBZ, proceed with the knowledge that the content of your renamed ZIP may not unzip correctly in the SketchUp Plugins directory. For example, the plugin content you really want may be wrapped inside another folder inside the RBZ. The SketchUp installer only unzips the first level of the RBZ file.
Note: Some Mac systems will need to adjust the read/write permissions on the Plugins folder to install RBZ files. Click on the image for the instructions (courtesy of Beryldrue).
If there is a problem finding the Plugins directory to manually install a plugin - in either Windows or Mac - open SketchUp and open the Ruby Console (found under the Window menu). Enter the following code:
UI.openURL("file://#{Sketchup.find_support_file("Plugins")}")
Press Enter (Return on a Mac.)
This will open a window with the correct directory.
Note: Some scripts come with several files and folders. They all go in the Program's Plugins directory shown above. Do not create any sub-directories of your own to contain script files and folders.
A note about plugin instructions: Some complex scripts, like this version of BezierSpline, have instructions inside their folder. In this case, the instructions can be accessed through a submenu entry from inside of SketchUp. Other scripts may come with a simple, informational text file or no special document. Instructions may also be limited to some text inside the script itself. There is no standard convention
If you update a plugin: remove the older version to avoid loading errors and conflicts. But if you want to keep copies of the older versions in the Plugins directory, then rename the file extension(s).
Troubleshooting
Disabling ruby scripts to temporarily disable your Ruby plugins to see whether a program bug is plugin related. If the problem goes away when the plugins are disabled, it is a good indication that one of the disabled plugins is responsible.
Loading plugins through the Ruby Console
Ruby scripts can be loaded while SketchUp is open. Go to the Window (SketchUp in Mac) menu and open the Ruby Console.
Type: load "scriptname.rb" or load 'scriptname.rb'
press Enter on the keyboard
The response should be true if loading succeeds
Optional Ruby Consoles
Ruby Code Editor alexschreyer - This code editor plugin offers an easy-to-use and visually appealing way to create and modify Ruby scripts directly within SketchUp.
Ruby Console+ Aerilius - A simple & powerful companion for your coding adventures in SketchUp.
SketchUp Developer Tools SketchUp Team - Includes an improved Ruby Console and ruby unit test runner.
Why you may want to open the plugin text file
Often the script text contains user instructions at the top. Version history, copyright, developer contact information, etc. would located up there too.
Reviewing the code is a good way to learn how to write in the Ruby programming language.
Check where the plugin can be found in the SketchUp menu system. Usually, the script is added to the Plugins menu. But it can be added under any menu and/or add a toolbar. When you forget, look at the script code - usually located toward the bottom of the file - to learn where the script lives.
Look for "UI.menu". This bit of code from the script rectangle.rb says you can find it listed in the Program's Draw menu as Rotated Rectangle, underneath a separator line.
Text Editors
Unless the file is scrambled, scripts can open - be viewed - in a plain text editor.
Opening the script in anything other than a plain text editor, and saving the file, will introduce extra formating code which will make the script dysfunctional in SketchUp.
Notepad is a plain text editor that comes with Windows. In XP, it can be found in Start > All Programs > Accessories.
Other text editors are listed in the Ruby Stuff section of Resources. Notepad++ is a good editor for Windows. It is easy to use and has a lot of features.
Ruby Extension module refers to plugin coding that can use the Ruby program language to work with the SketchUp Ruby API and computing power outside of the SketchUp environment.
Plugin Loader for SketchUp Alex Schreyer developed this plugin to work in a 'locked down' school computer lab environment, and make finding and loading many plugins easier.
Organizer Smustard - After you collect two-hundred, fifty million scripts and finally want to create an orderly arrangement in the Plugins menu, this script will help. - Fee
Additional Plugin Folders Fredo6 - Plugin which will load plugins located outside SketchUp's Plugins directory.