[Plugin] Layer manager

Bob James

Great update to an already great tool.

Curious fact however: this new version only works if I install it in my users/library/application/... folder rather than the HD/library/applications/... folder. Any particular reason for this?

Intel iMac, OS X 10.5.7

lexmonteiro

Thank you!
Another "must have" plug-in!
Just one question the "Match layer property of clicked object" can copy the texture from the original object too?

Bob James

Just wanted to say again what a great tool this is.

It works fine on both Mac and PC, but on PC the toolbars are not "remembered" (have to use View/Toolbars/ to make them appear again.

tfdesign

Call me thick, but I can't appear to get this working. Should the plug-in be situated in the root or user directory? I went back to 7.0 btw, because I was having a few more 7.1 problems.

TIG

@tfdesign said:

Call me thick, but I can't appear to get this working. Should the plug-in be situated in the root or user directory? I went back to 7.0 btw, because I was having a few more 7.1 problems.

If you 'extract' the files from the zip then there should be one ruby .rb file and the rest of the files in a folder.
Then the lone ruby file and the folder go into your Plugins folder...

tfdesign

@tig said:

If you 'extract' the files from the zip then there should be one ruby .rb file and the rest of the files in a folder.
Then the lone ruby file and the folder go into your Plugins folder...

Yes I did exactly that, but to no avail. I've had trouble with getting ruby scripts to work before (in SU).

I'll have another go when I'm not maniacally try to reach deadlines! Thanks for your input anyway TIG

tfdesign

Nope. I can't get this plug in to work at all on my Mac. (BTW, I'm back on SU 7.0, despite my avatar saying otherwise, because I was having many troubles with 7.1. I'm now waiting for the update, before going back to 7.1).

@bob james said:

Curious fact however: this new version only works if I install it in my users/library/application/... folder rather than the HD/library/applications/... folder. Any particular reason for this?

Aha!! Yes! Indeed (need to try this yet too). This is also how Podium works, and it screws with OS X's directory. Podium is worse, because it uses an installer script, which also makes a SU6 folder, which confuses SU even more! Developers, why can't we just install this ourselves?

It seems to me that there really IS a problem with plug-in management with SU and Mac OS X, and where scripts should go. This depresses me, because I have to sit here messing with folder combinations, until it works, which means less money (not that I'm getting any money anyway! ), but worse still, prevents me from doing what I love most, designing things. It's almost as if there is someone in the Mac programming dept at Google who really couldn't give a dingo's kidneys, and has consequently failed to deliver guidelines to all those planning to write ruby scripts for Mac SketchUp. A shame if it were true.

The Podium installer, for starters, installs on the wrong part of the directory (not necessarily Google's fault, but typical behaviour of a developer who has misunderstood the workings of a Mac OS, like coming straight from a better understanding of a Linux one (or Windows in this case, but Mac OS X is NOT Linux, and directories behave very differently to Linux directories! Cappiche?). This basic error, fools the SketchUp directory navigation (http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=146352#p146352).

The best thing I've found is to remove the ruby script from the folder and put that in the plug-ins file, then any other ancillary files (such as png's etc) stay in a folder, within that folder. But in the case of Podium, this wouldn't work at all, as both files need to be taken out and placed in the main plug-in folder. I'm now worried that if I make a new folder, for a new plug-in for this Layers tool, in my Home directory, instead of the main directory, it's going to screw with SketchUp again, and I'll be back to square one again.

A well written Mac application mostly allows you to use from whatever directory or file you choose. This behaviour from SketchUp again, is inconsistent, as some plug-ins work, and others don't. A real shame, because SU also appears to have been written in Apple Cocoa. Perhaps the developers need to get SketchUp to read plugins from both libraries?

Maybe all you folks who are suggesting how to get certain things to work on a Mac, should try giving the advice from a Mac rather than Windows? And those who use Windows, who make plugins, observe from Mac users how plug-in installation is managed? It would really help all of us Mac users!

tfdesign

Just as I predicted. Make a plugins folder in the SketchUp folder within the home application support folder, and other plugins (notably "Booltools") stop working!

I'm really hacked off with this (as you can probably tell). I am paying money to Smustard for plugins, that aren't always working, and this is not right.

NewOne

@tfdesign said:

Just as I predicted. Make a plugins folder in the SketchUp folder within the home application support folder, and other plugins (notably "Booltools") stop working!

I'm really hacked off with this (as you can probably tell). I am paying money to Smustard for plugins, that aren't always working, and this is not right.

I agree that some payed plugins from smustard should be revised... Maybe Smustard team should take example from TIG and how he updated 2D Tools plugin (and that is a free one)

AcesHigh

hey Didier, can you tell me if this feature: "Move selection to current layer (digs in compos and groups)" is exactly what I am asking in this thread? http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=22986

thanks

bararaboat

In this version the layer Management & layer toolbar does not appear automatically.
how can i make it appear automatically went program open? (su7 mac)

Regard,

diegog321

Hi

Thank you very much for this plug in. Its been very useful.

Diego

Michaelv

@bararaboat said:

In this version the layer Management & layer toolbar does not appear automatically.
how can i make it appear automatically went program open? (su7 mac)

Regard,

For the status of the toolbars to be registered (new sketchup opens with the last status (open or closed)) on Mac:

Add these two ruby lines after their respective toolbar definition blocks in the original script:

layertools_tb.restore

layerconfigs_tb.restore

bagatelo

Is there a tool that put the selected object in a new hidden / not hidden layer?

Didier Bur

@bagatelo: No...

haiarchi

Can you set to Tool of sketchup to shortcut in sketchup

tulacong

@didier bur said:

Hi all,
Time to release the new version of my Layer Manager. Many new tools and enhancements, new toolbars.
Unzip in your Plugins folder. PDF doc included in the Layer Manager sub-folder.

[attachment=0:ea3yl9sk]lmtb.jpg[/attachment:ea3yl9sk]

Features list:

Tools:

Set layer of clicked object current
Set layer of clicked object current and isolated
Set layer of clicked object invisible
All layers visible
All layers invisible (except current)
Toggle visibility of all layers
Select/Deselect layer content
Move selection to current layer (digs in compos and groups)
Set layers of selection isolated (digs in compos and groups)
Set layers of selection invisible (digs in compos and groups)
Show layers by filter (add to visible layers)
Isolate layers by filter (digs in compos and groups)
Hide layers by filter (digs in compos and groups)
Toggle display color by layer
Match layer property of clicked object
Create layer and control behavior
Delete layer (digs in compos and groups)
Lock layer
Unlock layer

Layers Management:

Display a layers configuration status
Save a layers state in the drawing
Restore a layers state from the model
Load a layers state from the drawing – Show only
Load a layers state from the drawing – Append
Update layers states
Delete a layers state
Save your layers states to an external file
Load layers states from an external file

French version soon to come.
I'll be on holidays in Croatia until Aug 19th so don't except quick bug fixes, but please leave your comments and bug reports here, I'll look at them when i'll be back.

Best regards,

ohze hehehe thank showmuch

Tinygrasshopper

Super Plugin!
Vive Nancy!

utiler

Hi Didier, love this toolset!

I have a request; see the attached screenshot and notes...

Often I select components or groups to move to a new layer that is not there. Do you think you could add a line on the dialogue box to 'assign to selected' with the option of yes or no?
This saves time deselecting, creating a new layer, selecting the groups again [which as you know can be tedious if you've carefully selected elements to move to a layer...] then accessing the layer drop down to move to the layer.

Is it possible?

cheers

Didier Bur

Hi Utiler,
Try the attached rbs (replace your old one) and tell me if it works OK, before I incorporate it in a new release.
Regards,

layer_manager.zip