How To: Edit Plugin Names

Shane74340 · 24 Mar 2011, 17:26

If you want to edit a plugin's name, use this guide. This guide uses the .obj importer as an example.

Get the name of the plugin. Click the "Plugins" menu, and find it there. In this case "OBJ Importer".
Go to Google SketchUp's Plugin folder, right click on the plugin ("obj_importer.rb") and select "Edit with Notepad++". You need to have Notepad++ installed, and I recommend it. NP++ has syntax highlighting.
Find (Ctrl+F) "UI.menu": "menu = UI.menu("Plugins").add_submenu("OBJ Importer")"
You'll want to edit the name in the quotes. (".add_submenu("Plugin Name Here")
Restart or Open SketchUp, and your plug-in should have it's name edited.

NOTE: I recommend keeping a backup of the original source if you want to re-share the plugin.

Chris Fullmer · 24 Mar 2011, 21:15

NOTE: I recommend keeping a backup of the original source if you want to re-share the plugin.

Hi Shane, actually re-sharing a plugin is often against the terms of use of many plugins. Or it is at least a bad habit to form in my opinion. And here's why.

Many plugins get updated from time to time, so its really a good idea to always get the plugin from the source, so if bugs have been fixed, or features added, the user will get all that with the most recent download. Plus it helps authors know how well their plugins are recieved if they can see how many times it was downlaoded. Sharing them should really involve pointing the user to where to download it, not sending the .rb file to a friend.

Just a thought,

Chris

honoluludesktop · 24 Mar 2011, 23:16

I can attest to Chris's concern. I have some renamed plugins (in several ways) on my system for the purposes of organization, and have struggled with updates. While it didn't stop me from making the changes, IMO some users shouldn't.

Gaieus · 26 Mar 2011, 07:02

While both Chris and HDT are right about updates, Chris, Shane here did not mean to re-share any plugins just posted a method of how to "tweak" them for your own use.

Chris Fullmer · 26 Mar 2011, 20:05

His last line states that its a good idea to save the original in case you want to re-share them. So it sounded like he might share plugins with friends via email or something. I was just trying to suggest instead of "Sharing" to just send the link to the original plugin location. That's all.

Gaieus · 27 Mar 2011, 09:01

Sorry, my bad. I was not reading carefully enough.

bagatelo · 27 Mar 2011, 15:38

If it were possible to create and edit a list of original names and desired names for each plugin that would be interesting. That along with the original location and desired location can be great.

honoluludesktop · 28 Mar 2011, 05:26

Beyond my vision. I too have difficulty seeing a elephant swallowed by a snake.:) Aloha, Hat