Using DropBox and symbolic links with SketchUp.

Box · 11 Nov 2011, 07:53

● Create Symbolic Links for the plugins folders

right-click the folder and choose 'make symbolic link'.. you'll now have a folder called plugins symlink which will have the little little alias arrow on the folder icon.

I'm only basically familiar with Mac but I do have friends that often ask me to help them with theirs and I'm confused about how you Right Click on a one button mouse.

Sorry if I'm being stupid, but I know if I said right click to a girlfriend of mine she would simply pass out in confusion.

jeff hammond · 11 Nov 2011, 13:43

@box said:

how you Right Click on a one button mouse.

ctrl + click

Box · 11 Nov 2011, 15:05

Thanks Jeff, I guess I knew that, it just threw me reading it before my morning coffee.

By the way, I've used dropbox for years but never thought of this and it works brilliantly, I'd recommend it to anyone.

jeff hammond · 11 Nov 2011, 15:21

fwiw, apple's one button mouse hasn't been sold since 2005 or so.. the version after that, while it looked like it had only one button (well, i guess it looks like it has no buttons), actually had 4 pressure sensitive areas which could be used for right-clicking.. in 2009(?), they updated again to the magic mouse which again is only one button but it's much smarter than the previous version.. it now depends on where you click, how many fingers you click with, which direction you move your finger(s) in, etc as to what action it preforms.. it's basically a mashup between a mouse and a trackpad.

regardless, i've never used an apple mouse.. always logitech.. but even then, osx requires no special drivers for (most)3rd party mice. plug and play..

Chris Fullmer · 11 Nov 2011, 16:19

My friend has one of the magic mice and I nearly bopped him over the head for being so stupid to have a single "mash here" one button mouse.

The he showed me the truth.....wow, its pretty cool.

I still can't live without a middle button to hold down for orbiting in SU. Not sure if you can make one of those magic mouse do that.

jeff hammond · 11 Nov 2011, 20:04

@chris fullmer said:

I still can't live without a middle button to hold down for orbiting in SU.

get a mouse with a thumb button(s)… thank me later

zoom while orbiting... your index finger is on the left button way more often.. faster/more flow-ey / more comfortable drawing..

Bob James · 12 Nov 2011, 02:03

What model is that, Jeff?

Chris Fullmer · 12 Nov 2011, 02:42

My mouse at home is similar to that, I'll set it up that way and see how it goes. Thanks for the tip!

jeff hammond · 12 Nov 2011, 04:22

@bob james said:

What model is that, Jeff?

it's the MX Revolution.. I've had 3 of them (my daughter is 5 now so my latest model has lasted a couple of years.. in my experience, 2 year olds and mice do not coexist peacefully in the same house )

apparently, logitech discontinued the revolution and replaced it with this model:
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/mice/devices/performance-mouse-mx

it looks better than the older version.. they did away with the thumbwheel and added new little thumb button in a handy looking spot (4 thumb buttons total)

for my laptops, i use the smaller MX.. the anywhere MX.. dunno, i like these things a lot because if i break/lose one, i'm not even going to shop around for anything else.. i just want an exact replacement..
http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/mice/devices/9422

Rich O Brien · 12 Nov 2011, 09:50

I don't see a version for lefties? 'Sculpted for right' is the blurb

jeff hammond · 12 Nov 2011, 13:45

@unknownuser said:

I don't see a version for lefties? 'Sculpted for right' is the blurb

like a Mac user... you'll get used to it

weren't the teachers supposed to slap your hand every time you picked up a pencil with your left hand?

mk11 · 2 Jan 2012, 03:16

Jeff;
Thx a million for your MAC solution on doing this. One quick question: Where are the preference and keyboard shortcut files for SU located on a MAC?

Thx,
Marc

irwanwr · 2 Jan 2012, 03:21

@unknownuser said:

weren't the teachers supposed to slap your hand every time you picked up a pencil with your left hand?

jeff hammond · 2 Jan 2012, 05:11

@mk11 said:

Jeff;
Thx a million for your MAC solution on doing this. One quick question: Where are the preference and keyboard shortcut files for SU located on a MAC?

Thx,
Marc

the shortcuts are in your user library
~/library/application support/google sketchup (x)/sketchup/

preferences are in
~/library/preferences.. (a file named com.google.sketchuppro8 (or whatever))..

your user library is hidden by default on lion..
check this link for various ways to get there or unhide the folder
http://osxdaily.com/2011/07/22/access-user-library-folder-in-os-x-lion/

shannakae · 23 Jul 2013, 01:58

Anyone know if using dropbox for the plugins will work for going from sketchup 8 to 13? Also, will it work on windows 8?

mitcorb · 23 Jul 2013, 13:15

@Shanna:
Theoretically, you should have no problem with either of your questions.
I was just going to mention that many of the plugins have been updated to play nice with Sketchup 2013 and if you use the Sketchucation Plugin Store utility, it should be relatively simple to load your favorite items.
As for Windows 8, it is still windows core program, just a different interface.

shannakae · 23 Jul 2013, 13:51

@mitcorb said:

@Shanna:
Theoretically, you should have no problem with either of your questions.
I was just going to mention that many of the plugins have been updated to play nice with Sketchup 2013 and if you use the Sketchucation Plugin Store utility, it should be relatively simple to load your favorite items.
As for Windows 8, it is still windows core program, just a different interface.

Thanks, looks like it would make the most sense to do a new install of the plgins to make sure i have the most up to date versions for 13. I am currently only using one computer for all of my work so I dont think i need to do the drop box thing for my plugins but if I do get a desktop do you think it iwll work the same with 13 as it did in the example for 8? I am guessing that the plugin store utility still puts the plugins into the plugin folder and if i move the bluging folder to dropbox and follow the intstructions for pointing sketchup to that folder I should be good. I was just wondeing if anyone had done this yet with 13? Also, i did not see my favorite Lib Fredo plugins in the plugin utility.... is that because his plugins require that because his require something else to be installed prior to using his plugins?

Thanks for your help!

mitcorb · 24 Jul 2013, 02:09

As far as I know and as it appears in this link, Fredo6's Libfredo file is still separate. It is at version 5 according to the link.
http://sketchucation.com/resources/pluginstore?pln=LibFredo6

In case you need to look, click on the drop down "Resources" on the black bar above and click on PluginStore. You can search by the criteria at the top of that page. Just check Fredo6 in the drop list. Hope this helps.

halroach · 24 Jul 2013, 07:19

Hah,

I've been using a similar mouse configuration for the past 4 years, I was in pain with my index and middle finger orbiting and panning too much. I second that the thumb solution is very very good!

But in my case, I am still using the old style corded mouse with a ball! (I found it in my Dad's basement) and it's just super comfortable! And since it has a PS2 connector (remember those?) I found a USB to PS2 adapter. Works perfectly!

My Logitech Mouseman + Yeahhhh!
http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-M-CW47-Ergonomic-Connection-Compatible/dp/B004XJ4VP4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1

USB to PS2 Adapter:
http://dx.com/p/usb-to-ps-2-cable-adapter-15cm-length-45594

(maybe this topic should be split into "pride in cool hardware configurations"

@unknownuser said:

@chris fullmer said:

I still can't live without a middle button to hold down for orbiting in SU.

get a mouse with a thumb button(s)… thank me later

zoom while orbiting... your index finger is on the left button way more often.. faster/more flow-ey / more comfortable drawing..

maxhouserocks · 10 Jun 2015, 17:57

there are several threads on this issue now and i just realized i never posted my solution to using dropbox as a source for plugins to enable synchronization between multiple machines.

I figured it out shortly after our conversation here and another post, so thanks again guys!

THE COMMAND THAT WORKED FOR ME in cmd.exe

mklink /J "C:\Users\rachristman\AppData\Roaming\SketchUp\SketchUp 2014\SketchUp\plugins" "D:\Dropbox\SketchUp Resources_SU Plugins\Plugins"

I am not sure if /D did not work because i was linking from to d: but the /J did the trick. FULLY OPERATIONAL mklink, directory junction, is reading the plugins folder from my drop box as soon as i open Sketchup 2014.

THE PROCESS:
i had "successfully" created a symbolic link in cmd using mklink, however the tutorial thread i used had differing syntax. it took a while to determine that i had to use BOTH the existing path AND the new path in the mklink command as well as using "" around the paths. this was not mentioned in this post:
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15%26amp;t=40866 (this post did not work for me)

so i found some other references concerning the syntax:
http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/149054-symbolic-folder-linking.html

i will also share the info i came across while attempting this

windows file junctions and symbolic links:
http://devtidbits.com/2009/09/07/windows-file-junctions-symbolic-links-and-hard-links/

Symbolic folder linking - Windows 7 Help Forums

Hello, I need a bit of help with creating a symbolic link between two folders. I tried mklink but it gives me incorrect syntax error. In windows 7 of course. I have one empty folder, C:\\link\\empty f

(www.sevenforums.com)

links description:
http://devtidbits.com/2009/09/07/windows-file-junctions-symbolic-links-and-hard-links/

syncronize two windows folders in real time:
http://superuser.com/questions/65524/how-do-i-synchronise-two-folders-in-real-time-in-windows-7