Best free Plug-in's

JMdesigns

...Hello everyone. I am new to this forum, and new to SketchUp. so far I love it.
It is very easy for me to pick up, i am a graphic designer in the sign industry. I am very use to photoshop, and
love all the plug-ins for it. I was happy to see that SU has plug-ins
What are the best FREE plug-ins for SU. I am trying this program out for the company i work for, and they dont want to spend alot
on it. so free would be great, thanks

boofredlay

Most of the ones listed here are free. It should get you started.
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=16909

Chris Fullmer

The large majority of plugins are free at this point in time. Check out the link to "Plugins Index" at the top of the page (in the red box), or here is the direct link:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=250026

Most of them listed there are free with very few exceptions. And those that are not free are not that expensive for the most part.

Then check out the Ruby Depot curated by Didier Bur here:
http://rhin.crai.archi.fr/rld/plugins_sections.php

And smustard has a large amount of free plugins and some pay ones. Again, the pay ones are not very expensive, generally under $20.
http://www.smustard.com

As for which are the best - well that depends on what you need a plugin for! As a general guide, I would say go through and read what the plugins do. Download those that look useful to what you think you need. Then as you learn more about SketchUp, you will find things you need help with. Ask here how to do it and generally someone will help. And sometimes someone will recommend a perfect plugin to help. Often though, lost things can be done w/o plugins.

Anyhow, good luck. hope thats a good starting point. And don't let my comments keep anyone else from chiming in if they have something to add.

Chris

pilou

Subdive and Smoth (basic free) http://www.smustard.com/script/Subdivide by Ricks Wilson
not free http://www.smustard.com/script/SubdivideAndSmooth by Whaat

Funny & sérieux
SketchyPhysics http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=17324&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=SketchyPhysics#p138266 by CPhillips
Protrude by Jim Folz http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=13095&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=protrude#p95818
Zorro2 http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=16038&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=zorro2#p124862 by Whaat
Soap Skin Bubble & Tensile structures (free) http://www.tensile-structures.de/help.html by Josef Leibinger (free suivant beta)

JMdesigns

Thanks everyone

xrok1

Wasn't there a must have plugin thread? I can't find it but...

Rich O Brien

While the majority are free it is worth mentioning that a lot of authors accept donations.

If you save time and earn money from using their plugins then rewarding them for their hard work is good karma for the soul.

Mike Lucey

JD,

I think your attitude in this regard should be discouraged. I presume you would not look very favorably on me if I arrived at your Sign Design Shop and expected free signs even if you had a few 'free' offers in place. I imagine you would like to see some genuine support business taking place also.

I agree with Rich. Most of the Plugins available here are 'free to use', however in order for many of the Ruby Authors to continue development of their various plugins they should be helped / encouraged with contributions, however small.

Think of it as dining at a good restaurant and tipping the staff for an excellent service / meal, not obligatory but prudent, as it only improves service for the next time you dine at the restaurant.

I imagine very few Ruby Authors expect to make fortunes but they do like to receive small contributions as it shows that their work is appreciated. This in turn encourages them to continue and improve their Plugins.

From my knowledge, on talking to many Ruby Authors, there are not a lot of support donations made, most 'grab and run'! However, the few genuine users that do make supporting contributions are much appreciated and for the most part, its these genuine supporting users that ensure useful and innovative Rubies will continue to flow.

So, all that remains, is for me on behalf of the Ruby Authors, to thank the genuine and generous supporting contributors

Mike

boofredlay

@xrok1 said:

Wasn't there a must have plugin thread? I can't find it but...

Check my post above Rocky.

JMdesigns

Mike,

you miss understood me. First off, thank you to all. especially the Ruby authors for your work. I was stating that it would be great to have free plugins at this point, because the company i work for basically thinks this program is useless, and too difficult to learn. I took on the responsibility myself, of learning the
program on my own time, and trying to see if we can use it in this industry. They basically are giving me no support, so i am trying to learn it and put together some nice "skills" to show them . I already used this program in redesigning my home to show my wife. thanks again. i will start to download some of the plugins tonight......thank you all for your input and support

Jean Lemire

Hi JD, hi folks.

I have an answer that you can give to those people that are telling that SketchUp (SU)is useless and too difficult to use.

Tell them that SU is not a CAD software so, you cannot compare it to Software like AutoCAD, Catia, Inventor, Revit, etc.

Tell then that SU has one of the most, if not the best help system, especially if you include in that the myriad of video tutorial on the SU's site, YouTube and many other sites.

Tell them that there are quite a few user forums, SketchUcation included, that are probably considered as top notch for this kind of software.

I base these assumptions on the fact that I have been using and worked with people using all the above mentionned softwares and many others and, to my knowledge and experience of 33+ years in engineering and 40+ years of computer use, SU is the only drawing software that allows me to produce a sketch without interposing itself between my ideas and a completed model.

Just ideas.

xrok1

@unknownuser said:

@xrok1 said:

Wasn't there a must have plugin thread? I can't find it but...

Check my post above Rocky.

thats the one. thanks for the reminder.

pilou

@unknownuser said:

SU is the only drawing software that allows me to produce a sketch without interposing itself between my ideas and a completed model.

Yes!
And in the Nurbs' world the other prog is Moment of Inspiration (Moi)

JMdesigns

@unknownuser said:

Most of the ones listed here are free. It should get you started.
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=16909

thank you....these look awesome. cant wait to try'em

JMdesigns

Thank you all ....I downloaded some last night, and they are awesome. i am really taking to this program. I generally work in full scale,
so this program is perfect. I am still trying to see how we can use it for signage (monuments, and cabinets).
One of the biggest problems i can see right now, is the inability to open EPS files like customers logo's, special fonts. Is there any plugins for this?

TIG

Appealing to your parsimoniousness... try a Google search http://www.epsconverter.com/ http://www.epsconvert.com/search.aspx http://vectormagic.com/home for free or inexpensive online/app eps converters - there are loads of them - even ones you can lots pay for...

Also free the free image editor 'Gimp' can do import eps and export to png/jpg etc - http://www.squidoo.com/epsGIMP http://opencomputer.net/2008/04/22/tip-open-eps-files-with-gimp/ - and much more [but surely you have Photoshop or Illustrator?]
If you want vector info out of the eps then you could try to make a dxf [perhaps with the intermediate step of an online pdf conversion] or even Inkscape svg?... or other vector file type you can import into a SKP...

JMdesigns

These Plugins are amazing ....I wish i had more time to play with this program, and get more familiar with its features.
I recieved a layout request today that i think will be perfect for SU.
The customer wants to see their logo on a basic 6' x 8' monument with a water feature base.
My only problem is getting there logo, which is an EPS file into SU. Any advise? thanks

TIG

Convert it to a PNG with transparency.
Import the Image and use my ImageTrimmer to 'cut it out'... OR just explode to a face with material, draw around it and tidy up etc... BUT without seeing the logo it's hard to comment - though I'd expect it's not too complex ??

JMdesigns

@tig said:

Convert it to a PNG with transparency.
Import the Image and use my ImageTrimmer to 'cut it out'... OR just explode to a face with material, draw around it and tidy up etc... BUT without seeing the logo it's hard to comment - though I'd expect it's not too complex ??

Thanks TIG ! Where can I get your ImageTrimmer? i got some time know and want to play around with the program

massimo

Press the big red button called "Plugins index" on top of the page then go to TIG-->image trimmer.