SketchUp 8 M2 is out!

[Chiefwoodworker]

@unknownuser said:

@chiefwoodworker said:

I just installed it and was really disappointed that the Print functionality is still broken.

hey chief.. you have suPro so maybe save some headaches and do your printing via layout?

I teach the free version of SketchUp in addition to using the Pro license for my own work so Layout is not a general solution. I can't tell you how many students trip over this problem and are put off by it. I know how to work around it but beginners don't. Here is an email that I got just this morning.

"joe.
i have now been trying for a total of more than 40 hours just to print to scale. i have tried hundreds of different combinations of scales and measurements on 3 different computers.writing down every detail as i go.. there is no pattern in the times it will print to scale and the times it wont. it is just random. i have no choice but to try another way all together. can you recommend another program that i can send the images to to continue my work elsewhere?

thanks"

This is a problem Google should correct. I don't understand why, after 8 versions, they haven't addressed it.

[jbacus]

@unknownuser said:

1. After installing I now have a major grayed out context menu.
2. Can't run on two machine at same time.

Hi Ken,

Glad you were able to get back to a working state in time to finish your project. When that's through, I think that we can probably troubleshoot the problems you reported.

1. Some things about the Ruby API did change to support plugin installers. Grayed-out context menus are typically a problem with one or more of the scripts you have installed.

2. Sounds like you may have the same issue wrt licensing as Jeff– if you have a network license (even a "single seat" network license) you'll have to make some changes to your configuration. Fill out this form and we'll get back to you as soon as we can with additional info.

3. Not sure why you'd be seeing a lag with either tool activation or drawing a line. If you can get me more information about that I'll see about getting you some specific troubleshooting help.

john
.

[Chiefwoodworker]

@jbacus said:

@chiefwoodworker said:

The biggest problem is in printing to scale.

LayOut is the better solution to this problem and it contains many tools that will help you print more effectively to scale.

john
.

See my reply to Jeff Hammond on this issue. LayOut is not a solution for those who do not have a Pro license which most of my students do not. Besides, a bug is a bug and should be fixed, especially if it has been around for 8 major version releases and numerous maintenance releases. This just isn't very professional of Google and its SketchUp team. But I will live and use SketchUp anyway ;<)

[jbacus]

@chiefwoodworker said:

I teach the free version of SketchUp in addition to using the Pro license for my own work so Layout is not a general solution.

If you're teaching SketchUp to students, an 'Education' license may be the best solution. SketchUp Pro is available for cheap (sometimes free) to schools, teachers and students. Are you teaching in a context that makes you eligible for that program ?

john
.

[jeff hammond]

@jbacus said:

I'll leave it to the Sales gang to get you sorted out officially but it looks to me like you have a single-seat network license, not a single-user license. Fill out the form I referenced above and we'll get to you as soon as we can.

i contacted sales via your link.. fingers crossed
thanks for the help!

[Chiefwoodworker]

@jbacus said:

@chiefwoodworker said:

I teach the free version of SketchUp in addition to using the Pro license for my own work so Layout is not a general solution.

If you're teaching SketchUp to students, an 'Education' license may be the best solution. SketchUp Pro is available for cheap (sometimes free) to schools, teachers and students. Are you teaching in a context that makes you eligible for that program ?

john
.

Hi John,

I teach at local community colleges and woodworking schools. I don't know if that qualifies me for an Education license, but I will look into it. Thanks for the heads up.

[ken]

@jbacus said:

@unknownuser said:

1. After installing I now have a major grayed out context menu.
2. Can't run on two machine at same time.

Hi Ken,

Glad you were able to get back to a working state in time to finish your project. When that's through, I think that we can probably troubleshoot the problems you reported.

1. Some things about the Ruby API did change to support plugin installers. Grayed-out context menus are typically a problem with one or more of the scripts you have installed.

2. Sounds like you may have the same issue wrt licensing as Jeff– if you have a network license (even a "single seat" network license) you'll have to make some changes to your configuration. Fill out this form and we'll get back to you as soon as we can with additional info.

3. Not sure why you'd be seeing a lag with either tool activation or drawing a line. If you can get me more information about that I'll see about getting you some specific troubleshooting help.

john
.

Note jbacus

I am familiar with the grayed out context menu and adjust my plugins to get rid of this problem and for ver 8.0.481 I had a workable setup. I even modified some plugins that use the context menu to use a tool bar or if there is a choice I will in the script, I will modify the script to not use the context menu choice. So I was happy and working.

However, I upgraded, and I mean that all I did, and wham, the worst grayed out I have seen. Sometime the "make components or group" option was grayed out in the edit menu. So now that I have re-installed ver 8.0.481, I am back to where I was, with a working program. So to me, this upgrade was the problem.

So, please someone find an answer.

Thanks for your help

Ken

[TriciaS]

Hi Ken,

Is it possible to send me your plugins directory (zipped up) so that I could try to troubleshoot the issue with the gray menus?

I'll send you my contact info.

Thanks in advance,

Tricia
Google

[jeff hammond]

so official advice is for me to close sketchup on one machine prior to launching it on another..

whatever, i'm done blabbing about it..

---

i'm glad the scenes are fixed for lion and the new ruby management looks great..
waiting for someone to make an rbz public so i can try it out.

[Rich O Brien]

@unknownuser said:

basically, if you zip your my.rb and rename it my.rbz, SU Extension Manager will load it from your 'download destination' directly into 'Plugins', saving your Users all the grief of what do I put where.

To quote one of our SketchUcators

[jgb]

I know this may sound like a dumb question

I have SU 8 and have not upgraded to M1 version (just lazy)

Can I simply install M2 or do I need to install M1 first

[pbacot]

Where can we learn about turning plugins on and off? In my preferences / extensions there are only a few listed that may be checked off, just as previously. And as previously you need to restart to unload them.

EDIT: Wait NVM. This is what I was referring to. Not a built-in On / off like I hoped.

@unknownuser said:

Mac:
To disable plugins:

Launch SketchUp.
Try to recreate the bug.
Navigate to Window > Ruby Console.
In the Ruby Console, type: Sketchup.plugins_disabled = true.
Exit SketchUp and relaunch. User supplied Ruby plugins should now be disabled and will continue to be disabled until you re-enable them.
Try to recreate the bug again. If you can't recreate it, then one or more of your Ruby plugins are the culprit. You may consider moving Ruby files out of the Plugins folder to isolate which plugin is causing the issue.

I imagined that the "Plugin Manager" that our ruby developers have been talking about is more like a full list of plugins installed and a simple way to turn them on and off. I hope that is a goal. An installer (and that's great, even though I had no problem with it) is not a manager.

[jbacus]

@pbacot said:

I imagined that the "Plugin Manager" that our ruby developers have been talking about is more like a full list of plugins installed and a simple way to turn them on and off. I hope that is a goal. An installer (and that's great, even though I had no problem with it) is not a manager.

SketchUp already includes a system that allows Ruby developers to make their tools into "Extensions", which can then be turned on/off via the Extension Manager. To learn more about that, see this blog post: "Turn Your Plugin into an Extension "

Additionally, SketchUp now includes a system that allows developers to make their Extensions easily installable. To learn more about that, see this blog post: "Distribute your Plugin as One File "

Further, there are new hooks in the API that allow folks who want to build more customized "Plugin Managers" the things they'll need to do so. Expect more news on that in the weeks/months to come as developers come up to speed with the new capabilities.

There is great diversity in the way that Ruby (scripts, plugins, extensions) have been created by the developer community, making it difficult for us to come up with one new system that is capable of managing them all. With SU8M2, we're trying to lay down some groundwork that improves manageability over time.

john
.

[Krisidious]

Sounds good John... thanks for the "One on One"... We appreciate it.

[TIG]

jbacus...

Indeed...
I do have a vague 'plan' [when time allows!] to 'Extensionalize' my main scripts and then offer .zip/.rbz versions for alternative installation... if you have v8+++...
Thereby, up-to-date Users can install the updated tools via Preferences - but it needs considerable [unpaid] effort on my part...
AND there are many 'legacy' Users who will still need the .zip version...

[avariant]

@jbacus said:

Further, there are new hooks in the API that allow folks who want to build more customized "Plugin Managers" the things they'll need to do so.

Are these new "hooks" published somewhere? Have the API docs been updated?

[opal]

Another user with the greyed out menu items here.
I drew a basic rectangle an as usual it surfaced backface up so I right clicked and the option to reverse faces is greyed out.
Using the drop down edit menu, selecting the same face, reverse faces is no longer greyed out.

.. interesting to note, I did nothing to change any settings anywhere - thought gee.. I should go get some screen shots since there were other greyed down items on the edit list and it seemed to have fixed itself.. until I drew another basic rectangle and tried again to right click.

Using the drop down edit menu instead of right click seems to fix it.. odd

I know.. I should be in the newbie forum

[TIG]

@unknownuser said:

Another user with the greyed out menu items here.
I drew a basic rectangle an as usual it surfaced backface up so I right clicked and the option to reverse faces is greyed out.
Using the drop down edit menu, selecting the same face, reverse faces is no longer greyed out.

.. interesting to note, I did nothing to change any settings anywhere - thought gee.. I should go get some screen shots since there were other greyed down items on the edit list and it seemed to have fixed itself.. until I drew another basic rectangle and tried again to right click.

Using the drop down edit menu instead of right click seems to fix it.. odd

I know.. I should be in the newbie forum

You have too many Plugins loading that are making 'Commands' - an issue reported in several other threads... and awaiting Google's fix

[opal]

ty, I read this thread and saw it was somehow plugin related. I thought it was interesting that using the drop down menu to access those commands made them work and might be a useful bit of information.

[Krisidious]

as I said before guys... this is a perfect opportunity to start fresh with a new plugin folder. that means installing each plugin fresh 1 at a time and checking to make sure it's up to date. and while your at it look for redundant plugins and outdated ones. chances are this will fix most of your greyed out issues.

I don't think we've come up with a number of plugins where it reaches greyed out by bloat. it will happen at some point but I'm not sure at what number of plugins.