Toolbars

sdmitch

Thanks John & Dan,

John, your sample code works perfectly the first time but if but if you close the existing toolbar and make a change to the toolbar definition and recreate the toolbar, it is the same as the first time. I find that restarting Sketchup and recreating the toolbar solves that problem however.

Dan, I had been just "X-ing" out of the toolbar but took a look at View>Toolbars and, as you said, there was a reference to a mis-named attempt to load just created toolbar using UI.toolbar. I totally agree about the API. It is in serious need of a rewrite.

Dan Rathbun

@sdmitch said:

I find that restarting Sketchup and recreating the toolbar solves that problem however.

You need to keep a persistent reference to the toolbar object, inside a namespace that will not clash with other code.

module Sdmitch
  @@toolbar = nil

  def self.toolbar()
    @@toolbar
  end
end

Sdmitch.toolbar = UI::Toolbar.new("Learn")

So that your singleton method returns your toolbar object, and the module var keeps a reference to it.

Jim

What's the differece between an @variable and a @@variable in the previous post's scope?

I've always just used class variables ( @variable) since they are "global" in a module's scope.

Dan Rathbun

@jim said:

What's the differece between an @variable and a @@variable in the previous post's scope?

I've always just used class variables ( @variable) since they are "global" in a module's scope.

AN @@variable is a class (or module) variable.

AN @variable is an instance variable. Yes it has global scope within the module, because there is (and can only be,) only one instance of the module.

I use both. @@ var for things you might otherwise use a global var for. (Settings and the like.)
And then I use @ vars for values that change a lot, but need to be available to all methods.

The big difference comes when it's a Mixin module. @ vars can be mixed into the target class or module. Not sure about the class vars.

Dan Rathbun

And since a toolbar reference is not going to change during the session, I prefer to use an @@var.

driven

hi
I'm re-jigging my plugins on_off ruby that's part of a larger toolset and I split of the SU auto-reload as a separate button.
This lets me make a few choices, then reload SU.

On using I thought, 'what if I change my mind', so I only show the current state button to start then turn on it's counterpart when it runs.
because I can't remove the first button, I turn it's command to nil, and have a rescue smart alex puts.
so you only ever get two buttons and they only switch on first click.

is there a better way?

@rtb = UI;;Toolbar.new("mac Dev Tools")
@path = Sketchup.find_support_file("Tools/on_off") #if your ruby's are OFF this still shows up
#----------------------------------------------------------------------------
roncmd = nil
roffcmd = nil
roncmd = UI;;Command.new("rbON") {Sketchup.plugins_disabled = false;
roncmd = nil
begin
@rtb.add_item(roffcmd)
rescue
puts "I'm one shot per session"
end
 }
roffcmd = UI;;Command.new("rbOFF") {Sketchup.plugins_disabled = true;
roffcmd = nil
begin
@rtb.add_item(roncmd)
rescue
puts "I'm one shot per session"
end
 }
# button image paths
onicon=(@path + "/images/on.png")
officon=(@path + "/images/off.png")

roncmd.large_icon = roncmd.small_icon = onicon
roffcmd.large_icon = roffcmd.small_icon = officon

roncmd.tooltip  = %q(Plugins will be "ON" at next StartUp)
roffcmd.tooltip = %q(Plugins will be "OFF" at next StartUp)

if !Sketchup.plugins_disabled? === true
@rtb.add_item(roffcmd);
else
@rtb.add_item(roncmd);
end #if

#----------------------------------------------------------------------------

can toolbars buttons be disabled?
you need an image folder if you want to test

thomthom

@driven said:

can toolbars buttons be disabled?

http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/developer/docs/ourdoc/menu#set_validation_proc

Dan Rathbun

And unfortunately .. currently we cannot change via the API, the button image that a UI::Command instance is associated with, although doing so is and has long been, a basic feature of Windows Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) UI programming. (So we could do it with system calls, using Win32API, etc.)

I do believe this is or has been logged as an API feature request.

So for now, you are limited to graying them out.

driven

TT + Dan,

I can't seem to get that to work on a mac.
do I need to create a menu item as well, grey it out, and the button follows?
Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined methodset_validation_proc' for #UI::Toolbar:0x113cb6ec>`
I have a menu entry for the 'master' toolbar, but don't really want/need lots of submenu items.
john

driven

@dan rathbun said:

(So we could do it with system calls, using Win32API, etc.)

I have an applescript 'somewhere' that tracks the toolbar's window position then positions a replacement window in the exact spot, can't remember why I stopped pursuing that approach, Maybe I switched to a webDialog for that one... I'll dig it up
john

Dan Rathbun

@John: set_validation_proc is an instance method of your UI::Command class object (which can be assigned to BOTH a menu item, AND a toolbar button, at the same time, or only one or the other, as you desire.)

If you are not using UI::Command objects for menus (some don't,) then set_validation_proc is an instance method of the submenu object ( Sketchup::Menu class,) that is the parent of the menu item.

For a menu NOT using a UI::Command:

@item = @submenu.add_item("My Task") { do_my_task() }
@submenu.set_validation_proc(@item) {
  @task_allowed ? MF_ENABLED ; MF_GRAYED
}

For a UI::Command, that can be used for menu item AND/OR toolbar button:

@my_task_cmd = UI;;Command("My Task") { do_my_task() }
@my_task_cmd.set_validation_proc {
  @task_allowed ? MF_ENABLED ; MF_GRAYED
}
@submenu.add_item @my_task_cmd
@toolbar.add_item @my_task_cmd

Notice how one of the calls to set_validation_proc has an argument (a menu item,) and the other (when used with a UI::Command,) does not.

Dan Rathbun

@driven said:

@dan rathbun said:

(So we could do it with system calls, using Win32API, etc.)

I have an applescript 'somewhere' that tracks the toolbar's window position then positions a replacement window in the exact spot, can't remember why I stopped pursuing that approach, Maybe I switched to a webDialog for that one... I'll dig it up

Because it's an ugly Hack?

Because it creates too many entries in the View > Toolbar menu ?

Because it clutters the plist with too many toolbar entries ? (This current is a big issue on Windows as toolbar entries go into the Registry.. and slows SU loading way down the more there are!)

thomthom

@driven said:

TT + Dan,

I can't seem to get that to work on a mac.
do I need to create a menu item as well, grey it out, and the button follows?
Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined methodset_validation_proc' for #UI::Toolbar:0x113cb6ec>`
I have a menu entry for the 'master' toolbar, but don't really want/need lots of submenu items.
john

Sorry, wrong link.
http://www.sketchup.com/intl/en/developer/docs/ourdoc/command#set_validation_proc

Use it on the Command object.