[Plugin] Xref Manager
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Thanks TIG! Not sure how I missed this. Really could've used this on my latest project. Can't wait for the revamp. -
TIG-
I neglected to come back and let you know that you are awesome. Thanks for the updated plugin!
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Can any one please tell me about how to install it in google sketchup 8 pro? I have copied the XrefManager.rb to my google sketchup plugin folder. But i am unable so see Xref tools while i open my plugin menu in Google Sketchup.
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@mohsin_mazhar said:
Can any one please tell me about how to install it in google sketchup 8 pro? I have copied the XrefManager.rb to my google sketchup plugin folder. But i am unable so see Xref tools while i open my plugin menu in Google Sketchup.
This tool is the simplest sort you will come across - a single .rb file that you place in the Plugins folder. There is no unzipping, extraction, subfolders of helper files, Libs, other files that you need [the one additional .so file for PC users was discontinued some years ago] etc. Once installed, after a restart of SketchUp, it should add a submenu to the Plugins menu, with sub-items relating to the tool; this is the only slightly complex matter, as some even simpler tools might add their item directly into the Plugins menu itself. Also it is not an Extension, so it doesn't need activating and it has not got a toolbar to activate either...I assume you are not getting any error messages as SketchUp starts...
So, assuming that it appears to you that you have installed the .rb file in the Plugins folder and you are not seeing the menu items then I suspect you have not got your security permissions set properly...
Look at the Plugins folder in Windows Explorer - is there a link/button in one of the top-bars saying something like 'Compatibility Files...' - this is indicative of this. If you click on it you should find that the .rb file [and perhaps other things too] have been put into a 'Virtual Store' with a path that mimics the Sketchup..Plugins folder structure. This is 'Windows' protecting you from yourself, over zealously. SketchUp cannot auto-load files from this folder, although they can be seen in the main folder's list they are actually elsewhere !
Being an Admin is not sufficient to allow you to add files to 'program files' subfolders, without issues...
So to fix this... as an Admin, select the Plugins folder's icon and right-click context-menu > Properties > Security > Edit... Set the access-rights to that folder to 'FULL' [all ticked] for 'yourself' and then OK to save the changes...
From now on when you add a file to the Plugins folder, then that's where it goes...
So they should all work as expected...
You might wish to tidy up the 'Compatibility Files...' - either by deleting them after you reinstall things, or Edit/Cut+Paste back into the proper Plugins folder otherwise...Incidentally you should set the permissions for the Components, Materials and Styles folder to FULL too as from time to time you will want to add files to those as well...
Please confirm if this was the issue and it's fixed: it might help others having similar problems...
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Thank you so much for helping me, i have followed all steps you have written for me. but the problem is not fixed yet.
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Have you checked everything as I said ?
How about 'security permissions' ??
'Compatibility Files...' ???
Can you take a screen-shot of your Plugins folder showing the whole window, and the files [especially the xrefmanager.rb one].
Also a screen-shot of the Plugins folder's Properties > Security > Edit dialog might help... -
Hi. Thanks for the great plugin.
"Pick Type of XREF Checking On Opening: Open XREF Manager if needed" is selected, but the dialog does not show up when opening a file. What's wrong?
Thanks
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@backstyler said:
Hi. Thanks for the great plugin.
"Pick Type of XREF Checking On Opening: Open XREF Manager if needed" is selected, but the dialog does not show up when opening a file. What's wrong?
Thanks
What is your OS?
This is a "PC only" [experimental] feature to auto-check for a needed update of any xrefs when you open a SKP.
You can easily use the tool 'manually'...
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@tig said:
@backstyler said:
Hi. Thanks for the great plugin.
"Pick Type of XREF Checking On Opening: Open XREF Manager if needed" is selected, but the dialog does not show up when opening a file. What's wrong?
Thanks
What is your OS?
This is a "PC only" [experimental] feature to auto-check for a needed update of any xrefs when you open a SKP.
You can easily use the tool 'manually'...Windows 7
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I suggest you 'switch it off', pending an update...
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Ok.
A few more feature requests:
- The definition name of the "outer" XREF component seems to be derived from the "source" file's name. Could this component name please refresh as well when I re-bind a file and the file name has changed? (maybe as an option in the XREF settings)
- When I insert the same source object twice (e.g. by an oversight), your plugin makes two different components with different definition names (#xx). In the manager they are listed as separate components.
There could be an option in the settings what to do if an object is already in the project:
- create a separate component
- copy the former one
- ask again
(if that's not possible, there could be at least an popup message saying that this object was already inserted)
Thanks for the great work,
Best regards
Felix -
@backstyler said:
Ok.
A few more feature requests:
- The definition name of the "outer" XREF component seems to be derived from the "source" file's name. Could this component name please refresh as well when I re-bind a file and the file name has changed? (maybe as an option in the XREF settings)
- When I insert the same source object twice (e.g. by an oversight), your plugin makes two different components with different definition names (#xx). In the manager they are listed as separate components.
There could be an option in the settings what to do if an object is already in the project:
- create a separate component
- copy the former one
- ask again
(if that's not possible, there could be at least an popup message saying that this object was already inserted)
Thanks for the great work,
Best regards
FelixIt would also be nice to have an option to have a prefix for the xref component's name. So that when I set e.g. 'XREF: ' as prefix, all components created by xref get the name 'XREF: <filename of ref'd file>'. This way I can avoid that if I have a component in my "source" file already with a name the same as the file name, one of the nested components gets '#1' added to it's name (avoids confusion and makes my parts list created by the Cutlist plugin prettier).
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Hi TIG,
what do you think of my suggestions?
Best,
Felix -
Thanks a million TIG! This is brilliant! Can't wait to see what you come up with next, you're a scripting machine!
ADDENDUM - Hey TIG, I've been using the heck out of this plugin since I discovered it, and in fact I wanted to see if I could make a request or two? I've got a model with probably 25 XREF SKP components, and it's super stable. The only thing is that because my monitor resolution is somewhat lacking at work, I'm about 2 XRef's away from the Manager window not fitting the screen any more. I think a re-sizable or scroll-able XRef Manager window would be amazing if it isn't already in the works. Knowing you it'll be posted before I hit submit
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TIG You are the best. This plugin really upgrades sketchup to another level:) Thanks again.
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Hi, just update you that this plugin doesn't supply Autocad 2013 format.
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It's Sketchup that doesn't support that ACAD version format !
The plugin simply does what Sketchup can do...So either set your ACAD options always to save as an earlier version - which as well as suiting Sketchup, is kind to other recipients who might be running earlier ACAD versions.
If you have received CAD files from a third party and they won't make them as an earlier version for you, then get/use 'DWG Trueview' from AutoDesk [free] - that will convert most DWG/DXF files into other versions, that would be compatible with Sketchup and other CAD programs too.
A DWG/DXF file for import into Sketchup needs to be only the very earliest of versions [r12?]... because Sketchup only brings in its 'geometry'; so any newer versions' sophistication will be ignored anyway... that is except for the newer versions' 'unit settings' - but then these are always misinterpreted by Sketchup's importer as being inches, even when clearly set to something else... so r12 is again best... -
@tig said:
[attachment=0:a3p4jurl]<!-- ia0 -->XrefManagerHelpNotes.pdf<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:a3p4jurl]
Dear Tig,
I just downloaded your xref manager tool.
One of the benefits of xref's in autocad is that you can insert an xref and not add to the size of the host file.
with sketchup making file sizes so huge this would be an awesome option, but your Xref manager does not seem to work this way. am I correct in assuming this? also will an inserted xref update within the host file when I revise the original?Thank you so much for your reply.
Manijeh
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@manijeh said:
@tig said:
[attachment=0:ik81ktpq]<!-- ia0 -->XrefManagerHelpNotes.pdf<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:ik81ktpq]
Dear Tig,
I just downloaded your xref manager tool.
One of the benefits of xref's in autocad is that you can insert an xref and not add to the size of the host file.
with sketchup making file sizes so huge this would be an awesome option, but your Xref manager does not seem to work this way. am I correct in assuming this? also will an inserted xref update within the host file when I revise the original?Thank you so much for your reply.
Manijeh
You can't have Xref's like AutoCAD's. A full version of the Xref-SKP is inserted as a component. It has a date-stamp. If the external SKP is changed it is newer so the option is to 'Reload'... You can do this manually with SKP components in your model. All this [old] tool does is automate the management of these. It uses the term 'Xref' because most users with a CAD background understand the concept of having several files combined into a single 'project'... Unfortunately SketchUp has no ability to make a 'reference' - the full SKP's geometry has to be inserted as a component - like a CAD 'Block' [an 'Xref' in CAD is just a special kind of 'Block' where the geometry is left in its original host...] -
Can you also install this on mac? Or only import referenced mac sketchup files? Can only find the windows file. Great program though!
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