Issues installing plugins on my Mac
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Hi Shanna,
So the first thing to do is navigate to the Plugins folder (Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/) Right click on the Plugins folder and check to see that all permissions are set to Read and Write. If they aren't, make them so.
Next, I would suggest you remove the files you've added to the Plugins folder and start over. The way I find that works best is to download the ZIP files to some other location on the computer. I use the folder called Downloads. I double click on the ZIP file which extracts a folder with the same name above it in the list. I open that folder and copy the contents which get pasted into the Plugins folder. I made screen shots the other day showing this. I'll find them and add them to this post.
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OOOOOhhhh my goodness THANK YOU!!!!! I had permissions set to read write for everything but "everyone" so i updated that as well (as I am the only one using my computera anyway), then I followed your directions and wallaaa it worked. Thanks soooo much!!!! Very kind of you to take the time to answer my question.
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I'm just happy it worked for you and was so easy to deal with.
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@shannakae said:
I had permissions set to read write for everything but "everyone" so i updated that as well (as I am the only one using my computera anyway)….
In general, in Mac OS X it is not a good idea to manually change permissions on system level folders (including those in the main Library folder) unless you know exactly what you are doing. Instead, it is much safer & more secure to use Disk Utility's Permission repair for that. In particular, don't use the "Apply to enclosed items" option in the Finder's "Get Info" window unless you are absolutely sure that is necessary, even on folders in your home folder (which the Permissions Repair doesn't touch).
Also, if you plan on adding many more plugins to your Macintosh HD/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/plugins folder, you might consider a shortcut that will simplify Dave's method a bit:
Create an alias of the plugins folder on the Desktop by pressing & holding down the Command & Option keys while dragging it out of the SketchUp folder & drop it on the Desktop. (Make sure the cursor shows a small curved arrow when you do this, indicating you are creating an alias instead of moving the folder itself.) You can then move this alias anywhere convenient, like into the Downloads folder.
Now, whenever you download & unzip a plugin, you can just drop the items enclosed in the unzipped folder (but not the enclosing folder itself) on the alias without having to copy & paste anything. Delete the now empty enclosing folder (& the original zip archive unless you want to save it for future use) to keep the Downloads folder tidy & free of clutter & you are done.
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@livemixer said:
Create an alias of the plugins folder on the Desktop by pressing & holding down the Command & Option keys while dragging it out of the SketchUp folder & drop it on the Desktop. (Make sure the cursor shows a small curved arrow when you do this, indicating you are creating an alias instead of moving the folder itself.) You can then move this alias anywhere convenient, like into the Downloads folder.
Now, whenever you download & unzip a plugin, you can just drop the items enclosed in the unzipped folder (but not the enclosing folder itself) on the alias without having to copy & paste anything. Delete the now empty enclosing folder (& the original zip archive unless you want to save it for future use) to keep the Downloads folder tidy & free of clutter & you are done.
there's another way to do this that i've seen a few people around here using (myself included).. is to put the plugins folder in the finder sidebar.. (same thing as your alias idea.. just putting the alias in a different spot)
that way, when you open the outer wrapper of a zipped plugin, you just select all then drag it into the sidebar..
(just drag the plugins folder to the sidebar with no modifier keys... cmmd-drag to remove it)
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@unknownuser said:
there's another way to do this that i've seen a few people around here using (myself included).. is to put the plugins folder in the finder sidebar.. (same thing as your alias idea.. just putting the alias in a different spot)
[attachment=0:18lk084a]<!-- ia0 -->Screen Shot 2013-02-01 at 12.42.25 PM.png<!-- ia0 -->[/attachment:18lk084a]
that way, when you open the outer wrapper of a zipped plugin, you just select all then drag it into the sidebar..
(cmmd-drag to remove it)
You can see in my screen shots that I have done the same thing.
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@dave r said:
You can see in my screen shots that I have done the same thing.
nice.. yeah, it's pretty handy right there i agree.
are you using mainly macs nowadays?
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Nope. Back and forth between my PC desktop which is my main machine and my MacBook Pro.
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@dave r said:
Nope. Back and forth between my PC desktop which is my main machine and my MacBook Pro.
interesting.. amongst other things, definitely an advantage for forums such as this.. being able to learn the peculiarities between the two first hand..
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Indeed it is helpful that way. I've got SU pro on both so I can also work with LayOut on both machines.
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@unknownuser said:
there's another way to do this that i've seen a few people around here using (myself included).. is to put the plugins folder in the finder sidebar..
I considered doing that too, but my Sidebar is already pretty full of things I need to access much more often than the Plugins folder so I opted for the alias approach for items like that instead. Otherwise, I would probably end up having to scroll through the Sidebar as often as the file list itself!
Either way, I would opt for moving the unzipped folder contents into the Plugins folder instead of copying & pasting them there to avoid wasting disk space on redundant copies in the Downloads folder & cluttering up file search results with all the extra copies. Retaining just the compact, zipped file in case I need to reinstall the plugin saves a little space & is slightly more resistant to mishaps like accidentally renaming or moving one of its component files out of its proper place in the folder hierarchy.
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