[Plugin] Xref Manager

Backstyler

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

It 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).

Backstyler

Hi TIG,

what do you think of my suggestions?

Best,
Felix

matt.gordon320

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

maso

TIG You are the best. This plugin really upgrades sketchup to another level:) Thanks again.

qazokm

Hi, just update you that this plugin doesn't supply Autocad 2013 format.

TIG

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...

Manijeh

@tig said:

[attachment=0:a3p4jurl]XrefManagerHelpNotes.pdf[/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

TIG

@manijeh said:

@tig said:

[attachment=0:ik81ktpq]XrefManagerHelpNotes.pdf[/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...]

Venom008

Can you also install this on mac? Or only import referenced mac sketchup files? Can only find the windows file. Great program though!

TIG

What makes you think this doesn't work on a MAC

A few aspects - like DXF import WERE initially 'for PC only' - but that was several versions ago.
The current tool is completely cross-platform.
Depending on the SketchUp version then the import of certain file-types other than SKP might be available on Pro installations only.

There is essentially no difference between SKP files made on PC or MAC.
They should open on any other machine.
The only thing to remember is that a v2013 file won't import into a model that is open in SketchUp <=v8, but a SKP <=v8 will open in SketchUp v2013 etc...

Venom008

My bad, I placed the file in the wrong plugins folder on mac! Needed to go to it via the library. Thanks alot for this program. It will safe us alot of (waiting) time!

MKumar

Hi Tig, Your tool xref tool is very helpfull, But if you can include an option to unload xrefs temporary and reload when necessary would be a great. Cheers

atelierpaar

Hello Tig,
I would like to try xrefManager in SU 2013 but it doesn`t appear in SU Pluginstore.
Is there a reason ?

thanks for looking in to it
Uli

TIG

It is there, do a search for 'xref'...

atelierpaar

found it - dont know why I didnt see it before
thanks
Uli

JQL

TIG,

Would it be easy for you to add a function for one to be able to save over xrefed files through your manager! One could update the externa files in bulk, instead of doing that one by one using context menu's save as. If you would would want to be safe it could warn, or write a backup of the overwritten file of course, as it would be a dangerous operation...

Thanks and best regards,

JQL

TIG

Pending a more major overhaul to ye olde Xref tool [currently stalled]... here's a stop-gap v2014 compliant update [v6.1] - now available from the PluginStore http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=XrefManager

hulmevv

TIG,
You have saved the day again!!

I first became COMPLETELY dependent on your brilliant SketchUp XREF Plugin, back in 2005 & '06, utilizing your much earlier versions (ver 3.6) of XREF Tools. Here is a project example which allowed us to go well beyond SketchUp's typical application at the time (2006 Exhibit Link: goo. gl/YP5z9k ) The resulting animations might look primitive compared to today's SketchUp examples; however, they are over 8 years old at this point. Video Link: landinnovation. com/nsscsec56vid. html

The bottom line; to see you have once again stepped up to the plate and updated your awesome work to support SketchUp 2014, is just exceptional! ...And in fact, very timely for some brand new SketchUp based endeavor we have planned!

Thank you so much for the hard work, and consistently helpful results!

paappleb

TIG,

First off, a big THANK YOU for all your plugins. You are a great member of this community. Never got to say that before as I rarely post to the forum (lack of time to do so).

Apparently there was a maintenance update for 2014, which I installed today and since then I noticed XREF manager has not stopped working with DWG/DXFs. Here's the error message I am getting from the Ruby Console:

Error: #<NoMethodError: undefined method definition' for nil:NilClass> C:/Users/pappleby/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/XrefManager.rb:388:in add_dwg_attrib'
C:/Users/pappleby/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/XrefManager.rb:374:in add_dwg' C:/Users/pappleby/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2014/SketchUp/Plugins/XrefManager.rb:797:in block in <top (required)>'
-e:1:in `call'

It worked fine before the update. Any idea what could be causing this?

TIG

@paappleb

Thanks for the feedback.
This is an old plugin well pass it update date...

I'll look into your report...