.rb! extension?

Repartee

Hi, I'm trying to load my plugins from my usb drive for school and it works ok except for a few plugins such as sketchyphysics, align, and twilight. I've noticed that these plugins all have the extensions .rb! What does this mean? Can I just rename them to .rb to get them to work or something?

jiminy-billy-bob

These are plugins disabled by the SketchUcation tool. Just rename them to .rb

TIG

If you have installed and used the 'SketchUcation Plugins Manager' it disables plugin scripts by renaming them with a final '!' [e.g. script.rb >>> script.rb!] - so then they don't auto-load as SketchUp [re]starts. However, at any time such 'disabled' files can still be permanently enabled [renamed again without a '!'], or loaded for just that session [without renaming them], using the Plugins Manager.

So... you need to have the SketchUcation toolset also installed on any other computer onto which you are adding copies of these .rb! files, so that they can be 'managed' there too; OR you could manually rename them all without the final '!'... BUT the wonders of the SketchUcation toolset make it well worth having on every PC...

Incidentally, copying scripts between PCs can cause problems if you don't include all of the supporting files and the tools' subfolders, and any required helper files or libraries...
So, either copy the whole Plugins folder, to ensure everything in included; or reinstall things afresh using the SCF PluginStore / tool as desired...

Repartee

Oh right, thanks. I think I probably disabled them with sketchucation toolset when I realised they didn't work when loading from usb

Repartee

ok, I just have one more question. What is the difference between disabling a plugin from the plugin manager and extension manager? Do they both disable the loading of the disabled plugin?

TIG

@repartee said:

ok, I just have one more question. What is the difference between disabling a plugin from the plugin manager and extension manager? Do they both disable the loading of the disabled plugin?
Plugins add extra functions/tools into SketchUp.
Typically these 'scripts' end with .rb [a few end in .rbs - these are 'compiled' and not 'humanly editable'].
They are placed in the Plugins folder and when SketchUp starts they 'auto-load'.
Some simple tools consist of just one such file.
More complex tools might have a 'loader' .rb script that then loads/requires some other .rb or .rbs files in its own subfolder - this folder might also hold the image-files needed for its toolbar buttons/cursors, make translations of its text and the files needed to make/run its webdialogs etc...

An author can design his script to load into SketchUp as an 'Extension'.
This means it appears in the Preferences > Extensions list where you can tick/untick its entry so it is enabled/disabled.
When it is enabled all of its subsidiary files get loaded so the tool becomes available to you.
Thus an 'Extension' script might auto-load but then NOT appear in menus or toolbars, simply because it is an Extension and therefore it could be 'unticked' and so it is disabled and doesn't load at all.

Now for the 'SketchUcation Managers'...
The Plugins Manager lists loaded [enabled] Plugins in the left column - these all end with '.rb' [ a few '.rbs']
If you have a Plugin that has been 'disabled' by the Plugins Manager it does not load as SketchUp starts [it has been renamed '.rb!' so SketchUp ignores it].
If you use the Plugins Manager to 'permanently load' it, then it is renamed as '.rb' and loaded - thereafter it will also load every time SketchUp starts.
However, if you use the Plugins Manager to 'load it temporarily' [i.e. for that session only], then it is loaded, but it remains named '.rb!' so it doesn't auto-load next time SketchUp is started.

So this way lets you have Plugins that always 'load' [often used ones] and those that are 'disabled', but which you can 'temporarily load' [occasional use], or change so they become permanently 'enabled'.

Now... 'Extensions'...
The Extensions Manager works much like the 'native dialog' [under Preferences], BUT it gives you a sorted list and allows you to disable/load [enable] more easily, AND also to load an Extension for that session only, so next time it starts 'disabled'...
If you have a Plugin that is also an Extension that you rarely use you could have it 'disabled' in the Extensions Manager BUT it will still load the initial file and then appear in the manageable Extensions list...
BUT if you choose to 'disable' the Plugin file itself using the Plugins Manager [rather that disabling the Extension], then it does not load at all, and there is therefore no entry in the Extensions list.
You could temporarily load that Plugin file in the Plugins Manager, and then the Extension becomes available to manage in the Extensions Manager [for that session].

Many useful Plugins will never become 'Extensions', therefore we have made a way of managing them similar to managing Extensions...
Since all Extensions are still Plugins you can use the Plugins Manager for all of them if you wish...

Repartee

Alright, thanks!