Installing .rbz files

garystan · 2 Mar 2014, 00:22

Hi everybody :

          I downloaded a Ruby file.  Put it in my DOWNLOADS folder. Then opened Sketchup version 8. Opened PREFERENCES>EXTENSIONS>INSTALL EXTENSION.  I looked in the DOWNLOADS folder...didn't show to be there. Then I Copied/Pasted it into the PLUGINS folder within Google Sketchup 8.  That didn't work.   There's got to be a way that I can download and install a Ruby file.  Obviously, those instructions don't work. There's got to be another work-around.

                                                   garystan

garystan · 2 Mar 2014, 00:57

Re:
I just did a "closer inspection" of that Ruby file I was trying to install.
The extension for that file is .rbs not .rbz. If that makes any difference.

                                                                  garystan

Dave R · 2 Mar 2014, 02:03

Yes. That makes a big difference. In order to use Install Extension the file must have the .rbz extension. Plugins with .rbs extensions can be dropped manually into the Plugins folder. It should load the next time you start up SketchUp.

garystan · 2 Mar 2014, 20:18

Dave R :

      I made sure that that file I re-downloaded was an .rbz file. But,  Sketchup 8 still won't accept it.  I wonder if it's because my copy of Sketchup 8 is the  "Free" version, not Sketchup 8 Pro.   There's got to be a way around this. 
       And, not to sound like an old miser,  but I checked the price of Sketchup 8 Pro.  It's  $495.  That's kinda high just for home use, isn't it ?

                                                              garstan

Dave R · 2 Mar 2014, 20:23

Kinda high? It depends on what you're using it for. I made the decision 10 years ago that it was worthwhile and the price was the same then as it is now but you get a lot more for your money now than you did then.

Either way, it doesn't matter if you have the pro version or free as far as nearly all plugins are concerned.

Did you make sure you have full permissions established for the Plugins folder. It doesn't sound like it.

garystan · 2 Mar 2014, 20:39

Box :
I just finished doing some research on this. Apparently, I'd have to have Sketchup MR version to be able to install plugins. And,again, apparently, Sketchup MR version is for the Mac computer, not a windows computer.

                                                              garystan

Box · 2 Mar 2014, 20:41

Pro or free makes no difference.
Can you show us where you are getting the file from?
It might be a simple ergonomics error.

Dave R · 2 Mar 2014, 20:43

Gary, where did you do this research? What you wrote doesn't make any sense. If you are running the first release of SU8, you wouldn't have the Install Extension button under Preferences>Extensions but there most certainly was a maintenance release (there were several of them) for SU8 on Windows. Download the the most recent version and install it.

How in the world would we be able to guess you didn't keep up on the updates that were released for SketchUp 8?

Box · 2 Mar 2014, 20:43

I really don't know how to reply to that.

But I suggest you go here and fix your security permissions.
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323%26amp;t=56005

garystan · 3 Mar 2014, 01:23

Dave R. :

          I was going through the Permissions.  Being I'm the Administrator, I'm okay with FULL CONTROL.  Also, in the Permissions folder, it also lists me as (User) GaryS.  I edited that to FULL CONTROL.  But, in the Permissions folder there's an entry labeled Trusted Installer.  Do you have any idea what that could be.  Its status isn't set for any actions (READ,WRITE or FULL CONTROL).

                                                               garystan

Dave R · 3 Mar 2014, 01:25

You can change it for Trusted Installer but it isn't necessary.

I'm still interested in where you got the faulty information you claimed about there being no maintenance releases for SU8 on Windows. Is someone else going to trot out the same incorrect information, too?

garystan · 3 Mar 2014, 01:43

Dave R. :

     The information I found in reference to Sketchup MR inferred it was for Mac OS.
                                  
                                                                           garystan

Dave R · 3 Mar 2014, 01:45

Well, as you've clearly seen, that's not correct. So did the change in permissions allow you to install rbz files?

garystan · 3 Mar 2014, 01:55

Dave R. :
No....I still can't install that .rbz file.

                                                    garystan

Dave R · 3 Mar 2014, 02:04

What happens when you attempt it? What plugin are you trying to install?

garystan · 3 Mar 2014, 02:30

Dave R. :

         I wanted to get the correct name of the plugin. It's called the Torus Plugin. Once again I read through the description of it. And, in the description, it mentioned "to look in the DRAW menu (inside of Sketchup).  I opened Sketchup, clicked on DRAW, and in the submenu, there was, in the listing, Torus. 
         Now, I AM confused. If, after editing the Persmissions, and Sketchup wouldn't install the extension, then how did it get there ?  Now I'm NOT complaining this time.  I'd just like to know what happened to cause it to "appear" in the menu.  They say that if you manage to do something once, it very well might be an accident.  But, if you can repeat it, it's not an accident.  I'd just like to find out how to repeat whatever I did.  I got the general idea..................

                                                                     garystan

Box · 3 Mar 2014, 05:03

If you mean Torus by Regular Polygon which you will find here http://regularpolygon.org/plugins/torus.php then it is a .rbs not a .rbz so when you dropped it in the plugin folder it installed, but you didn't restart sketchup, which it clearly tells you to do in the installation instructions, before you looked for it so you didn't think it worked. Then after fiddling about with the permissions you tried to make a .rbs install as if it was a .rbz again which naturally failed but coincidentally you had restarted sketchup so the Torus plugin had finished installing and appeared in the draw menu.

Why don't you try installing the Sketchucation plugin store, available from the top of the page, this is a .rbz and once installed it will allow you to auto install many many plugins, including Torus without needing to know what the file type is.

Once you get that to work I imagine you will be heading over to the other thread to clear up any misconceptions about the quality of the balls on the lying chickenshits who have been patiently attempting to help you sort things out.