Any way to install two copies of SU (same version)?

derei

I am wondering if is any way to (force?) install two copies of same sketchup version on a machine...
the reason would be to keep a light version for testing stuff (ruby, etc) and the other one to be the "usual" sketchup that has all the plugins and things that I am using for modelling.

I know that I can run different versions of SU on the same machine, but the reason why I want a second installation for the same SU would be speed - to avoid loading all the plugins that the "usual" version would load.

I would welcome other options too, like a way of starting SU without the plugins (to have a alternate location, from where I only load the tested plugin)...

Thanks.

Garry K

You can do it with 2 plugin folders and 2 desktop shortcuts to 2 batch files.

Call them something like "SU Light.bat" and "SU Full.bat"
Have the batch file rename the plugin folder's accordingly and then start sketchup

Or you can have to loader.rb files each containing 2 lines
Have the batch file copy the correct loader.rb file into the plugins folder and start sketchup

require 'sketchup.rb'
require_all('c:/users/public/documents/sketchup/plugins_light')

require 'sketchup.rb'
require_all('c:/users/public/documents/sketchup/plugins_full')

derei

@garry k said:

You can do it with 2 plugin folders and 2 desktop shortcuts to 2 batch files.

Wow, this is a very tricky solution! I love it! Thank you very much Garry.

Jim

I don't care for the idea of renaming the folder although it's probably fine.

First just set an environmental variable from the batch file, and use it in a Ruby script to select a plugins sub-folder to load from.

Second, SketchUp accepts a command line argument which is a Ruby script to run. It can be located anywhere. Search this forum for RubyStartup.

I have a GutHub repo with and example of portable plugins loading. https://github.com/jimfoltz/SketchUp-Portable-Plugins-Loader

Box

You could use 'sets' to easily turn off and on multiple plugins.

Jim

There are also 2 settings available through the Sketchup module that may be of interest.

They are plugins_disabled and debug_mode.

Module: Sketchup

The Sketchup module contains a number of important utility methods for use in your Ruby scripts.

SketchUp Ruby API Documentation (ruby.sketchup.com)

derei

Thank you very much to all of you! Great options, great ideas!

I tried some of them and until now the results are promising... but I still have a problem that is nasty actually:
I tried on SU2017 and when pointed to a directory without plugins it loaded only with the toolbars that it had from the built-in tools. But - and now starts to be messy - when I returned it to the folder where all my plugins are, I got a toolbar mess...

I believe a way to save the toolbar positions and restore them would be ideal, not only for my current situation, but also for Backup/Restore. We have the bundles in Extension Store, which saves a lot of time, but still arranging toolbars is left to the user (yes, this depends on resolution, available plugins, etc), but considering the same display resolution and the full set in the bundle, would speed-up the restore process.

Jim

I believe a way to save the toolbar positions and restore them would be ideal, not only for my current situation, but also for Backup/Restore.

It may be possible to backup and restore the registry for various configurations in your batch file.

Export:


reg export "HKCU\Software\Sketchup\SketchUp 2017" Sketchup_2017.reg

Import:


reg import Sketchup_2017.reg

derei

Thank you very much Jim!
In the meantime I solved it by myself starting from this old post: http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15%26amp;t=37990%26amp;hilit=toolbar+registry%26amp;start=30

Garry K

If you aren't going to use ruby methods etc that were introduced in SU2017 then you could run SU 2016 and SU 2017 simultaneously - one with all your plugins and one with a bare set. This might be a solution for testing your code.

Just a thought.

Dan Rathbun

@derei said:

I am wondering if is any way to (force?) install two copies of same sketchup version on a machine...
the reason would be to keep a light version for testing stuff (ruby, etc) and the other one to be the "usual" sketchup that has all the plugins and things that I am using for modelling.

The easiest way that I use is to create a new "Test" user account, and log onto that account for testing. This "Test" user then does not make changes to my normal user account. (SketchUp keeps a separate set of registry values, for each user, in each different user's registry hive.)

Garry K

I agree with Dan.

In my testing scenario I simply install my plugins in an area that All users can see. This way the several hundred settings can be seen by all versions of sketchup and all users.

My plugins all work with every version of sketchup after SU 6 (haven't tested SU 6)

derei

@dan rathbun said:

The easiest way that I use is to create a new "Test" user account, and log onto that account for testing. This "Test" user then does not make changes to my normal user account. (SketchUp keeps a separate set of registry values, for each user, in each different user's registry hive.)

So, you say that SketchUp keeps totally separate settings for each system account? Nothing gets mixed-up (plugins, toolbars, settings) ?

Dan Rathbun

This is correct. SketchUp's settings are written to the currently loaded user (HKCU/Software) hive of the registry. So user "Jane"'s settings cannot affect user "Dick"'s settings.

Try it.

derei

@dan rathbun said:

This is correct. SketchUp's settings are written to the currently loaded user (HKCU/Software) hive of the registry. So user "Jane"'s settings cannot affect user "Dick"'s settings.

Try it.

I will try. Thank you.
But just beware, even if Jane's settings can't affect Dick's, Dick can affect Jane's settings... because he's a dick...

Dan Rathbun

Hmmm,... you must have seen the movie (or the remake.)

tomot

If you are really serious about running another copy or another version of SU, without it interfering with the registry then you should consider virtualization a version of your SU software.

https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/downloads

Example: I'm currently using SU 2015 as my main workhorse for daily work. Having found out that SU 2016 wont run many of my Ruby scripts. I created a virtual copy of SU 2016, also known as a Portable version, using vmware.

Warning: this process should not be attempted without a good understanding of Windows and what virtualization is.

Here is a short description of how I make a portable copy.

I always have a fresh bootable install of Windoz only, on a new UBS3 HDD
I install vmware and SketchUp on 1
3, With vmware running I make a new Bootable copy of SketchUp

Now I can run a portable version of SketchUp from my USB3 HDD or move that Portable to any other HDD
If you are competent in using vmware you can make versions that allow you to add addons scripts to your portable version, this is very important.

good luck!