[Plugin] Xref Manager

TIG · 7 Mar 2008, 16:37

Name : XrefManager.rb

Description : Tools - 'Add Xref Component', 'Add Xref DWG/DXF',
"Make Into Xref, 'Xref Settings'**** and 'Manage Xrefs'
added to Plugins menu under 'Xrefs Tools...'
**** = Currently on PCs only.
On PCs it NO LONGER requires 'win32ole.so' in the Plugins folder.

Usage :
Add Xref Component:

A file-browser dialog asks you to select a '.skp' file to
insert into the model as an "Xref Component".*** If you Cancel
the browser or the file is not a '.skp' or you try to insert
the model back into itself you will get an error dialog and it
exits without adding anything. You pick one and OK and it is
added and is placed where you want in the model.
The added Xref Component is also given two new "XrefManager"
entity attributes, which also identify it as an Xref Component
for future Xref Manager use, named:
"FilePath" i.e. path to the original skp file.
"FileAge" i.e. date the original skp file was last modified.

The Add is easily Undo-able.

***An 'External (Xref) Reference' means that if you insert a
component from a file and then change the original file, you
can then use the Xref Manager or Xref Settings to Refresh it.

Add Xref DWG/DXF:

This Tool is NOW available on PC AND MAC !
NOTE: in the NEWEST version it will use the last used set of options
so ensure that Merge/Orient/Units are set as you want in an earlier
import, also leave 'preserve-origin' ON.
A file-browser dialog then asks you to select a '.dwg/dxf' file
to insert into the model as an "Xref DWG/DXF Component".
If you Cancel or it's not a '.dwg/dxf' then you will get an
error dialog and it exits without adding anything. Normally
you'll pick a suitable file and select OK.
The selected file is added to the model as an Imported DWG/DXF
Xref Component named as the dwg/dxf file

e.g. "SitePlan.dwg". It's placed at the equivalent to the
dwg/dxf's X,Y,Z in the model; you can always Move it later, BUT
keeping Xrefs aligned is often critical.
Component will be given the new "XrefManager" entity Attributes,
named:
"FilePath" i.e. path to the original skp file.
"FileAge" i.e. date the original skp file was last modified.

The Add is easily Undo-able.

Make Into Xref:

Select any component in the model. Select the 'Make Into Xref'
Tool. That component is made into an Xref Component. If there
is no selection or the selected item is not a component then
there are error dialogs. If the component is 'internal'** -
then a dialog suggests you do the following - select the
component in the Component Browser, Right-click and pick
Save-As. It is now saved externally and it can then made into
an Xref with this Tool... Using this Tool on an existing Xref
Component will update its File-path and Last-modified
Attributes to the external file's current settings*.
This Tool is also useful for fixing Xrefs that have problems
Refreshing etc because the Component Browser's 'Delete'
function has been used and/or it's been manually 'Reloaded'
from the Browser - loosing some Xref Attributes in the process,
or ones that have been made into ordinary components with
'Bind' and you'd like them back as Xrefs - *depending on its
state the confirming dialog will say ..XXX 'made into'.. or
're-created as an'.. Xref Component...
**NOTE if you run this on an Xref DWG/DXF Component it is also
'internal', so you are warned what it is, and it than exits
without doing anything - if you really want to save it as an
external component you can still do so manually...

Xref Setting:

This Tool is available on 'PC' only

sorry 'MAC' users !
It opens a dialog which lets you set the type of Xref Checking
that runs when you first open a model containing Xref
Components - you can choose two options if the chosen setting
is 'Open Xref Manager If Needed' and it finds anything that
needs fixing then it opens 'Xref Manager' (see below).
Note than changes done initially at startup are NOT
subsequently undo-able. If it is set to 'Do Nothing' then
there is no initial checking.

Xref Manager:

This allows you to manage Xref Components. If there are no
Xref Components to manage then an error dialog tells you and it
exits. Otherwise a dialog lists each Xref Component by its
type (.SKP:/.DWG:/.DXF:), name and its Status... e.g.

.SKP: Building-1 i.e. it's all OK - path confirmed, loaded and up-to-date.
.SKP: Building-2 [ Un-Pathed ] i.e. remembered file path no longer exists.
.SKP: Building-4 [ Superseded ] i.e. original skp file has been changed recently.

Any DWG/DXF Xrefs are also included in the Manager list at the
end and are prefixed to suit, e.g.
.DWG: SitePlan [ ... ] i.e. a dwg of the site...
.DXF: Building-9 [ ... ] i.e. a dxf of building-9...

They can be 'OK'd' (Un-Changed), 'Deleted' or 'Bound',
they can also be 'Refreshed' and 'Re-pathed' in a similar way as SKPs.

Each Xref Component listed has a drop-down to its right giving
a choice of Actions - these are defaulted to suit the present
Status and the likely Fix (1 of first 3) thus:

"OK..." i.e. leaves Xref Component unchanged.

"Refresh" i.e. refreshes Xref Component from the original
file - you do not need to refresh unless its
Status is shown as 'Superseded'.

"Re-Path" i.e. resets the path of the original file - you do
not normally need to Re-Path, unless you have
moved or renamed the original file and its
Status is shown as 'Un-Pathed', however you
might want to change a placed Xref for another
file.

"Bind" i.e. removes the "XrefManager" attributes and makes
the Xref Component into an ordinary component.
You can undo this with 'Make Into Xref' which
will convert the component back into an Xref
one.

"Delete" i.e. deletes any Xref Component instances in the
model - please use 'Delete' with care !

On picking the OK button each listed Xref Component is
processed with the selected Action thus:

'Refresh' means the Xref Component is updated from a file. The
old version in the comp-browser is renamed as
'Xref-Scrap[nn]' and becomes an ordinary unused component
that will be removed from the model data-base if you select the
Auto-Purge-Unused option (PC only), or when you next pick
'Purge Unused' on the compo-browser dialog fly-out (a dialog
asks / reminds you of this). If you picked 'Refresh' but the
file is shown as Un-Pathed then 'Re-Path' will run as set out
in the paragraph below, asking you to re-define the file-path.

'Re-Path' runs a file-browser dialog that asks you to select a
'.skp' file to reinsert into the model as the Xref Component.
If you Cancel the browser or the file is not a '.skp' or you
try to insert the model back into itself you will get an error
dialog and it exits without processing that Xref Component -
also any remaining on the list are also NOT processed

you will need to re-run the tool. Otherwise Re-path is
similar to Refresh in the way 'Xref-Scrap[nn]' is made...

'Bind' removes the "XrefManager" attributes and make the Xref
Component into an ordinary loaded component. You can undo
'Bind' by using the 'Make Into Xref' Tool...

'Delete' erases the Xref Component Instances in the model.
The version in the compo-browser is renamed as
'Xref-Scrap[nn]' and becomes an unloaded ordinary component;
it will be removed from the model data-base if you select the
Auto-Purge-Unused option (PC only), or when you next pick
'Purge Unused' on the compo-browser dialog fly-out (a dialog
asks / reminds you of this). Use Xref 'Delete' with care !

It is recommended that you Refresh only ONE DWG/DXF at a time,
otherwise it can take a long time and sometimes errors might
occur with multiple refreshings (multiple SKP's are usually OK).

If you cancel out of a Re-Path during an Xref Manager session
it might not all complete successfully and an error dialog
warns you.
At the end of processing the Xrefs that were listed then a
report dialog is displayed showing what was done.
(Note: A currently known, but unidentified, bug sometimes means
that to close this dialog more than one click on 'OK' might be
required ! )

All Actions Undo - depending on the list and action then more
than one Undo might be needed.

Notes:

Do NOT manually 'Reload' an Xref Component from the Component
Browser or Context-Menu - it'll lose its Xref Attributes (the
same result as 'Bind'). But you can use the 'Make Into Xref'
tool to convert it back into an Xref Component...

From v2.3 on PC AND MAC using SUp >=v6 all 'old' Xref Components
will be removed from the model data-base if you select the
Auto-Purge-Unused option, or when you next pick 'Purge Unused' on
the compo-browser dialog fly-out (a closing dialog asks / reminds
you of this). Do NOT user the Component Browser 'Delete' option to
remove former Xrefs - this might cause the current Xref to fail
to Refresh properly. You will need to Reload it from the
Component-Browser and use the 'Make Into Xref' tool to convert
it back into an Xref Component...

Type : Tool

Version :
1.0 26/11/05 First issue.
1.1 27/11/05 Error with mpath = "" if unsaved now trapped.
1.2 28/11/05 Error with menu call typo fixed.
1.3 03/12/05 Xref Class added ( for TBD ! ).
1.4 10/12/05 'Add Xref' dialog now has [0,0,0] placement
clue in title-bar. 'Refresh/Repath/Delete'
reminders now only one per dialog session.
'Xref Settings' Tool added to allow settings
for Xref.check which runs at model open, if
needed suggests use 'Xref Manager'. 'Make Into
Xref' Tool added. Xref Component description
now prefixed with 'XREF: '.
1.5 12/12/05 Name of script corrected to 'XrefManager.rb'
- doh ;-}
1.6 20/12/05 Start_operation glitch trapped for Mac users.
1.7 21/12/05 Mac friendliness improved ? Undos improved.
1.8 21/12/05pm Mac friendliness re-improved ?
1.8a 21/12/05pm Mac version = cut-down - no setting/check -
limited issue...
1.9 21/12/05pm Forced refresh/repath improved. Setting/Check
reinstated (at end). Xref.make() improved.
2.0 22/12/05 Xref.check waits for model info to load then
runs Xref.manager. Report after Xref.manager
layout improved.
2.1 22/12/05 Mac cannot now use Xref.setting/check option
- saves failures.
2.2 22/12/05 Platform checking improved.
2.3 25/01/06 Automatic Purge-Unused (PC only) added.
3.0 06/02/06 Add Xref id split into Component(SKP) & DWG/DXF
(PC only). Xref Manager now identifies
SKP/DWG/DXF Xrefs separately, currently some
actions for these are only available on PC.
3.1 08/02/06 Timer default etc and dwg management adjusted
following beta testing.
3.2 27/02/06 Timer issues resolved.
3.3 10/05/06 Version fix for extra import types, Naming of
dxf and DXF etc allowed.
3.4 12/05/06 Typos corrected etc.
3.5 10/06/06 Manager Message glitch fixed if only skp's.
3.6 11/06/06 More Manager glitches fixed.
4.0 13/01/07 Updated to work with SUp v6.
4.1 14.01.07 Trapped for empty model not making a component of its
first imported DWG/DXF.
4.2 15/01/07 PC AND Mac Auto-Purge All now available if SUp 6.
Glitch with multiple Manager report dialogs fixed.
5.0 05/03/08 Glitch with Make Xref fixed.
5.1 07/03/08 Menu error fixed (sorry !).

6.0 20120907 DWG/DXF import simplified - for PC AND MAC. Misc updates.
6.1 20140303 Now made v2014 compliant [more major update stalled ]

Get the latest version from the PluginStore http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=XrefManager

davecoopstl · 8 Aug 2008, 13:56

TIG,

Is the Xref Manager supposed to open automatically when I open my SketchUp file (that contains x-refs)?

Under Xref Settings, I chose to "Open Xref Manager If Needed" on opening, but it doesn't do it when I open the file.

It would be great to know, as soon as I open the file, if the x-refs need to be updated.

Let me know.
Thanks!
Dave.

PS - Any chance of getting an Icon Toolbar for this Plugin?

bianhai · 8 Aug 2008, 14:30

Very good!Thank you !

davecoopstl · 22 Aug 2008, 18:51

TIG,

One other question: Is there any way to put a prefix before the names of the imported layers when you x-ref a file into your model?

Right now, if I have multiple files I need to x-ref in, and they have the same layer names, but different things on the layers that I want to show, the objects get combined onto one layer in my model. It would be great to have a prefix added to the imported layer names, which would be different for each x-ref.

Just a thought.
Dave.

airsuper · 27 Aug 2008, 19:03

i found out i can't import DWG files with capital letter file extension.
eg. "abc.DWG" not ok
"abc.dwg" ok
i hoping that will be improve over time.

David M · 11 Mar 2009, 07:45

Hi, can you please let me know where I can download the latest verion of the X-ref Plugin.

Thanks!

Chris Fullmer · 11 Mar 2009, 07:58

This might very well be the latest, in the very first post is a script to download.

Chris

davecoopstl · 21 Jul 2009, 16:51

TIG,

This script is amazing. We're using it to model a huge site, with lots and lots of buildings, and it's working beautifully. The ability to know what has and has not been updated, and update the modified 'xrefs' is invaluable.

But, we've encountered one major 'design' flaw with the script. We have almost 30 xrefs loaded in the model, and the Xref Manager dialog box does NOT fit on the screen anymore, so there's no way to click the "OK" button. And there doesn't seem to be a way to adjust the size or orientation of the dialog box!

Is there a way that the size of the dialog box can be flexible or adjustable or, at the very least, include a scroll bar! We really need to be able to see the entire list of xrefs, and scroll down to click the "OK" button.

Hope you can help.
Thanks for all your hard scripting work!
Dave Coop.

TIG · 22 Jul 2009, 08:28

@davecoopstl said:

TIG,

This script is amazing. We're using it to model a huge site, with lots and lots of buildings, and it's working beautifully. The ability to know what has and has not been updated, and update the modified 'xrefs' is invaluable.

But, we've encountered one major 'design' flaw with the script. We have almost 30 xrefs loaded in the model, and the Xref Manager dialog box does NOT fit on the screen any more, so there's no way to click the "OK" button. And there doesn't seem to be a way to adjust the size or orientation of the dialog box!

Is there a way that the size of the dialog box can be flexible or adjustable or, at the very least, include a scroll bar! We really need to be able to see the entire list of xrefs, and scroll down to click the "OK" button.

Hope you can help.
Thanks for all your hard scripting work!
Dave Coop.

XrefManager hasn't been updated for many 'years' ! Unfortunately when it was written the only dialogs available were very limited with no ability to move/resize, add scroll-bars, tick-boxes etc - so this problem with extra long lists was known - the current [old] fix is [was] to split you site into two [or perhaps more] sub-site models and then xref those into a single master-site; then the individual 'plot' model file xref goes into the appropriate smaller sub-site model; then you'll get manageable lists - but you do need to remember to update the sub-plot model xrefs and then update the master-model xrefs...

The good news is that more recent versions of the API let you use 'web-dialogs' which are much more flexible and allow longer lists, tick-boxes, scroll-bars etc etc

The bad news is I haven't any time to update it [yet]

Look out over the coming 'months' rather than 'years' !!!

davecoopstl · 22 Jul 2009, 11:31

TIG,

Thanks for the info. We pretty much figured out the sub-xrefing system. It kind of stinks, because you are constantly checking to make sure the xrefs inside of xrefs are updated, but it does work.

Meanwhile, we can NOT wait until you have time to update the script! It sounds like you know exactly how to fix the dialog box, but just need time to do it. Hopefully you'll have time to get to it in the not-so-distant future.

Again, thanks for all the great work. We'll keep an eye out for an update to this amazing script.
Thanks!
Dave Coop.

halroach · 24 Jan 2010, 12:11

This is a great plugin!
I had a bit trouble navigating through the forum until I noticed that the latest version was 5.1 and not 5...

I recommend merging the two threads
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=180&t=7329
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=7289

stefx · 2 Jun 2010, 11:28

TIG,
I downloaded the file.
When i tried to import any dwg i got this note:

"This requires 'win32ole.so' to be in the Plugin folder!
Exiting... "

Any tips?

Stef.

TIG · 2 Jun 2010, 12:12

Unzip this in your Plugins folder...win32ole.zip

stefx · 2 Jun 2010, 15:42

fast answer.
good answer.
useful answer.

thank you very much TIG.

stef.

marvins_dad · 6 Aug 2010, 14:37

I was looking to try this out to combine 3 large files.

but...
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=7330

Seems that the Tutorial has vaporized.

Any ideas if there are any other locations that can give me an idea how to get around with this ruby?

Thanks

TIG · 6 Aug 2010, 15:08

XrefManagerHelpNotes.pdf

marvins_dad · 6 Aug 2010, 15:24

Thanks!

pulsezip · 4 Sept 2010, 00:37

Does this plugin work for sketchup 7 or 7.1 ?

TIG · 9 Sept 2010, 20:21

I should work for v7/7.1/8 BUT it really does need a major overhaul... BUT there's a loooong list

prospero spring · 27 Sept 2010, 17:33

Hi TIG,
I just upgraded my SketchUp to V8 Pro but the V5.1 is not working anymore. I can get an advice to fix it?
Thanks,