Managing Rubys
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We need a better way to manage Rubys.
Rubys do so much to extend Sketchup. Users love them and the developers do too. So how about treating them like they are here to stay?
First off, installation. We now open them up and put all the components in the Plugins folder, mostly. But if something goes wrong or there is a conflict, how do you resolve it? Delete until it works. And how do you find all the pieces to the last Ruby, now that you have taken it out of its folder?
You can delete everything and start over. Or you could take make a database of what you downloaded, where it comes from, what you paid, download/unlock code, what the components were, and when you added it (does this seem like something a computer is better equipped to do than a human? Neither option seems exactly ideal, and as Sketchup develops and the SU community grows the problems will get worse. It's not that the process is difficult, it's that something so commonly done should be standardized in a more failsafe way, even automated.
How about a Ruby manager? Remember the Extensions Manager on the old Apple OS (pre-X). Load the Rubys as folders, named appropriately, and turn them on and off from a control panel. When they're off, they don't load and don't conflict, simplifying testing. A sets feature allows you to turn off the conflicts when you need to do something special. While you are at it, how about a control for where they show up— which topic in the menu bar, if they are in a contextual menu or have their own toolbar. Gray out the options if the Ruby is not written to handle them.
Behind this is the basic issue of maintaining the quality of Rubys and keeping developers on the same page about how to write a Ruby script. The posting on Ruby protocols lays out some of the issues and one hopes that developers follow them. But when a program relies on user generated scripts for functionality, you have the potential for a real mess. How about a Ruby Registry, maintained by SU even, listing Ruby links, known conflicts, reviews and troubleshooting? The forum pages are a start, but when SU relies so heavily on scripts it seems we need something more specific and direct.
SU is great as a free program— much more than I would have expected. Thank you, Google and the whole SU team. As a pro version, I expect issues like this to be better resolved.
Best,
Jim
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You make some very good points jim, i especially like the idea of a ruby manager to organise your scripts. I think it is possible for developers to use the 'extensions' menu which already provides some of the functionality you mention in the form of being able to turn the listed scripts on and off, perhaps use of this should be encouraged. Having said that it would proabbly get pretty crowded pretty quickly.
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I really like the idea of the 'Ruby Manager'. what I also would love to see is if this manager could handle zipped files. cause at the moment I am always drawn between keeping a copy of each ruby as a zip file for better file management and keeping them unzipped to save time (but then you may have a .rb file plus a folder with icons and stuff.
so having the 'ruby manager' recognize zipped files would be a great thing.
the idea of giving more control over the places the rubies will appear is a great suggestion as well, Jim.
you really brought it to the point: Rubies are one of the most important features of SketchUp - and they deserve to get a bit more attention within SU
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Yea, A ruby manager, and a single main online repository for rubys so the manager can check for updates to your plugin, let you search by keywords and download and install.
In a way, like Ubuntu's package manager, just for SU plugins.
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Jim
This is a really worthwhile suggestion. I haven't bought SU7 Pro yet mainly because I am dreading reinstalling all the rubies.
Thom
I was going to suggest the exact same thing - an automated package manager like Ubuntu but you beat me to it.
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Jon,
Whay on't you just simply download-install SU 7 free first, play around with the plugins (most should work by simply copying them from under SU 6) and when you are "convinced", upgrade to Pro and simply install it on top of the free version.
Or evenm better; just install the pro version and let it expire until you are comfortable with it - it will keep functioning as the free version "á la Evaluation mode" and once you enter the license, it will regain its Pro features.
You cannot lose anything as SU 6 will remain fully functional in Pro mode forever.
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I am fully in support of a Ruby-manager, too. And a code repository with update checking and one-click updating etc. I am using wordpress a lot these days and they have a nice system for their plugins.
On another thread I started to think about something that may help to some degree - a plugin loader:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=16029With a plugin loader, we could load only the most needed (and most stable plugins) and then on-demand load the ones we need for a certain task.
Cheers,
Alex -
I agree with most of the suggested features here but I find another problem with rubys:
Sometimes is difficult to remember all the scripts features you have installed or even if this menu in your program belongs to SU or to a external plugin.
I think there must be a protocol for SU plugins creators to install all under the plugin menu and have their example .swf file under the help menu or contextual menu with their web address too. On the other side they could specify if this plugin is no longer needed for that SU version when you visit their web. Many scripts I found have very poor information. -
Well, not every ruby scripter has a website (and especially about the plugins) so this may not be feasible. Then not to speak about "old" plugins and even those whose developers are not active any longer.
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OK. When I said their web page I'm referring to those that have one.
We have the Chris Fullmer example here, he is a good approximation to what I'm talking about. His plugins have a nomenclature who stars with his initials, this way I know they belongs to Chris tools and all are grouped in my plugins folder.
Even a text file with instructions is not always present when you download some rubys, with some words about the required components, etc.Sometimes I need to log here looking for the animated demo of some ruby that I not use for some time or what ruby do that I need but can't remember at this point. I had a brain stroke some years ago, but this is common when you have a lot of rubys with more or less descriptive icons.
Well, I don't know how exactly, probably most of the ruby programmers are clever people, much more than me, but SU is turning more and more chaotic for moments.
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