Call to Mac users for script portability

jeff hammond

A1 It seems that there are 2 locations to store plugins on Mac. Can someone clarify what are the rules.

There is really only one place for the plugins to go and that is:

Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/plugins

Macintosh HD is the default name of the boot disk where the OS and apps are located.

sketchup will also allow a plugin folder to be created in the user library:

~/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp

this is where sketchup stores the autosave files, custom templates, and the shortcuts preferences.. if i log on to my computer in a different account, i can still launch sketchup etc but i can have a different set of shortcuts, templates, etc for that account.. if i create a plugin folder in my user (~) account then i'll only be able to use those plugins if i'm using that account.

that said, once i create a plugin folder in my user account, things start to get messed up.. certain rubies (SDS & ProfileBuilder amongst others) will no longer work unless they are placed in this newly created folder.. Now, if i log into my computer under a different account, these rubies will no longer work because sketchup isn't reading info from the logged out user's library where the rubies are installed... the podium installer creates the plugin folder and that's why people start having problems with certain rubies. I manually installed podium in the Macintosh HD plugin folder and deleted the other locations it created and everything appears to be ok.

see this thread for reference the issue:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?p=146352#p146352

i've yet to figure out why sketchup will even try to access rubies stored in the user location and i think it's something google needs to deal with.

i'm not sure what causes certain rubies to not work if the user library has the plugin folder but i do know that whaat's premium plugins are always affected.. most other plugins work just fine when both plugin folders are created.

@unknownuser said:

A2 There are protections to allow scripts creating directories in the Sketchup Plugin folder. Is this something than can be overcome?

[EDIT] see my response a few posts down regarding this

I'm not sure what your talking about here.. can you explain futher or link me to a thread where this was discussed?
i do know that we can't have things installed on our systems without admin authorization (system password is needed to install apps etc.) but i don't see how this would affect creating directories.. do you have a way i can test this? (maybe a piece of code that i can try to run which will attempt to create a directory?)

i've gotta go for now but i'll get to some of the other questions a little later but i'd like to first say thanks for considering the lowly mac user ... i'd be bummed if your scripts didn't work on my computer.

fredo6

On issue D2 (web dialog display), could you please try to run again with the following updated file (to be dropped in LIBFREDO6_Dir_31 folder).

If you can try to check for both the Default Parameters and Translation dialog boxes.

Jeff: the video is very useful to understand what's going on. I noticed also that there is no display of the small icons at the right of control (to reset a field to default value).

Thanks

Fredo

to drop in LIBFREDO6_DIR_31 folder

fredo6

On keyboard issues

I made a modif to try catching the Function Key (in the attached LibTraductor_31.rb file). Can you also retest the Arrows and TAB.
By the way, does the CTRL and SHIFT modifiers work appropriately, in Toggle or when depressed?
If Function Keys are not ideal on Mac, do you have any suggestion of other shortcuts than could be used instead ?

Thanks

Fredo

to drop in LIBFREDO6_Dir_31 subfolder

takesh h

Hi Fredo6,

Your new "Lib6Web_31.rb" didn't make any change as long as issue D2 is concerned, neither for the Default Parameters and Translation dialog boxes.

*%(#804000)[On keyboard issues

I made a modif to try catching the Function Key (in the attached LibTraductor_31.rb file). Can you also retest the Arrows and TAB.]*
Fkeys, tab and arrows still don't work.

2) By the way, does the CTRL and SHIFT modifiers work appropriately, in Toggle or when depressed?
No they don't. However, alt/option key works as if it is ctrl key.

3) If Function Keys are not ideal on Mac, do you have any suggestion of other shortcuts than could be used instead ?
I'm rather new to Macs, I will wait for Jeff's comment.

torben.wadlinger

Hi Fredo6!

I think your main problem in catching the F-Keys is, that on a Mac the internal keycodes of the F-Keys are not the same as on a PC/Windows.

Torben

jeff hammond

i tried the two new files and nothing changed as far as the dialog box goes.

with those files, the arrow keys no longer work nor does the shift key for locking protractor orientation but the tab key does. also, no change to the function keys.

the reset icons do not show up but in the video, you'll see that there is a space designated by a square and it is functional. i can reset the individual default parameters by clicking the square.

@unknownuser said:

If Function Keys are not ideal on Mac, do you have any suggestion of other shortcuts than could be used instead ?

if those functions (ie- activate slicer, toggle wireframe, etc.) were placed in the menu or a submenu then we could assign our own keys but that pretty much defeats the purpose of what you're trying to do..
like i said earlier, i can assign the F keys as shortcuts and they work fine. (i tried F4 as the protractor shortcut and it works as expected).. Torben is probably right in that the keycodes are different than with windows.
if it helps at all, here are the key identifiers for the F keys on macs:

F1 - 63236
F2 - 63237
F3 - 63238
F4 - 63239
F5 - 63240
F6 - 63241
F7 - 63242
F8 - 63243

fredo6

@unknownuser said:

with those files, the arrow keys no longer work nor does the shift key for locking protractor orientation but the tab key does. also, no change to the function keys.

Do you mean that the Arrow keys, Shift and Ctrl were working fine before the new file?

jeff hammond

@unknownuser said:

@unknownuser said:

with those files, the arrow keys no longer work nor does the shift key for locking protractor orientation but the tab key does. also, no change to the function keys.

Do you mean that the Arrow keys, Shift and Ctrl were working fine before the new file?

yes, before i replaced the files with the two you posted in this thread, i was able to use the arrow keys to change the protractor's orientation (up-blue, left-green, right-red) or i could get the orientation by putting the protractor on a certain plane and locking its position via the shift key...

after i replaced the files with the new ones, none of those functions worked..

i've since changed back to the original files

fredo6

Jeff,

Sorry for that.
Would you mind to try with the attched file.
Please open the Ruby console, where I trace the keys typed up and down.
If you can try with the Function key, say F2, F3, then I could figure out what are the code and flags sent by Sketchup.
I hope I have at least restored the arrows and Shift / CTRL

Fredo

PS: on Mac it is appently normal that CTRL maps to Command key, as in native Sketchup

to drop in LIBFREDO6_Dir_31 subfolder

fredo6

For Web dialogs, I really don't know what's going on.
By chance, is there on Mac, like in Windows, a contextual menu where you can do a Refresh and see the source code?

Fredo

takesh h

I think, with the new "Lib6Traductor_31.rb", arrow keys work, Fkeys that are not assigned shortcuts in SU work, Alt/Option key still works as Ctrl key. I couldn't test Shift key.
Below I copied and pasted what was in Ruby console when I typed Fkeys.

F2
Key Mac 63237 flags = 0 up = false
Key Mac 63237 flags = 8388864 up = true
F3
Key Mac 63238 flags = 8388864 up = true
F4
Key Mac 63239 flags = 0 up = false
Key Mac 63239 flags = 8388864 up = true
F5
Key Mac 63240 flags = 8388864 up = true

jeff hammond

@unknownuser said:

Jeff,

Sorry for that.
Would you mind to try with the attched file.
Please open the Ruby console, where I trace the keys typed up and down.
If you can try with the Function key, say F2, F3, then I could figure out what are the code and flags sent by Sketchup.
I hope I have at least restored the arrows and Shift / CTRL

Fredo

PS: on Mac it is appently normal that CTRL maps to Command key, as in native Sketchup

the function keys now function! shift works, the arrow keys work.. everything with the keys work

fredo6

@takesh h said:

I think, with the new "Lib6Traductor_31.rb", arrow keys work, Fkeys that are not assigned shortcuts in SU work, Alt/Option key still works as Ctrl key. I couldn't test Shift key.
Below I copied and pasted what was in Ruby console when I typed Fkeys.

Glad to see that this works now.
That was an error on the codes for Function keys on MAC.
To test Shift, just use any of the tool and toggle SHIFT to either select all connected geometry or just an edge or face. That will show if this works.

Attached is the file without the trace

Fredo

to drop in LIBFREDO6_Dir_31

fredo6

For Web Dialogs, I have made a slight change to open the windows in a bigger size, and then try to resize.

Do you notice any difference.

Fredo

PS: actually, the test is also to know if I have a problem with SU Web dialogs or with Safari.

to drop in LIBFREDO6_Dir_31

jeff hammond

@takesh h said:

I think, with the new "Lib6Traductor_31.rb", arrow keys work, Fkeys that are not assigned shortcuts in SU work, Alt/Option key still works as Ctrl key.

a little info about macs and F keys... the keys became programmed as volume, brightness, etc. because of the laptops.. there wasn't enough space on the keyboards for these controls so apple took over the F keys for that purpose..

on your keyboard, you'll notice a key called fn.. that's basically like a shift key for the function keys.. it allows F4 etc to perform double duty..

if you want to use F4 in freescale, you have to push fn/F4 together.. if you push F4 by itself, the dashboard will pop up.. in the system prefs (i mentioned this earlier in the thread), you can flip this around to where the F keys will work as they used to and the assigned functions will only work if you press the fn key as well (ie- fn/F10 for mute)

jeff hammond

@unknownuser said:

For Web Dialogs, I have made a slight change to open the windows in a bigger size, and then try to resize.

Do you notice any difference.

Fredo

PS: actually, the test is also to know if I have a problem with SU Web dialogs or with Safari.

ok, so the window opens up nearly twice the size as it use to but it very quickly goes back to the original size only now it's near the bottom of the screen.. nothing has change other than the location of where it's at on the screen.. it happens so fast that i can't see if the save/reset buttons are appearing or not on the initial opening.

also, i'm not sure if you have this going straight to safari or not but earlier, i tried setting my default browser to firefox and everything stayed the same...

earlier you asked "By chance, is there on Mac, like in Windows, a contextual menu where you can do a Refresh and see the source code?"
i don't really know my way around that stuff but it does exist. i pretty much keep it on the GUI side of things.. i wouldn't be much help with code

[EDIT]-oh wait, you said 'code' and i started getting scared .. if you mean is there a way to view the source code for a page in safari then yeah, it's easy.. right-click/view source

fredo6

Jeff and Takeshi,

If you can right-click in the dialog box, then could you select the menu "Refresh" if there is one.

Attached is an updated file to avoid the resizing, so that you can possibly check whether the whole content of the dialog box is displayed or not. Keep the previous Lib6Config_31.rb (which open the box with a big size).

I am still wondering why SU does not show the full content, unless there is another problem, but with Safari.

Thanks again

Fredo

PS: SU uses Safari, regardless of the setting of your preferred browser on your MAC. So changing to Firefox would have no influence.

to drop into LIBFREDO6_Dir_31

jeff hammond

here's a screenshot of the dialog using the latest file.

that's exactly how it opens up and it's the best version yet.. the entire red outlined box is now visible but i still have to stretch the window to get to the save/reset buttons.

as far as i'm concerned, everything is totally fine as is but i can understand the confusion by a mac user that is just installing freescale.. regardless, all of the tools work perfectly and that's my main concern.

as far as safari's context menu, these are my options with a normal web page:

with the freescale dialog, i only have one option which it 'reload'.. if i click on that, everything stays the same.

caronte01

Several plugins on the mac, including yours, won´t remember the state of it´s toolbars (opened or closed), between sessions. Someone at google told me that this can be fixed by including something similar to this:

Show toolbar if it was open when we shutdown.

state = toolbar.get_last_state
if (state == TB_VISIBLE)
  toolbar.restore
end

Santiago

fredo6

Santiago,

Do you mean that this is specific to the Mac platform?
On Windows, just calling toolbar.show is sufficient to take into account the previous state when Sketchup is closed.

Anyway it's easy to fix, based on your example.

Thanks for the tip

Fred