[Plugin] Archiver.rb - update

TIG

i use autosave but this thread just helped me get a new system i'm going to try out..

i always wished autosave could be set to make sequential files (i.e. autosave_house01, autosave_house02, etc.).. sometimes i like to go further back into a model than what autosave and the current file will provide me with..

a normal save doesn't give me what i want because then you can't go back. 'save as' is what i want but i never really used it because i have to manually type in the sequential numbers..
'save a copy as' however will automatically add the sequential number (ie - house copy, house copy 2, house copy 3).. i just added a shortcut for that command (⇧S) and after a quick test run, it's looking real good..

so yeah, maybe autosave will become a least used function for me

A while back I wrote an 'Archiver.rb' [ http://www.crai.archi.fr/RubyLibraryDepot/Ruby/em_fil_page.htm ] script that adds an extra command into the File menu 'Archiver'. If you pick that - or more readily key in a shortcut to it - it makes a copy of the model exactly as it is at that second and puts it into an 'Archives' sub-folder with the model. It adds the date+time onto the file name - without using any dialogs etc. That way you can quickly save copies of the model as you go along, knowing that you could open any one from a particular time later if needed so no data is lost...

It has to be activated manually BUT adding a timer to it that waited till you weren't doing anything too intensive would be possible.
For the latest version see here http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=149749#p149749

jeff hammond

@tig said:

A while back I wrote an 'Archiver.rb' [ http://www.crai.archi.fr/RubyLibraryDepot/Ruby/em_fil_page.htm ] script that adds an extra command into the File menu 'Archiver'. If you pick that - or more readily key in a shortcut to it - it makes a copy of the model exactly as it is at that second and puts it into an 'Archives' sub-folder with the model. It adds the date+time onto the file name - without using any dialogs etc. That way you can quickly save copies of the model as you go along, knowing that you could open any one from a particular time later if needed so no data is lost...

It has to be activated manually BUT adding a timer to it that waited till you weren't doing anything too intensive would be possible

oh, that looks perfect. personally, i prefer to do it manually but i've been using autosave to avoid the dialog box and/or needing to enter my own sequence to the file name.. this one key solution with no dialogs is surely the way to go..
unfortunately, the script doesn't work for me
it shows up under the plugins menu but when i push it (or the shortcut i assigned to it) nothing is saved.

this is how i had it set up so maybe i was doing something wrong in this department?

made a folder called archiver_test
saved a skp into the folder called archiver_test.skp
modified the skp then clicked Plugins/Archiver
repeated steps 2&3 a few times.

only the original archiver_test.skp was in the folder after that and i did a system wide search for 'archiver_test' and it only found the folder and the skp.

any ideas?

jeff hammond

@tig said:

Jeff

I'll look into it...

sweet, thanks TIG.

TIG

See my earlier post for the fix...http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?p=146804#p146804

jeff hammond

hmm...
i still can't seem to get this to work

as far as i can tell, the only thing it does is create a folder called '\Archives' directly on my boot disk (not nestled in any other folders)..

i've tried various things with that folder such as placing my .skp directly in there or nestled in it's own model folder.. i've tried moving the \Archives to other locations as well. i've also tried working directly off the desktop (which is my normal method of working anyway - it'd probably be best if i could keep it that way.. have a model folder on my desktop to which the archiver files are added)

when i select File/Open Archives, i get 'NO 'Archives' Folder for 'modelname' ! no matter how many times i tried to archive it.

i'm hoping this isn't a mac thing.. i always feel like such a pest with my OS

jeff hammond

ok, thanks for helping
i found the rogue files (they were placed in the same location as the archive folder .. there were 5or6 of them)

i have to go get my daughter from school right now but i'll do what you're saying when i get back.

jeff hammond

ok, here's the output:

/Users/jethro/Desktop/archiver_test2/archiver_test2.skp
/Users/jethro/Desktop/archiver_test2/archiver_test2.skp

archiver_test2
nil
archiver_test2[09-04-06_18-57-35].skp
\Archives
\Archives\archiver_test2[09-04-06_18-57-35].skp
Error: #<Errno::ENOENT: No such file or directory - >
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/Tools/Archiver.rb:82:in chdir' /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/Tools/Archiver.rb:82:in make'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/Tools/Archiver.rb:177

[ps: i put in a request with csaba to break this part of the thread into a new one]

TIG

It's as I thought...
A Mac needs / in its file paths...
A PC can have either \ or /, except for 'UI.openpanel' which must have ... [unsure about it for Mac***]
SUp on PC gives paths etc with \ separators, while PC Ruby can take either: I expect that Mac-Ruby uses / always ?
I have rewritten things to trap for this.
It's still working fine on my PC.
I hope it now works on a Mac... since I don't have a Mac please let me know that File -> Archiver AND ***Open Archive are both working - you might need to make some archives and then reopen the model to get the second Menu option to appear...

Note I've removed the 'user' suffix option as it was not that useful anyway and difficult to get/trap cross-platform...

After almost four years a Mac user finally reports a bug with this script !!!

Hopefully it's now properly cross-platform...

Archiver.rb

jeff hammond

@tig said:

I hope it now works on a Mac... since I don't have a Mac please let me know that File -> Archiver AND ***Open Archive are both working - you might need to make some archives and then reopen the model to get the second Menu option to appear...

awesome! it's working fine now.. this is surely going to be one of my most used rubies..

fwiw, the 'open archive' menu option appears from the get-go and i only have to save an archive in order for the list to appear.. i don't have to save/reopen the model first.

thanks so much!

TIG

Hooray !

It will require a little 'management' on your part. If you save every 15 minutes of an eight hour day that's 32 copies of your model !

jeff hammond

@tig said:

Hooray !

It will require a little 'management' on your part. If you save every 15 minutes of an eight hour day that's 32 copies of your model !

well, that's generally how it is anyway for me but i'm usually just saving to my desktop and though i try to have some sort of naming system for the files, it always gets screwed up about half way through .. i'm left doing a major clean-up/figuring out what is what every few days.. when i'm at home working on a model, i can stay a bit more organized but i also use sketchup on the job site where it's a lot more hectic - that's where archiver.rb is going to shine i think.

this ruby will actually help me keep organized.. especially once OS X supports .skp files (fingers crossed) and i'll be able to go through the archives via cover flow (ability to flip through full sized previews, iTunes style, without actually opening the file)

takesh h

Hi TIG,

Another brilliant ruby script from the brilliant mind.
I'm going to add this gem to pushpullbar's Ruby Index, so let me clarify a couple of things before I do that.

Should I have the link few posts above as the "definite" version of archiver.rb for now? Can I request Didier Bur to update your archiver.rb in Ruby Library Depot to the above version? It doesn't look like Didier had time to update the site for quite some time.
I always thought "_" is more common (less problematic) divider than "-" in file names, is there any specific reason you chose "-" as a default divider?

Thanks in advance.

jmmad

Thxs Tig !
Life saver plugin
Now i can travel back in time

TIG

@takesh h said:

Hi TIG,

Another brilliant ruby script from the brilliant mind.
I'm going to add this gem to pushpullbar's Ruby Index, so let me clarify a couple of things before I do that.

Should I have the link few posts above as the "definite" version of archiver.rb for now? Can I request Didier Bur to update your archiver.rb in Ruby Library Depot to the above version? It doesn't look like Didier had time to update the site for quite some time.

I always thought "_" is more common (less problematic) divider than "-" in file names, is there any specific reason you chose "-" as a default divider?

Thanks in advance.

v1.7 is the best one - link to that. Didier can add v1.7 if he wants to...
It's easy to change the separators - edit the file and make sep="_" or whatever text you want that's allowed in filenames. The only advantage is that in the filename "model[yy-mm-dd_hh-mm-ss].skp" the date and time are more easily read separated by the _. You could even use sep="" and get "model[090407_072210].skp"... It's easily adjustable to suit your own whims...

TIG

Now you tell me it's a Mac !!! That's probably the basis of the problem...
It might be best to go to PM or a new thread ?
Firstly please do a Finder search to locate the rogue .tmp files and chuck them - they should have been with the model and removed as the archive is copied over...
The 'Archives' folder should be in the model's folder. It's made for each model folder. Unless your model is in the root directory it shouldn't be made in there...
Here's a version that writes everything to the ruby console... Open the console, run the Archiver and copy paste the several line of output into a message for me so I can see what's up...

TIG

Jeff

EDIT:
I've looked into it...
Here's an updated version. It failed before probably because another script was setting the 'default directory' to somewhere else: this version now makes sure it's set to be the model's folder (I added line 80)...

I've ### out the user name and confirming dialog - it you want them back then edit the file and go to lines 75 and 87 respectively and remove the initial '###' to have them show...

If you find a load of "archiver_test[nn-nn-nn_nn-nn-nn_XXX].skp.tmp" files - probably in your Plugins folder - then accept my apologies and throw them away !

It now works silently and puts things in the correct places...
EDIT: see v1.7 http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?p=147035#p147035

takesh h

Thanks for explanation, that makes whole a lot of sense.
I'll forward the link to Didier Bur.

takesh h

TIG,

It's online now.
http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/ruby-scripts/9467-visual-index-ruby-scripts.html#post146070
If there is anything wrong with my review, please don't hesitate to tell me.
Thanks a bunch.

jeff hammond

just reporting back after a week or so of using archiver.

this plugin is awesome!

thanks again TIG.

TIG

Glad its useful...

If anyone else has any feedback (even critical !) please let me know...