[Plugin] file_new.rb Startup, Your Way

[MartinRinehart]

I don't like the Line tool. I avoid it whenever possible. Naturally, I don't want to see it when I start SU, nor after File/New.

This Ruby starts My Way. I give the "New File" item in the Plugins menu "N" as keyboard shortcut.

Customize to make it start Your Way:

1. You may want to delete the line that opens the Ruby Console.
2. You may want to choose another tool. Your choices are:

Arc, Axis, Circle, Dimension, Dolly, Erase, Extrude, FieldOf, Freehand, Line, Measure, Move, Offset, Orbit, Paint, Polygon, PositionCamera, Protractor, PushPull, Rectangle, Rotate, Scale, SectionPlane, Selection, Text, Turn, Walk, Zoom, ZoomWindow

3. If you know Sketchup Ruby programming, the sky is the limit.

To install: copy this code, edit as you like, and save into a file named "file_new.rb" in your Plugins directory.

# file_new.rb - start my way!
# Copyright 2009, Martin Rinehart

# Forbidden; remove copyright notice; use in "how to program ..." material.
# Permitted; everything else.

require 'sketchup'

def send_actions()
	Sketchup.file_new() 
	Sketchup.send_action( 'selectSelectionTool;' )
end # of send_actions()

unless file_loaded?( "file_new.rb" )
	UI.menu("Plugins").add_item( 'New File ' ) { send_actions() }
	send_actions()
	Sketchup.send_action( 'showRubyPanel;' )
	file_loaded( "file_new.rb" )
end

[thomthom]

You could attach it to the onNewModel event. Think there was a plugin that ensured the Select tool was activated upon opening or creating new models using that event....

[Chris Fullmer]

The line tool is my favorite SU tool, with the eraser a close second, and then select comes in at No.3 I think.

And yes, someone did write a startup tool script....I don't recall who or what it was called exactly though. I never used it since I love the pencil so much

Chris

[thomthom]

I'm with Martin here. The pencil is usually not the tool I start to use. Select all the way!

[RickW]

@thomthom said:

Think there was a plugin that ensured the Select tool was activated upon opening or creating new models using that event....

@chris fullmer said:

And yes, someone did write a startup tool script....I don't recall who or what it was called exactly though.

Perhaps you were thinking of SelectAtStartup by yours truly

It used observers to check for SU launch, file load, and new file actions to ensure that the Select tool was the default tool any time the active model changed.

[MartinRinehart]

@rickw said:

@thomthom said:

Perhaps you were thinking of SelectAtStartup by yours truly

Sweet and simple, Rick. Plus, you get model opening, which I missed.

[chrisjk]

This doesn't seem to work for me on my setup (Mac 10.6 , latest SU Pro). Does the code need updating?

[Chris Fullmer]

Which are you trying to use? Martin's code or Ricks?

Chris

[chrisjk]

I am trying to use Rick's code.

[xrok1]

YES! YES! YES! thankyou very much Rick. this has always bugged me since about 9 of 10 times i'm opening an existing model and have no use for the pencil. and thank you too Martin for bringing the topic up.

[Ruturaj]

Hello MartinRinehart,

Thanks you very much,