Why so difficult to install plugins?

keyon

Okay, I've spent about 30 minutes now trying to install a plugin. Here's what I'm doing:

Found plugin I want.
Downloaded file and put it in my Sketchup plugins folder (align_2D.rb).
Opened Sketchup (free - 8.0) -- plugin doesn't show in "plugins" drop down menu.
Opened Sketchup system preferences -- then "install extension"
Sketchup then looks for .rbz files ONLY. (can't select the .rb file I downloaded).

What's up with that?

Krisidious

Found plugin I want.
Downloaded file and put it in my Sketchup plugins folder (align_2D.rb).
Opened Sketchup (free - 8.0) -- plugin doesn't show in "plugins" drop down menu.
go to view tool bars and turn it on.

troypiggo

Check out the very simple and useful plugin installer plugin by thomthom: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=42315

keyon

@krisidious said:

go to view tool bars and turn it on.

Hmm...I don't see anything under tool bars that resembles the plugin I downloaded. But I went ahead and checked everything in that drop down...which opened all the Google tools available in my version of Sketchup (no plugins).

Still confused.

troypiggo

Does it show up in the context menu (right clicking I assume). You may have to make an appropriate selection of a group or component first as per http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?t=1702#p7497

The download I see there is a zip file. Did you put the zip file in your plugins folder, or did you extract the rb file into there?

keyon

@troypiggo said:

Did you put the zip file in your plugins folder, or did you extract the rb file into there?

I've tried placing several different plugins in my "plugins" folder - all with the .rb extension (I extracted them from zip files first).

Still don't see them in my Sketchup plugins menu -- even after restarting.

Do I need the installer you mentioned earlier?

keyon

Just curious...are "extensions" and "plugins' the same thing?

troypiggo

You don't need that installer, it just makes it easier.

Just to be clear, what OS are you using and what folder are you placing them in?

Krisidious

no they are not exactly the same thing. However I have never used the built in sketchup extension installer. I don't think I'm having any issues. Plugins are installed in a variety of locations within SketchUp. some will be on the right click context menu, some will be in the drop down plugins menu, some will be found under tools and even some will be found under the draw menu. and plugins will sometimes need to be check-marked under the toolbar menu. and even some will be located under sub-menus of their creators like ThomThom's full menu under the plugins menu. with each you'll have to figure out where it is. and look closely to see if it is an extension or a plugin. extensions will need to be turned on in the extension menu under preferences.

keyon

@krisidious said:

Plugins are installed in a variety of locations within SketchUp.

Thanks, Krisidious...
I understand what you mean now. Guess it depends on the author of that particular plugin, and how he/she put it together.

Box

I'm guessing you're on a Mac, usual problem, find the correct plug in folder.
Or I'm not certain of the file or plug in you are using, I don't feel the need to look too hard, but one thread relating to it has some rather big names in plugins saying it sort of doesn't work, and then nothing more. I might just be that the plug in you want has been developed under a different name or the paranoid police have moved it to a different menu section.
Many new tools/ plug ins appear where you least expect them, until you think about it.
Check the various menus, not just plugins.
Also, only read this if your alcohol level is well over old age.

Edit: as pointed out below and many many times on this forum, read the first post in a plug in thread properly.
And always check the reality of the situation, be it plug ins or women.

keyon

Anybody have their favorite "align" tool plugin? I was just looking for something to quickly line up corners & edges of components.
This is what I installed: http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=76774#p76774

Still have to figure out how to use it, though

Krisidious

That's the one I use. although I had uninstalled it a while back because of SketchUp's greying out menus after so many plugins are installed. but now that issue has been fixed so I'll reinstall it.

keyon

@krisidious said:

That's the one I use.

Know of any online tutorials for this thing? It's kind of stumping me.

Krisidious

there is this lil tut I'm sure you saw it. for the align tool you already have. http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?p=76774#p248980

actually this is not the one I used. here is the one that I used.

http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=20233 it has a toolbar.

TIG

If you had read the script's instructions carefully [first page in its thread] you might have seen that align_2d appears in the Tools menu not the Plugins menu as you 'assumed'... and it is in fact designed to be used with the right-click context-menu when you have suitable objects selected...

@unknownuser said:

Make a selection (other objects than groups or components are ignored)

Select " Align 2D" in the context menu or in the Tools menu

Click 2 points that define a line for the alignment.

A construction line is temporarily drawn and a dialog box is displayed

Choose your options:

horizontally align all groups/components along X axis at the intersection with the cline

vertically align all groups/components along Y axis at the intersection with the cline

perpendicularly align all groups/components along a perpendicular virtual line at the intersection with the cline.

Other options self-explanatory