Odd Materials Dialog Problem

Sorceress 21

I have way too many textures in my model so I wanted to go through and delete some of them by using the right click on the texture thumbnail then delete. Usually it works and the texture either goes away or and get a message saying "material in use: replace with default?" That's fine, I click yes then repaint that face with a texture I want to keep so I have less texture work to deal with during render.

Here's the bug: When I right click on the texture thumbnail SU goes into thinking mode, I get the spinning Windows wheel of death for a few seconds then the right click dialog pops up for about half a second then immediately goes away before I can click delete.

Suggestions?

This seems to be a recurring problem with large models.

Sorceress 21

Addendum: Yes I have used the purge unused function but still have textures I want to get rid of. The odd thing is that many of them don't actually seem to be in the model. Or the face that is painted with it is so small I won't be able to find it.

thomthom

The materials could be applied to edges. Or they could be applied to groups and components where none of the faces inside have default materials. That's all cases where you won't be able to see the material.

I have a plugin that quickly let you remove materials from all edges.
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=17587

You also have Material Maintenance: http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=48933
Lots of tools to let you manage and locate materials.

Sorceress 21

I'd really find your first plugin you linked to useful but I can't for the life of me figure out how to install it into SU 8. Using the extensions install dialog in teh preferences window won't work because it will only show .rbz files. I tried just putting the .rb file into the extensions folder then when I start SU I get a script load error file not found. Suggestions?

TIG

Put the .rb file into the PLUGINS foler.
Or safer... get thomthom's 'Simple Plugins Installer' from the 'Plugins Index' - linked via the menu above...
That is an RBZ archive.
Once that's installed it adds new tool to the Plugins menu - that tool auto-installs individual RB/RBS files and RBZ/ZIP archived toolsets...
No more worries for you about reading instructions or how to do it 'by hand'...

Sorceress 21

No.... If you 'll look at what I posted again you would see that I already tried placing the .rb file into the plugins folder. That did NOT work. I also installed the Plugins Installer and the the file http://sketchucation.com/forums/download/file.php?id=75775 will not install period. My guess is the file has become corrupted.

TIG

Since you don't clearly state your OS I am guessing here...

Possibilities...
If you have a MAC and you are trying to install files into the 'users' plugins folder when you ought to use the 'HD' plugins folder, and/or you have insufficient permissions to that folder, which ought to be FULL read/write - fix them.
If you are on PC you could also have the security permissions issue on the main Plugin folder that needs fixing - Windows can make it look like something is installed when it's not by using a 'VirtualStore' usually invoked silently if you have limited rights to a folder [a 'Compatibility Files...' (or similar named) link / button in the Explorer window can show this] - again fix your permissions...

Also you could actually show us the 'load error' message which is there for a reason... it contains useful info that helps pinpoint the issue... rather than allude to it obliquely !
That said, such an error suggests to me that things are not installed correctly [not that something is 'faulty'].
This might be down to user error [putting/not-putting things into the wrong/right places or moving files out of subfolders etc], or your system protecting you against yourself because of permissions issues that you must reset...
Do you have the Fredo tool 'AdditionalPluginsFolders' ?
If so and you don't use it then it remove it.
If you do use it then ensure you have the latest version installed too.
Earlier versions sometimes cause error messages with complicated subfolder/files installs [this is a long-shot!]

Your earlier phrase, "I tried just putting the .rb file into the extensions folder..." is pretty confusing ! What folder did you really mean ?

This will be solvable with some simple steps.
The chances of a corrupted .rbz are very very low, unless you have done something to it manually, or your system is somehow messing on... but I suspect permissions as the issue...

Sorceress 21

Sorry, I guess more info would be useful, LOL Blond moment..

I'm running Windows 7. I placed the file into Program Files(x86)>Google>Google Sketchup 8>Plugins

All permissions for the folder are enabled that I know of within the Plugins folder Properties dialog.

And here is the error message I get when I start Sketchup:

Error Loading File tt_material_tools(1).rb
no such file to load - TT_Lib2/core.rb

I got snippy because I'm not new to plugin installation or a PC moron . I already have several installed and they work just fine. No trouble installing them by either running the install extensions dialog or placing in the above folder. Sketchup seems to see the file hence the Load Error message but can't run it for some reason. When I run the install extensions it doesn't even let me seem the file in the folder yet it is there.

For the record, my own research has revealed I'm not the only one with this problem. Other SU users are reporting difficulty installing .rb files into SU 8 on Windows 7. Several answers have been given none of them effective. This doesn't seem to be a simple fix or "a common sense user error." It may very well be some obscure setting on my machine that isn't liking some aspect of the plugin's code. I have tried every install method I can find and none will work. All the same results...

thomthom

Follow the link to the required TT_Lib2 library. Right above the download.

Sorceress 21

And there it is! Sorry guys and thank you thomthom...I don't have the friendliest message board demeanor and I'm frequently grumpy. But I appreciate ya'lls help nevertheless.

The solution was obvious, simple and definitely user error! I get the idiot of the day award.

Also thomthom thank you for the plugin in suggestions. I have used the Material Maint ruby to fix my texture issues with great success!

thomthom

I've begin to implement a check for TT_Lib2 in my plugins, so when it's not there a message will appear explaining it's needed and a direct link to download. New releases and updates will feature this.