Difference between V8 and 2013

[TIG]

@Box
They are hardly 'problems' ?
Both are checking/setting-up model-attributes they need to remember with any model across sessions.
I could recast my 2dtools to NOT do this, but I think Twilight needs to do things with materials etc...
To stop 2dtools doing this look in the ../Plugins/2DTools/2D#loader.rb file and find lines ~#13-15:
### get/set reference plane 'z' z=Sketchup.active_model.get_attribute("2Dtools","z",nil) Sketchup.active_model.set_attribute("2Dtools","z",0.0.mm)if not z
and add a # in front of the two lines thus:
#z=Sketchup.active_model.get_attribute("2Dtools","z",nil) #Sketchup.active_model.set_attribute("2Dtools","z",0.0.mm)if not z
Now it only get/set the reference plane 'z' attribute when a 2D tool is activated...

@Ken
The default tool auto-loaded when SketchUp v2013 starts is the Select tool
The default tool auto-loaded when any earlier version of SketchUp starts is the Draw-line tool.
I think it was Rick Wilson who wrote a short 'startup.rb' - this reset the tool that is auto-loaded as SketchUp started to the Select tool - it's not needed in v2013. Because SketchUp starts and then loads the scripts it initially flashes up the Draw-line tool before switching to the Select tool.

[Box]

Problem is the wrong word, I just meant they are the ones for me that ask to save.

[ken]

TIG

Thanks for the reply. It really didn't matter to me how Sketchup 8 started, so I never used the plugin. I was just thinking maybe some other plugin had changed the start up.

So, I guess, going from the draw arc tool to the select tool is correct. Wish I was home, I could compare my laptop to my desk top.

Again thanks.

Ken

[ken]

Ok, still kicking the can down the road. Just noticed that 2013 opens up with a default circle of 12 sides. I thought that the default was 24 sides. So in trying to trace down the plugin that is asking me to save a blank file, I was wondering, can any one think of a plugin that start out with 12 side circle.

My V8 with the same plugin has the default circle of 24 sides.

Trying to work and solve the problem at the same time.

Thanks in advance

Ken

[TIG]

All versions of SketchUp start with a default Circle of 24 sides.
BUT...
http://sketchucation.com/resources/pluginstore?mod=1
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=352084#p352084
This is a PC only script which resets the circle's default segmentation at startup, rather like the one that changes the default tool in v8 to Select. That adds a circle to SketchUp with a different number of sides and thereby overrides the default. If I recall rightly it was PC and use WScript to mimic keystrokes to make delete the circle and finally reset to select. This would also explain the prompt to save because the model's entities will have always been changed by that initial add/delete action ?
So do you have it loading?
'setArcCircleDefaults.rb'
it has a config txt file too...

[ken]

Well darn, I remember that plugin, didn't think I had it. So I checked my V8 plugin folder, nope not there. Checked the 2013 folder, yep there and is changing the default to 12 sides. And this is the plugin responsible for the arc tool showing up on start up. Diabled, no arc tool for a few seconds. When the plugin runs, I have the arc tool showing up for few seconds.

So I disabled the plugin, still have the save blank file.

What I don't understand, I remember the plugin, but didn't really care about changing my default, so I don't remember ever using it in any of the previous version.

Now I have it in 2013 and I know I didn't load the plugin. A mystery by gum. And I am trying to duplicate my plugins from the V8 plugin folder, by doing a new install of my plugin.

So one down and one to go.

TIG thanks for the helpful response.

Ken

[ken]

More testing on why I have to save a blank file when ever I just start Ver 2013.

I have traced it down to 3 plugins. BuildEdgePlan, jbb_layer_panel and clf_simple_loft_loader. When ever one of these three plugins are loaded, I am asked to save the blank file if I want to load a new file, or close.

If I disable all three then Sketchup behaves correctly. That is, I am not ask to save the blank file if I wish to open another file or just close the program.

Now, what I think is I have another plugin that is causing these three to induce the problem. However, I believe these three may not be wrapped correctly in a module which allows another plugin to cause this problem. I am not smart enough to determine if these three are programmed correctly.

Note the term "wrapped in a module" is my take on what TIG and other script writers have implied when there is a problem with global variables.

I pass this info along, because if I have a plugin that is causing these three to misbehave, there may be other problems down the road.

In the mean time I will try to track down my offending plugin.

Thanks for any input or help

Ken

[mitcorb]

Ignore if not relevant. Did you perhaps somehow modify a default file path in Window> preferences> files? so that destination is different?

[TIG]

You are over-thinking all of this.
Some tools will add attributes to a new SKP when they load.
They could add attributes to a new SKP when the tool is actually first used.
They will update these attributes as the tool changes anyway...
My 2dTools does this to set a default z-plane attribute, if there isn't one remembered [in an existing SKP that is reopened]. It is quite easy to disable it without consequences later...
The 'simple_loft_loader' could be uninstalled - it is pretty much superseded by Fredo's CurviLoft and/or my ExtrudeTools...
The other two plugins need to remember data, saved as attributes with the SKP, so they survive across sessions.
If you have opened a new SKP and a plugin auto-adds attributes to it as it opens, then it has been changed - so the prompt to save it will always happen.
Contact the authors of such plugins and ask if they can move the attribute addition into the tool's opening.
So, instead of them having some code executing as the plugin's code loads - i.e. it's written inside the module/tool-class but outside of a def method - in a form like:
Sketchup.active_model.set_attribute(someLib, someKey, someValue) unless Sketchup.active_model.get_attribute(someLib, someKey, nil)
They move that into the tool's class initialize() def method, so it then only gets called when the tool is used.
Then using the tool changes a new SKP, rather than simply loading it.
Later on their code will do something like this anyway: Sketchup.active_model.set_attribute('someLib', 'someKey', 'someUpdatedValue')
This will change the SKP and prompt a 'save' to remember these changes...

[ken]

TIG and mitcorb thanks for your reply. Well I didn't find this to be a major problem. However, I am trying to track down why my Ver 2013 seems to crash more that others, so I have been on a hunt to find the reason. Note that was happening on my old XP laptop.

Ver 2013 on my laptop, with XP was almost unusable. However, last week the company gave me a new computer with Win 7 pro. So I just loaded Ver 2013 and re-installed all plugins which I wish to use. So far so good.

Thanks TIG for the info about the plugin "simple_loft_loader".

And the above line leads me to another question, just how many plugins are duplicated, such that there are excellent, good and mediocre plugins that have the same objectives?

Ok, going to stop worrying about the extra save. Got work.

Again thanks for the input.

Ken