Can't see Plugins - I know: Not again!!!!

Bob James

I had to redo my Win8 laptop and now it won't see any plugins except 3skeng. I've done everything in Tig's post and Rich's tutorial to set permissions and run as administrator, but still get no plugins (Which are the plugins I saved before redoing the laptop).
I tried loading an .rbz with Preferences, but SU immediately crashes.
Help

Dave R

Where did you put the plugins files? Is it under Users/Bob James/AppData/...

What happens if you install a plugin via the Extension Warehouse? Will it show up? Can you download the RBZ file for the Sketchucation Plugin Store and install it via Install Extension? Does it show up?

Bob James

@dave r said:

Where did you put the plugins files? Is it under Users/Bob James/AppData/...

What happens if you install a plugin via the Extension Warehouse? Will it show up? Can you download the RBZ file for the Sketchucation Plugin Store and install it via Install Extension? Does it show up?

C:\Users\Robert\AppData\Roaming\SketchUp\SketchUp 2014\SketchUp\Plugins

Extension Warehouse installation attempt = Bugsplat
Preferences/Extensions/Install Extensions = Bugsplat

Dave R

I think you've got a bad installation of SketchUp. Can you try reinstalling it?

tt_su

BugSplats?
Did you submit those? If so, did you enter any description we can use to look it up? If you didn't, can you try again?

Bob James

@tt_su said:

BugSplats?
Did you submit those? If so, did you enter any description we can use to look it up? If you didn't, can you try again?

Yes, but I'll do it again.

Did it

I said this in the explanation
"Attempting to install extension into SU 2014 Pro on Win8"

Bob James

I have always used a symbolic link for plugins, components, etc. to assure I have the same choices on all the machines I use. Doesn't work for SU 2014 on Win 8.
When I copied the actual plugin folder from Dropbox to SU it worked fine.

Bummer about symbolic links.

Thank you both for your help

Dave R

So you've got it sorted? That's good.

Why don't you just make a bundle of plugins using the SCF Plugin Store and use that to keep all your machines up to date?

Box

Bob, not mentioning that you were using a symbolic link would seem to be a rather crucial bit of info.
Your real issue here is not that your plugins aren't working but that the symbolic link isn't working.
Perhaps someone has a solution for that.

tt_su

Can you describe exactly how you set up the symbolic links?
The BugSplats disappeared when you removed the symlink?

Bob James

@tt_su said:

Can you describe exactly how you set up the symbolic links?
The BugSplats disappeared when you removed the symlink?

Went to Dropbox and picked link source
Renamed original plugins folder to Plugins-original
Dropped as symbolic link in C:\Users\Robert\AppData\Roaming\SketchUp\SketchUp\2014\SketchUp
That was the configuration that did not work so I deleted the link and copied my backup folder of plugins to replace the link folder and that allowed the plugins folder to appear and also load plugins from SketchUcation

Bob James

@box said:

Bob, not mentioning that you were using a symbolic link would seem to be a rather crucial bit of info.
Your real issue here is not that your plugins aren't working but that the symbolic link isn't working.
Perhaps someone has a solution for that.

Since that is how I've always done it, it never occurred to me to mention it. Sorry.

Bob James

@dave r said:

So you've got it sorted? That's good.

Why don't you just make a bundle of plugins using the SCF Plugin Store and use that to keep all your machines up to date?

Don't know how to do that - never had the occasion to learn.

Bob James

Since, for some reason, I can't get symbolic links to work with SU 2014 plugin, components and materials folders, I need some alternative (at least for plugins). SketchUcation Bundles seem to be the answer (except there is no synchronization to one folder on, say, Dropbox).

I assume that Bundles puts each machine's plugins in the cloud, but only those plugins in the default folder [C:\Users\jamesb\AppData\Roaming\SketchUp\SketchUp 2014\SketchUp\Plugins]. To minimize the files on my drive (an SSD), I use Fredo6's Additional Plugin folder on Dropbox for most of my plugins, but many plugins/extensions don't work unless they are installed in the default folder.

I have three computers: work, home and laptop. Currently, each has a different bundle. How do I get all bundles loaded with the same plugins. If I'm on my home machine do I click on the Work machine's bundle icon for "autoinstall all plugins in the bundle" (after assuring that work machine has all the plugins that must be loaded in the default folder)?
1. If I add a new plugin to one computer is there a way to update the other computers for just that new plugin or do I have to reinstall all the plugins and extensions?
2. How do I tailor a bundle? I tried clicking on individual plugins in the bundle list to delete them, but that doesn't work.

maxhouserocks

so...2014 wont read symbolic links?? im pretty sure i have the link setup correctly but SU is not finding any plugins.

what exactly is the "SCF Plugin Store" ?

thanks,
bob

Dave R

@maxhouserocks said:

so...2014 wont read symbolic links?? im pretty sure i have the link setup correctly but SU is not finding any plugins.

what exactly is the "SCF Plugin Store" ?

thanks,
bob

Click on the button at the top right corner of the forum page.

maxhouserocks

ah yes, of course. So i can use that plugin to sync different pc's plugins just by installing and logging in?

Dave R

@maxhouserocks said:

ah yes, of course. So i can use that plugin to sync different pc's plugins just by installing and logging in?

well, yeah, that too. And it gives you access to hundreds of plugins and automatically installs them.

maxhouserocks

Oh My, i must need a vacation. Just realized we were discussing this not too long ago! Sorry about that.

The key issue for me was this clarification:

@box said:

One small thing to note, Plugins from other sources won't be included in Bundles. It can only recognize ones you have downloaded through the Sketchcation tool.

You'll find a handy tutorial for bundles here.
http://sketchucation.com/resources/tutorials/beginner/1147-use-pluginstore-bundles-to-sync-your-extensions-in-sketchup

full thread here.
http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15%26amp;t=59421%26amp;p=540740#p540740

Thanks AGAIN, Dave

bob

Dave R

Happy you've got it all worked out now.

Vacation? OK. Take the next two weeks off and relax. Enjoy yourself. You can have a raise, too.