Plugins - Load as You Go ?

[cmeed]

Hi All,
I have a lot of plugins, I therefore have a little wait time when Sketchup Loads. And in this little window of think time I pondered an idea.

The wait is due to the loading of the plugins (...and how big the model is). I realize you can, with the help of the sketchucation plugin store, disable plugins, and this would speed up the startup process. But as I embark on each unique project I never know what extensions or plugins I will need and I'd still like to have access to them.

So I was wondering if 'the plugin store' could disable plugins as a default but keep the plugin icons arranged as they are - this speeds up load time - but when you click on the icon for your chosen plugin that plugin then loads there and then - a small wait there and then?

I'm unaware the sketchucation store disable plugins works like this. It would enable your plugins to stay in there location too.

I often have to open a few big models at the same time to show clients so opening 5 in a row is laborious and clients get bored! ha ha

Cheers
C

[Box]

Disable them all then use the green button to enable the ones you need as you need them.

[fredo6]

@cmeed said:

So I was wondering if 'the plugin store' could disable plugins as a default but keep the plugin icons arranged as they are - this speeds up load time - but when you click on the icon for your chosen plugin that plugin then loads there and then - a small wait there and then?

This is beyond the control of the Sketchucation Extension Store. If you see the icon (and menus), then it means a piece of the plugin is loaded, because only the plugin knows about the icons and menu.

What you describe should thus be designed by the plugin author. I do that for most of my plugins and for LibFredo6 too. There is a two-step loading (also called lazy loading). At Sketchup startup, the minimum of code is loaded to show the icons and menus. Then, the first time you use the plugin, the rest of the code is loaded, which is usually fast and imperceptible.

By the way, if you have some of my plugins loaded, could you go to Window > LibFredo6 Settings...> Performance and post a snapshot of the dialog box showing the load times.