@tig said:

There's nothing that I know of that does what you want
Didier Bur has a "lines to tubes" tool [ http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=88592#p88592 ] that'll make all of the selected edges into tubes.
You can then Intersect them to make edges around their intersections... BUT the trimming of them to each other needs manual labor.
As the innards are unlikely to be seen then that might not be as issue [remember that 'Sufficient is fit.'].
Also if there are several repeated elements then these can be copied across, rather than made individually...

Thanks for that TIG, its done what i needed to do just fine. As you say the corners just need a little tweaking but nothing to serious. Again many thanks for the help, this has saved me quite a few headaches
Chris

Ps. Who do the donations go to? The writer of the plugin?

I have gone to the OS(C): drive and searched that and i have found all the plugin folders now. Thank you all for the help, its much appreciated.

On another note, the reason i wanted the extrude plugin was to draw up some galvanised steel tube gates for a patent application. I had drawn the gate with the line tool and was having trouble getting the follow me tool to cross other tube sections. I noticed a youtube video with the extrude tool in operation and it looked as though it would solve all my problems. But ive struggled with it. Lets say ive drawn a waffle with just lines and i want to turn the lines into 40mm diameter tube (solid tube is fine for this purpose) is it possible to select the entire waffle and use the extrude tool to turn all the lines into tube, perfecting all the junctions?
Thanks
Chris

@tig said:

@unknownuser said:

Search and ye shall find...

Not withstanding that the Plugins folder path for PC and MACs is given in many posts...
Why didn't you search your computer for 'Plugins' ?
That'd be far more obvious...
When I do that search on my computer I get 36 hits on folders named 'Plugins'!
Of course only one matches 'Sketchup 8'...
AND I have a lot of other apps !

Hi guys, thats precisely what im getting at. Im using vista and when i click on start at the bottom left and type plugins into the search bar, it doesn't find the plugins folder. In fact it doesn't return any results for plugins (should return results for plugins for ArchiCAD, autoCAD, firefox etc, all installed). Which is bizarre as when i search for other items (folders, pictures, files) from time to time i have no problem locating them with a search of the computer. Apologies, im quite amateurish when it comes to this kind of thing, but thanks for the help
Chris

@christopher shaw said:

@rich o brien said:

That suggests an incorrect installation. Read the Installing plugins sticky...

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=35746

Ive had a look through the instructions and im stuck almost instantly in that i dont have a plugins folder. Ive searched "computer" for all google sketchup 8 associated files and it only comes up with the .exe file. I have this version of pro through my university and im wondering if that has limited the capabilities? Im not very good with computers sorry, and thanks for the help once again
Chris

I have just craked it with your help. I had to go through program files to find google files and inside was the sketchup files and plugins folder. Bemused why none of these would present themselves in a simple search
Rich many thanks for the help
Chris

@rich o brien said:

That suggests an incorrect installation. Read the Installing plugins sticky...

http://sketchucation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=323&t=35746

Ive had a look through the instructions and im stuck almost instantly in that i dont have a plugins folder. Ive searched "computer" for all google sketchup 8 associated files and it only comes up with the .exe file. I have this version of pro through my university and im wondering if that has limited the capabilities? Im not very good with computers sorry, and thanks for the help once again
Chris

@rich o brien said:

go to Window > Preferences > Extensions and see if Extrude Tools is listed and checked/enabled

I've checked as you suggested but extrude is not in the list to be checked/enabled
Sorry to be a pain, thanks for your input
Chris

@rich o brien said:

Is it enabled under preferences?

Yes i believe plugins are enabled as there is a tab fro plugins between "window" and "help" at the top of the screen. But when i click on the plugin tab the dropdown only offers "cost" and there is no extrude sub heading. Any jelp much appreciated
Chris

Hi, ive downloaded and unzipped but nothing seems to have changed in sketchup, there doesnt appear to be a plugin menu. Can anyone help? Mnay thanks
Chris