Alright it's actually pretty simple. If anybody else needs the same thing here you go...

` toolbar = UI::Toolbar.new "TOOLBAR.NAME"

cmd = UI::Command.new("TOOLBAR.ITEM.NAME") { ###copy everything from the def you want to use here... ###call it... DEF.NAME.call() } cmd.small_icon = "PATH.TO.ICON" cmd.large_icon = "PATH.TO.ICON" cmd.tooltip = "POPUP.TEXT" cmd.status_bar_text = "TEXT" cmd.menu_text = "TEXT" toolbar = toolbar.add_item cmd toolbar.show`

@eric_erb said:

I'm sure there is a big hint in your reply to my post but I just don't know enough to discern what you're telling me.

No, I did not mean to say that. I replied to the wrong message - I should have tried more to answer the question. 😄

Itd be worth PMing Jim, i think he's looking for work at the moment, and he's certainly qualified to advise you on your project.

SOAP does look interesting but what I'm going for is having an interactive color choice system for all of our models and it seams like with SOAP it would have to be set up specific to each model and we just don't have the time to invest in setting up SOAP every time. furthermore, I need to supply the user with a list of eight color choices, not allow them an infinite number of choices. Thanks for the suggestion though

Well, I sent a confirming PM to Eric not too much after he posted this. I haven't heard back ever since.

@dan rathbun said:

@gruff said:

Can Ruby Scripts Accept a command line parameter on load?

Nope

@gruff said:

Does Sketchup have command line parameters itself that can load a Ruby Script?

sketchup.exe -RubyStartup script.rb
You many need paths:
Try adding the Sketchup program path to the %PATH% var,
then change working dir to the plugins folder where the script is located.

Not as they 'load' up but as an instance of them is started 'yes' - if you mean like MyTool.new(1,2,3) it's 'yes' just set the initialize method in the class to def initialize(arg0=0,arg1=,arg2=0) etc the =0 sets a default value for the arguments if they are not given.
Obviously methods take accept arguments a lot of the API does that... point.offset(vector, distance) where the Point3d method accepts one or two arguments...
If you want some code to run at startup of Sketchup then place it in a .rb script in Plugins that is auto-loaded and it will run - e.g. startupwithrubyconsole.rb containing the line require 'sketchup.rb';Sketchup.send_action("showRubyPanel:") will open the Ruby Console whenever Sketchup starts - pretty useless but just an example... or Sketchup.send_action("selectSelectionTool:") to change the default initial tool from the draw-line-tool to the select-tool...

Thank you. You know in hind sight that makes perfect sense. I guess the whole class in the def thing just though me. I am definitely not a programmer so when I see something I'm not used to seeing it throws me off. Thanks again

Man I thought python and Dynamo were hard. I even had a go at lisp but for some reason I cant get my head a round ruby. I like the code above but want to use the clean code but also just add in the layer names and leave the other ones alone. It seams that when I run this it converts all the layers in the model to Default and then the layer color had to be the same as the material name. I like the hash option but cant seem to get it to run on transparent materials and it only paints 1 side. any suggestions

P.S. I am bringing in a dwg (exported from Revit) with 20 or so layers and want to put all the layers to 1 color but windows I want them to be on Translucent Glass Gray

F.E. all layers to color 123_White except 0_EX_Glazing it needs to be on Translucent Glass Gray

Some of the issues

the import comes in as 1 group (with layers in the group) some of the groups come in the main group with groups within groups (doors and Door windows)
Objects come in with a material not defined (<auto1>)so a generic material must be placed on all the objects for the script to have a chance.

Thanks in advance