[Plugin] Archiver.rb - update

[TIG]

Hi TIG,

Another brilliant ruby script from the brilliant mind.
I'm going to add this gem to pushpullbar's Ruby Index, so let me clarify a couple of things before I do that.

1. Should I have the link few posts above as the "definite" version of archiver.rb for now? Can I request Didier Bur to update your archiver.rb in Ruby Library Depot to the above version? It doesn't look like Didier had time to update the site for quite some time.
2. I always thought "_" is more common (less problematic) divider than "-" in file names, is there any specific reason you chose "-" as a default divider?

Thanks in advance.

v1.7 is the best one - link to that. Didier can add v1.7 if he wants to...
It's easy to change the separators - edit the file and make sep="_" or whatever text you want that's allowed in filenames. The only advantage is that in the filename "model[yy-mm-dd_hh-mm-ss].skp" the date and time are more easily read separated by the _. You could even use sep="" and get "model[090407_072210].skp"... It's easily adjustable to suit your own whims...

[takesh h]

Thanks for explanation, that makes whole a lot of sense.
I'll forward the link to Didier Bur.

[takesh h]

TIG,

It's online now.
http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/ruby- ... post146070
If there is anything wrong with my review, please don't hesitate to tell me.
Thanks a bunch.

[Jeff Hammond]

just reporting back after a week or so of using archiver.

this plugin is awesome!

thanks again TIG.

[TIG]

Glad its useful...

If anyone else has any feedback (even critical !) please let me know...

[Jim]

Glad its useful...

If anyone else has any feedback (even critical !) please let me know...

What happens if you open an archived model, then use archiver again? Does the date-stamped filename get longer, or does the date-stamp get updated?

Also, a good option may be to have a "branch" option. Branching would prompt for a new filename and save the model under that name. A branch might be used to experiment with variations in a model, then allow to switch back and forth between branches.

Personally, I have turned off SketchUp Auto-save and am in the habit of hitting Ctrl-s (save) to save the model. So, maybe it could be tied to the built-in Model > Save through the onSaveModel ModelObserver.

Just thoughts - I would consider it an essential plugin as it is. Thanks.

[TIG]

If you open an archive and modify it and then archive it you will get another date-time stamp added to the end of its name, in another Archives folder within the original Archives folder... I'd recommend copying archives rather than using them direct since saving alterations overwrites the earlier version. That way you know which version of the model you are working on but keep the original archive unchanged... You can always open an archive and save_as Model-Option-B etc...

Your 'branch' option is called 'design options' in Revit... At the moment you will need to save as a number of models and archive each as desired... Your 'Archiver+Option' would archive the current Model.skp make /Archives/Model[yy-mm-dd_hh-mm-ss].skp and then open a save_as dialog with suggested incremented option name - e.g. Model[Option-01].skp - you could always change what's inside the []. Work on that version and make archives etc as usual. Then perhaps you decide that you want to explore another variant... pick 'Archiver+Option' again - it then spots the [] on end of the name and suggests a save_as with an incremented name - e.g. Model[Option-02].skp etc etc... Option-01 to Option-99 would be the typical range...

I'll see what I can clobber together... watch this space...

[Jim]

Well, as I said these are just ideas from a casual user, and things I don't strictly "need." Maybe some power-users can give more input.

[TIG]

Here's v1.8

It now has an extra menu option 'Archive Option'.
This archives the file and then gives you a 'save_as' dialog -
with the default new option's file-name entered as "Model[Option-01].skp" ..-02] etc.
This 'option' 'number' is based on the highest value option found in the model's folder.
You can overwrite an existing file if desired (you will be warned 1st).
The current active model-window now opens with the latest option you have just saved.
If you save a model as an 'option', then to be recognised as such it should have its name in the format "Model[Option-nn].skp" - it must have the surrounding "[..]" and a separating "-" between the number and any text; the string "Option" could be set in the save_as dialog to say something else, BUT since new options always use "[Option-nn]" anyway it's recommended to leave it unchanged.

Please test and feedback...

[TIG]

Here's v1.9
Minor change to 'Archive Option' - the original model is now saved immediately before it is archived and then saved as an Option.

Usage:

Pick 'Archiver' to make an archive copy of the current model.
It saves the model (in its current state) into a sub-folder
within the model's folder called 'Archives'. It's named with
a [suffix] - date (yy-mm-dd_hh-mm-ss),
e.g. Model[09-12-18_12-34-56].skp.
The separators can be customized from '-' to '_' etc,
just change one line - sep="-" to sep="_" etc...
If later on you don't save the main model with those changes
then that archive copy still has those changes current at the
time of the archiving.

If there is an 'Archives' folder then an extra 'File' menu
item is added - "Open Archives"...

'Archive Option' is an additional function that saves the model as it
stands - say 'Model.skp' - then it makes an archive of it - say
'Model[09-04-16_12-25-05].skp' and then opens a 'save_as' dialog in
which it will have preset the next available unused Option name - say
'Model[Option-01].skp' - which you are prompted to save_as: you can
choose to overwrite an earlier option if desired - if so you are
warned about overwriting it. The Options are kept in the same folder
as the original. It is recommended that you do not change the naming
convention... The model is then saved. The current SketchUp window
then shows this latest Option.
Options can be archived in the same way as other models - in the
example above the archive's name might then be
'Model[Option-01][09-04-16_12-30-55].skp'...
If you subsequently use 'Archive Option' on an 'Option' itself it then
names the new Option with the next available free Option name - in
this case it would 'Model[Option-02].skp' and the process repeats...
It uses the [-] characters as separators so don't change the Option's
name if you want it to be recognised as one by 'Archive Option'.

Feedback please...

[Jeff Hammond]

i'm not sure if i'm using 1.9 properly but here's what i'm getting...

it works the same as 1.7 in that if i select file->archiver, a archive will be created in a new folder inside the main model's folder.. file->open archives will allow me to search through/open files in the archive folder..
everything is fine there..

now,
if i select file->archive option it works exactly the same as when i use file->archiver except i now have a .tmp (ex- 1239979595.tmp) file saved in the main model's folder. no dialogs or options etc..

[TIG]

Sounds like a Mac problem [again]. Works fine on PC. Please run it with the Ruby Console open and report the error you get. The .tmp file is made so that the original and newly named copy can swap over - that's failing...

[Jeff Hammond]

here's the error message:

Error: #<Errno::ENOENT: No such file or directory - \Users\jethro\Desktop\ARCHIVER_TEST\>
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/Tools/Archiver.rb:214:in `open'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/Tools/Archiver.rb:214:in `entries'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/Tools/Archiver.rb:214:in `option'
/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/Tools/Archiver.rb:255

that is after i have a model folder (ARCHIVER_TEST) with a couple of archives saved (they are in a folder created by the ruby called 'Archives' which resides inside the main folder.

it's looking like \ vs. / again?

[TIG]

It was \ versus / ! I suspected it - I have made an error in one step in the sub-routine for 'option'. I have just redone all of the path bits to ensure PC/Mac compatibility...

Here's v2.0 - it works OK on my PC AND should now work on your Mac too...

Sorry for the problem - I don't have access to a Mac to test this, so please report back...

[Jeff Hammond]

ok, that fixed it..

i only had a quick look at it as i'm about to leave for the day but it looks like there will only be one archives folder created now and i can view all the files related to the main folder via 'Open Archives'.

is that correct? if so, i like it!

i'll be able to check it out more thoroughly tonight but it's looking like a nice improvement.

thanks

[Tobobo]

Thanks TIG