Sketchup registry key ?

[Didier Bur]

Hi all,
I have to build an automatic installer (setup) for a plugin and was searching for the registry key of the install folder of Google Sketchup.
I've browsed the registry with regedit but found nothing.
Anyone knows where it is (if it exists) ?
Scott, you should know that !
Thanks in advance,

[thomthom]

Sketchup before version 7 didn't have such a registry key.

But the SU7 key can be found in HKLM\Software\Google\Google Sketchup 7\InstallLocation

[thomthom]

On my Windows7 64bit it's HKLM\Software\Wow6432Node\Google\Google Sketchup 7\InstallLocation

[thomthom]

However, for SU6, you might be able to detect the installation path by checking the registry for the .skp file association.

[ScottLininger]

Hey Didier,

I don't know the answer to that off the top of my head. Let me know if you have any trouble with Thom's answer and I'll ask the experts (not me!)

This would be a good addition to the FAQ section of the documentation site. I'll add a note to get this done...

Cheers,

[Didier Bur]

Thanks all,
OK for SU7, but my installer must work for SU6 as well.
The key for skp file association doesn't give any info on where the soft is installed.
And the key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Google SketchUp 6\6.4.112
has an 'undefined value'.
I've checkeed other softs (Google Earth, Google Updater, Google Desktop...) and they all have a key named "installdir".
Please Scott, would you like to ask the experts, please ?

[ScottLininger]

From Steve P., our installer expert:

For SU6:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE \Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\\Uninstall\{98736A65-3C79-49EC-B7E9-A3C77774B0E6}\InstallLocation

For SU7:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Google SketchUp 7\InstallLocation

Cheers,

[Matt666]

I confirm I have this key for SU6 on my computer.

[Didier Bur]

1000 thanks

[fizgig]

Does anyone have any tips for making a ruby script installer for windows? I need to be able to copy a directory to the c:\ and then copy a loader script into the plugins folder.

[TIG]

There are lots of free apps out there to do this for you...

[fizgig]

Not sure why my first pass at searching here came up dry. Must have misspelled something. Anyhow, this post seems very interesting: viewtopic.php?f=180&t=11338&p=78374&hilit=+installer#p78374

[tomasz]

Does anyone know how recognize which SU version is installed on MAC?
I want to find out a folder where install a plugin to.

[Chris Fullmer]

Which do you want? The SU version number or the path to the plugins folder?

[tomasz]

Which do you want? The SU version number or the path to the plugins folder?

I want to build a dmg installer and want to figure out what versions of SU are installed on a system.
So essentially I want both, please.

[Dan Rathbun]

Does anyone have any tips for making a ruby script installer for windows? I need to be able to copy a directory to the c:\ and then copy a loader script into the plugins folder.

Fiz, 99% of users HATE (and don't want,) software installed in the root directory of our boot drives!

Plugins should be usually be installed in a subfolder of Plugins. (If it's a stanalone plugin that adds some functionality to Sketchup, such as a tool or report generator.)

IF it's an 'behind the scenes' enhancement used by MANY plugins, (which would not appear on a menu,) it might go in a subfolder of another Sketchup folder such as Tools (in order to prevent menu building scripts from putting it on a menu.) BUT in this case, you should ask the user to confirm or specify a different folder (as some users also HATE non-Google scripts down in the Tools folder heirarchy.)

[thomthom]

Ditto that - don't want things installed in my C: root.

[tomasz]

I want to build a dmg installer and want to figure out what versions of SU are installed on a system.

Will checking whether a folder "/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 6 (or 7)/SketchUp" exists be enough?

[Chris Fullmer]

I don't tihnk so. I think they can change their installation path.

There is a registry type setting that gets put in place for them that keeps track of where they installed their SU. You mgiht need to get Google involved since no one else seems to have this info off the top of their head. Butyou should just be able to check their plist or registry or whatever it is called for the SU directories, and install into whichever you want.

Chris

[TIG]

Does anyone know how recognize which SU version is installed on MAC?
I want to find out a folder where install a plugin to.

The version is obtained using:

Sketchup.version
Gets the current version of Sketchup in decimal form.
Returns:
the decimal form of the version
OR
Sketchup.version_number
Get the current version of Sketchup as a whole number for comparisons.

The Plugins path is obtained using:

Sketchup.find_support_file
The find_support_files method is used to retrieve the relative path and name of a file within the SketchUp installation directory.
Forward slashes must be used to delimit between directory names.
Arguments:
filename
Name of the filename you want to find.
directory
(optional) directory relative to the SketchUp installation directory.
Returns:
path
Example:
the entire path if successful. If unsuccessful, the method returns false.
help_file=Sketchup.find_support_file("help.html","Plugins/")
OR
Sketchup.find_support_files
The find_support_files method is used to retrieve the relative path and name of all matching files within the SketchUp installation directory.
Forward slashes must be used to delimit between directory names.
Arguments:
filename
Name of the filename you want to find.
directory
(optional) directory relative to the SketchUp installation directory.
Returns:
array
an array of files. If unsuccessful, the method returns false.
Example
array=Sketchup.find_support_files("filename","directory")

What's making this so complicated ???

[Chris Fullmer]

Its for an installer, not a ruby script I think.

[TIG]

Aaahhh...

[filcole]

I used WiX (http://wix.sourceforge.net) to create an MSI installer for Sketchup. It can detect the registry setting HKLM\Software\Google\Google Sketchup 7\InstallLocation and install the plugin in the plugins sub-folder.

WiX is a pain in the arse to learn and use, but it's the only open source installer that creates MSIs that I could find.

[Jim]

What is a MSI, how it it different/better than what is made by Inno for example?

Installing Ruby scripts in most cases is simply a matter of copying files to the correct location, and possibly registering an uninstaller. It has always been hard for me to justify creating a half-meg installer (or more) for a plug-in that is a few Kb. (Although a meg is not as big as it used to be.)

Does there exist some sort of .zip installer?

[tomasz]

I have already created Win installer using NSIS. It reads SU installation locations from the registry. It has small overhead over compressed data size (34 KB with default options).

Thanks TIG for such a comprehensive explanation, but I need it for an installer.

I want to let a MAC user chose for which already installed SU version have my plugin added.

[Dan Rathbun]

Does there exist some sort of .zip installer?

As I recall, WinZip could create self-extracing archives (.exe extension,) with a 'suggested destination folder'. When run, a confirm dialog popus up, allowing the user to override with a browse button, or simply edit the destination path in the edit control box.
Still in use today, but I believe is a pay WinZip Pro version that only will do this.

Cabinet files (.CAB) are free and native to Windows, I believe at least the extract exe is installed on all Win32 machines; the cab maker (filename slips my mind,) is in the SupportTools package. BTW, MSIs use cab by default I believe.

[Dan Rathbun]

What is a MSI, how it it different/better than what is made by Inno for example?

An 'MSI' is a nickname used for Microsoft Installer packages, the acronym for THE Microsoft Installer (aka the Windows Installer,) and also the file extension of the MS Installer database that is created with the MSI. These databases you will have seen with numbered filenames, are placed in the %SystemRoot%\Installer (hidden) folder.
The MSI can also create .MSP files, which are Windows Installer Patch files.

Different: I downloaded the MSI SDK a few years ago, and started to learn it, but after a half hour, I gave up. It is extrememly complex (or perhaps it's Microsoft's way of confusing documentation and terminology.) It does not have package wizards like Inno. You have to use setup style scripts, and multiple tools (it's a multistep process.)

I looked at some of the install package applications out there such as the Wise Installer and InstallShield, but the price was in outerspace! (like thousands of dollars.)

I intend, if I have a complex package, to use Inno.
I downloaded a SketchupInstaller.iss template for Inno, that looks so simple, I just am itchin' to try it out.

Yes, the Nullsoft NSIS is an alternative.