[Plugin] Simple Plugin Installer

[thomthom]

Overview
SketchUp's "Install Extension" button only allows .RBZ files, and you have to navigate through several clicks to get to the button.

As someone who often installs plugin I wanted an easier and more flexible method which resulted in this small and simple utility to make it easier to install .RBZ, .ZIP packages. It also let you pick .RB files which will be copied to the Plugins folder. (Note, this feature has not been tested under systems with limited access, so it might fail - where the user will see an error message.)

Version 1.1.0
Added guard against VirtualStore under Windows. See this thread for more info on VirtualStore: viewtopic.php?f=180&t=48399

 Installing RBZ File 

WindowPreferences.png

InstallExtension.png

SelectFile.png

For more information on installing plugins: http://www.thomthom.net/thoughts/2012/0 ... -sketchup/

Access
Plugins > Install

SimpleInstaller.png

Features

• ZIP Package
  Allows for installation of .ZIP files as if they where .RBZ files.
• RBZ Package
  Does the same as SketchUp's "Install Extension" button.
• RB File
  Copies selected .rb file to the Plugins folder.
  ( As reported by Sketchup.find_support_file('Plugins') )
• RBS File 1.0.3
  Copies selected .rbs file to the Plugins folder.
• Open Extension Manager
  Simply opens the Extension page under SketchUp's Preferences window.

Requirements

• SketchUp 8M2 or newer

Download

Footprint

<Sketchup>/Plugins/
+-

tt_simple_installer.rb

[mitcorb]

Hi, thomthom:
This looks good. I hope to try it out as I eventually move to Sketchup8...and I will.

[TIG]

Thanks thomthom ! This a very good idea.

However, if I rename your script with a leading '!', which is so that it loads very early and thereby puts the new submenu item at the start of the Plugins menu list, I find that it fails to load - with an error message at startup.
This is because the module 'TT' has not [yet] been defined: however, some later installed 'tt_' tools require 'TT_Lib2/core.rb' that will then define it; so it works if it's left with its original name, because it loads after those, BUT of course then it's submenu item is buried in the rest of the Plugins list.
This means that your new tool needs 'TT_Lib2' [and it would therefore benefit from a require 'TT_Lib2/core.rb' being added to it] - BUT currently the download page doesn't say this or have a link to get it...
OR [better I think] you could to redefine the module so it is independent of 'TT' - naming it say 'module TT_SimpleInstaller' ? [I don't think it uses any of the TT_Lib_2's functions anyway ?]

Currently I've renamed the module this way and added the '!' to the start of the file name and it works well.

[thomthom]

Ah! That's a silly bug!

I'll fix that asap! Done!

[thomthom]

If only the Ruby API wasn't so limited...

I'd ideally like to be able to select multiple files and/or folders. Also wish the file pattern filter wasn't bugged so one could combine multiple file patterns...

[thomthom]

Idea... ...using HTML5, a webdialog can act as a drop pad for files. Just dump a selection of files, rbz, zip or plain rb files and install in bulk!!

[Dave R]

Thomas, this is a great idea! Is it possible for the plugin to also run load"plugin_name.rb" after copying the file and installing it into the Plugins folder?

[thomthom]

Thomas, this is a great idea! Is it possible for the plugin to also run load"plugin_name.rb" after copying the file and installing it into the Plugins folder?

Capital idea ol' chum!

[Jim]

Idea... ...using HTML5, a webdialog can act as a drop pad for files. Just dump a selection of files, rbz, zip or plain rb files and install in bulk!!

Yep, but it would make a better stand-alone "Drop Pad" plugin that can dispatch various file types to user-configurable plugins.

[thomthom]

Idea... ...using HTML5, a webdialog can act as a drop pad for files. Just dump a selection of files, rbz, zip or plain rb files and install in bulk!!

Yep, but it would make a better stand-alone "Drop Pad" plugin that can dispatch various file types to user-configurable plugins.

You mean being able to configure what plugin to handle what fileformat?

[Jim]

Yeah, but the downside is that the plugins that handle the file types would likely all need modified to handle the Drop Pad dispatcher.

[thomthom]

Well, it won't be doable until IE10 is released anyway...

[thomthom]

Yeah, but the downside is that the plugins that handle the file types would likely all need modified to handle the Drop Pad dispatcher.

hm... you meant for the pad to dispatch to existing plugins...?

[john2]

any plans to further advance this into a full fledged plugin manager that allows u to uninstall plugins too?

[thomthom]

any plans to further advance this into a full fledged plugin manager that allows u to uninstall plugins too?

Nope! It's too big of a project - I have too many other projects on my hand. But Dana is working such a manager.

[john2]

any plans to further advance this into a full fledged plugin manager that allows u to uninstall plugins too?

Nope! It's too big of a project - I have too many other projects on my hand. But Dana is working such a manager.

where's that plugin any idea

[thomthom]

It is under development - along side with a plugin repository.

[irwanwr]

Requirements
SketchUp 8M2 or newer - ( Other versions untested )

oops...

[john2]

It is under development - along side with a plugin repository.

no beta version ..link 4 download??

[Dave R]

Just relax. It'll be available when it is available.

[thomthom]

It is under development - along side with a plugin repository.

no beta version ..link 4 download??

Keep an eye on this site: http://www.extendsketchup.com/

As Dave said - it's done when it's done. He's working on it along side his full time job - like I do. Making it very hard to promise a deadline. (It's hard even if it is your full time job any way... )

[thomthom]

Hmm.... IE10 might not come until Windows8 is out... I hope it comes earlier - as I think Windows 8 comes late this year.

[guanjin]

Hmm.... IE10 might not come until Windows8 is out... I hope it comes earlier - as I think Windows 8 comes late this year.

Really good, but can not load the RB file, tried many, will not work!

[Dave R]

Really good, but can not load the RB file, tried many, will not work!

That's mostly useless if you're asking for help. You have given nothing for anyone to help you with. Go back to the first post and make sure you've installed the plugin so it shows as described under "Footprint"

Footprint

<Sketchup>/Plugins/
+-

tt_simple_installer.rb

If you don't get it to work, post a screen shot of your Plugins directory or give something useful so you can be helped.

[thomthom]

Hmm.... IE10 might not come until Windows8 is out... I hope it comes earlier - as I think Windows 8 comes late this year.

Really good, but can not load the RB file, tried many, will not work!

As Dave said, you need to be more spesific. How did you try to "load" the plugin? And what "doesn't work"? Unexpected behaviour? Errors? Menu items not found?

[guanjin]

Hmm.... IE10 might not come until Windows8 is out... I hope it comes earlier - as I think Windows 8 comes late this year.

Really good, but can not load the RB file, tried many, will not work!

As Dave said, you need to be more spesific. How did you try to "load" the plugin? And what "doesn't work"? Unexpected behaviour? Errors? Menu items not found?

RB can not import files??Thank you!

lllll.gif

[TIG]

Guanjin
Read what it says about non-ASCII characters in file-paths...
Ruby's 'File' tools [in Sketchup's v1.8~] can't accept UTF-8 characters... like in your Chinese!

[guanjin]

Guanjin
Read what it says about non-ASCII characters in file-paths...
Ruby's 'File' tools [in Sketchup's v1.8~] can't accept UTF-8 characters... like in your Chinese!

Most use UTF - 8 characters! !
TIG welcomes you to China, I will entertain you

[thomthom]

Most use UTF - 8 characters! !

Unfortunately this is a limitation due to the Ruby version SketchUp use. There is nothing we(plugin developers) can do. It needs to be addressed by Google

[tomasz]

Most use UTF - 8 characters! !

Unfortunately this is a limitation due to the Ruby version SketchUp use. There is nothing we(plugin developers) can do. It needs to be addressed by Google

It can be done through a C/C++ extension. I have it in mind to create such a 'library', but I am currently too busy to invest my time in it.
SU2Thea can save/read files containing non-ASCII characters in their paths/filenames.