Tips to Install Plugins for SketchUp

If you want to enhance the functionality of the SketchUp, then get downloading plugins! Plugins, also called ‘Ruby Scripts’, are the part of ruby code. Keep in mind their purpose. You will have to first decide on which plugins you want to download and integrate with SketchUp. After choosing the right plugin, go to the relevant web page for that particular plugin to download it.

On every plugin page, there is a link to download the plugin, for example: ‘To Download the file Click Here’. There will be a .rb file, and by right clicking on it you will get the message ‘Save Link As’ or ‘Save Target As’. This message is for saving the plugin to your computer. After saving the file, name the file in the ‘Save’ menu. You may change the name of the plugin according to your wish. But never change the extension which is .rb for all SketchUp plugins.

You can find the default location of the Plugins folder on a Windows computer by double-clicking "My Computer" and choosing "Local Disk," "Program Files," "Google," "Google SketchUp 7" and "Plugins." 

The default location of the folder on a Mac can be found by clicking "Macintosh HD," "Library," "Application Support," "Google SketchUp 7" and "SketchUp."

For SketchUp 6 and higher on PCs, the path will be something like:
C:\Program Files\Google\Google SketchUp 6\Plugins\
(replace the '6' with the corresponding version of SketchUp you are using)

For SketchUp 6 and higher on Macs, the path will be something like:
Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 6/SketchUp/ 
(replace the '6' with the corresponding version of SketchUp you are using)

After saving the file to your computer move that file into the SketchUp Plugins folder. Once the script is saved in the correct location, it will load automatically the next time you start SketchUp.

TIP: When downloading a plugin .zip file, save it to your Desktop or My Documents folder, or another convenient location.  Then open the .zip file and drag the entire contents to your Plugins folder.  The reason for this is that .zip files often have subfolders which are essential for the plugins to work correctly.

After completing the installation, click on ‘Plugins’ or the ‘Tool’ menu to locate and use your plugins in SketchUp. Many SketchUp plugin developers prefer to put their plugins into the Tools ‘Menu’ instead of ‘Plugins’ menu like Joint Push Pull, Make Faces and many other Plugins. So you have to check all the menus to find out the new features. You will find some plugins like PageExIm.rb in the ‘View’ menu. Sometimes you have to activate them under ‘Window’ then ’Preferences’ and finally ‘Extensions’.

To discover which ‘Menu’ the plugin may appear in, you have to open the zipped .rb script file you downloaded. There usually is an extra file with the description of it and installation instructions (sometimes even a pdf!) which some plugin developers include.

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Published By

Arka Roy

www.sketchup-ur-space.com

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Instant Roof – a wonderful aid to SketchUp

Though drawing a house in SketchUp is not at all a tedious work, but some times it becomes easier than ever getting help from other software. Instant Roof is something like that which helps you to end the 3D modeling in SketchUp faster. This cool plug in is easy to use in every sphere from installation to execution.

Instant Roof is a wonderful creation of SketchUp Ruby Script by Chuck Vali of Vali Architect. With the help of the Instant Roof, you can create various types of Roof for your models of the house instantly. When you use it, you’ll be able to easily create hips, sheds, trellises, and gables wherever you need them.

With the help of this software, drawing roof is not the only easy task – the installation, learning as well as execution all are easy enough. You just have pop one file in to your plug in folder and you set to use this plug in. The software comes with the wonderful easy to understand pdf file from where you can easily understand all the tips and tricks of Instant Roof. Along with that, a bunch of useful videos are there in their website which helps you to be a master in this tool instantly. The website help section is also very useful.

The most important attribute of the Instant Roof is the quick productivity. For a organized plug in menu, you don’t need to memorize the names of each and every small button and can do your drawing without any hassle. The input method for telling the script where to put gables and sheds couldn't be simpler.

The main attributes of the Instant Roof are:
• Create a complex roof in seconds - just select faces and edges; then run Instant Roof.
• Hip, gable, shed, dutch-gable, mansard, plantation, gambrel, open-trellis, combined, more...
• Eave types: boxed-in, exposed, soffited
• Hips and rafters with customizable ends
• Fascia, fascia-trim, ridge and hip tiles, shingles, or sheet-metal
• Complete mission tile or standing-seam roof
• Use default roof styles - or create your own
• Export and Import user defined roof styles
• Choose any unit type supported by Sketchup: Metric- angles for slope or Feet/ inches - ratio for slope
• Upgrade to Pro version for more roof slopes (The free version will only create the following roof slopes: 1/8:12 (0.6 degrees) ; 2:12 (9.5 degrees) ; 6:12 (26.6 degrees) ; 16:12 (53 degrees) or 24:12 (63 degrees).


In the Instant Roof there are a number of different roof styles that are really just preset combinations of different parameters you can play around with. That means the possibilities are endless! You can modify the preset roofs to create eaves, fascia, rafters, and slopes. Every feature is completely adjustable. In addition to that, you will also be able to select a few different roof details like shingles, standing seams, sheet metal, and tile.

There are two versions of Instant Roof; the free version and the Pro avaiulable. The Pro version gives you a bit more when it comes to roof slopes and other features, but if you’re not doing serious work, you can have a lot of fun with the free version. The Pro version will run you about $39.