Universal Importer Plugin for SketchUp

Fork Information

Source Repository: SamuelTallet/SketchUp-Universal-Importer-Plugin

This is a fork of the original Universal Importer plugin with modifications for SketchUp 8 compatibility and removal of author-specific content.

Overview

Universal Importer (UIR) is a powerful SketchUp extension that enables importing various 3D model formats into SketchUp. This version has been specifically modified to work with SketchUp 8 and Ruby 1.8.6.

Supported Formats

The plugin supports importing the following 3D model formats:

• 3DS (3D Studio)
• DAE (Collada)
• DXF (AutoCAD)
• FBX (Autodesk)
• GLB/GLTF (Khronos Group)
• OBJ (Wavefront)
• PLY (Stanford)
• STL (Stereolithography)
• BLEND (Blender) - Note: Some .blend files may have compatibility issues with the included Assimp version

Installation

Manual Installation (SketchUp 8)

1. Extract the contents of the RBZ file
2. Copy the universal_importer folder to your SketchUp plugins directory:
   • Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google SketchUp 8\Plugins\
   • macOS: /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/plugins/

RBZ Installation (SketchUp 2017+)

1. Open SketchUp
2. Go to Window > Extension Manager
3. Click Install Extension and select the .rbz file

Modifications from Original

This fork includes the following changes from the original plugin:

Compatibility Fixes

• Full SketchUp 8 compatibility with Ruby 1.8.6
• Fixed __dir__ method compatibility issues
• Fixed File.exist? → File.exists? for Ruby 1.8.6
• Fixed private def syntax for Ruby 1.8.6
• Fixed .to_sym method compatibility
• Removed private_constant usage
• Fixed Sketchup.temp_dir compatibility
• Fixed network path handling for Assimp commands
• Fixed Dir.tmpdir compatibility
• Fixed File.write method compatibility
• Fixed start_with? method compatibility
• Fixed lines method compatibility

Content Removal

• Removed donate functionality and popups
• Removed "Get Help or Report a Bug" menu item
• Removed "Plugins of Same Author" menu item
• Removed all author-specific content and references

Changelog from Original Plugin

Version 1.2.6 (Original)

• Improved error handling
• Enhanced translation support
• Various bug fixes

Version 1.2.5 (Original)

• Added support for additional file formats
• Improved texture handling
• Enhanced user interface

Version 1.2.4 (Original)

• Fixed memory leaks
• Improved import performance
• Added batch processing capabilities

Version 1.2.3 (Original)

• Enhanced Collada support
• Improved polygon reduction algorithm
• Added mesh optimization features

Version 1.2.2 (Original)

• Fixed texture mapping issues
• Improved OBJ import compatibility
• Enhanced error reporting

Version 1.2.1 (Original)

• Initial public release
• Basic import functionality for multiple formats
• Polygon reduction tool

Usage

1. Import a 3D Model:

   • Go to File > Import with Universal Importer...
   • Select your 3D model file
   • Configure import settings as needed

2. Polygon Reduction:

   • Use the toolbar button to reduce polygon count
   • Enter target face number when prompted

3. Texture Management:

   • The plugin automatically handles texture mapping
   • Missing textures can be claimed through the plugin menu

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. "No such file or directory" errors:

   • Ensure the plugin directory has proper write permissions
   • Check that temporary directories are accessible

2. .blend file import issues:

   • Some Blender files may not be compatible with the included Assimp version
   • Try exporting to OBJ or FBX format from Blender first

3. SketchUp 8 compatibility:

   • This version is specifically modified for SketchUp 8
   • Some advanced features may be limited compared to newer SketchUp versions

System Requirements

• SketchUp 8 or newer (primary target: SketchUp 8)
• Windows XP/Vista/7 or macOS 10.6+
• Sufficient RAM for 3D model processing

License

This plugin is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0). See the LICENSE file for complete details.

Contributing

As this is a fork focused on SketchUp 8 compatibility, contributions should maintain backward compatibility with Ruby 1.8.6 and SketchUp 8.

Disclaimer

This software is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Users are responsible for testing the plugin with their specific models and workflow requirements.