Getting 1.6.1 driver to work on Google Sketchup 8

[threedeenewbee]

Hi all. I recently bought a spacenavigator after seeing it demo'd on a youtube video. Much to my chagrin the driver would not work with my brand new Mac running OS X (10.6.4) and Google Sketchup 8. After two nights of reading message board postings to find an answer to no avail, I tried something that actually worked. I apologize in advance if this has been posted somewhere else, but as I mentioned, I couldn't find a resolution to the problem on the message boards. I tried the reinstalling the driver first then sketchup and vice versa, and activating the ruby extension, as described on various forums. After much tinkering, here is how I got my driver to work.

1. Install Google Sketchup version 6. It is available at http://dl.google.com/sketchup/gsu6/PM101494ENA.dmg
Use the trial 8 hour period option.

2. Launch Sketchup 6. Go to SketchUp > Preferences > Extensions and check Ruby Script Examples.

3. Quit Sketchup

4. Install the Spacenavigator 1.6.1 driver.

5. Open the System Preferences > 3DConnexion Configuration Panel. Click on Configure > Install Plug-ins. Follow the installation instructions using default values.

6. Re-open Sketchup 6. The plugins window should appear, the spacenavigator should work, and there should be a 3dxSketchup option in the plug-ins menu. At this point, the spacenavigator should work and respond to options set in the plug-ins menu as well as those set in the system preferences panel. After verifying this, close Sketchup 6.

7. Download and install Google SketchUp 8 from Google's website. Repeat steps 2 and 3 but use Sketchup version 8 instead of 6.

8. Open a finder window. Browse to Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Google Sketchup 6 > Sketchup > plugins. There should be two files there named3DxSketchUp.bundle.plugin and 3DxSketchUp.rb Select and drag these two files to the desktop.

9. Browse to Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Google Sketchup 8 > Sketchup > plugins. Drag the two files from the desktop into this folder.

10. Launch Sketchup 8. The spacenavigator should work, and the 3dxSketchUp should exist in the plugins menu for customization options along with those found in System Preferences.

11. Uninstall Sketchup 6 as you would for any other Mac application.

If this saves only one person the aggravation I went through over the last two days, then it was worth my time to post. Hope this helps!

[Fred]

Nice job

The programmers are still working on the Beta for the MAC havent gotten any heads up for release.

The above steps have been confirmed by 3 End users who have contacted the helpdesk.

Fred

[germde]

I was able to just drag the plugin's in from:

Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Google Sketchup 7 > Sketchup > plugins

to:

Macintosh HD > Library > Application Support > Google Sketchup 8 > Sketchup > plugins

and restart SketchUP 8 pro.

[stanick]

installed sketchup 6 still can not find the plugins folder. Can some email me the plugin files? or is there another way to solve this now?

[Fred]

Follow these steps:
1) Create a directory called /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/plugins ;
2) Run the 3DxMacWare installer;
3) Copy 3DxSketchUp.bundle.plugin and 3DxSketchUp.rb from /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/plugins to /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 8/SketchUp/plugins ;
4) Delete /Library/Application Support/Google SketchUp 7/SketchUp/plugins ;
5) Start SU8

Thank You,
Fred

[srpm]

This work around worked perfectly for me.

Cheers