New to Learning Ruby for SketchUp

[DanRathbun]

To use the SketchUp Ruby API, one must learn standard Ruby first.

The SketchUp Ruby API is just an extension to Ruby that adds modules and classes that interface with SketchUp.

@dbehrensrevit

First, I need a Ruby mentor. Any volunteers?

There are many books and tutorials, available online for free, as well as innumerable Ruby programming books for sale. You can spend 50 dollars on a good programming Ruby book that explains more than you’ll ever need to know, or pay someone like me 50 dollars an hour to teach you a few basic things that will only scratch the surface.
What do think is better? << rhetorical question

To this end, and because this is such a common question, … I created a (“sticky”) pinned topic in this (Developers > Ruby API) category:

• Ruby Learning Resources [WikiLists]

@dbehrensrevit

O.k. it took me almost three hours to find/fiqure out, (guess at) from the SketchUp Ruby API and searching the Ruby API Community this line of code.

FYI, the SketchUp Ruby API Documentation is a programming dictionary (aka reference,) not a tutorial, nor a learning document. (It is not the owner of SketchUp’s job or responsibility to teach programming.) So, beware of the sample code in the API docs, they are notorious for typos, mistakes and often are a frivolous example of what the method does.

@dbehrensrevit

And it wasn’t in the Automatic Sketchup book.

That book really needs to be updated. It’s old. (The original edition examples does not follow shared environment best practices, such as module wrapping.)

I never suggest reading that book first. Always suggest the good ol’ “Pick Axe” book on standard Ruby, ie “Programming Ruby - The Pragmatic Programmer’s Guide” first.