Can't find folders in Explorer

I am going to download some materials and textures but I can not find the folders in Explorer that are shown in the Preferences Dialog. I want to put them in the proper folder so they show up in the Materials folder of the Default tray. They have to be there some where. Does this make sense? SketchUp Preferences

The App Data folder is hidden by default. You can set it to be visible in the Windows Explorer. Select your username in the side bar of the Explorer and then under view, tick the box to show Hidden items.

Are the materials already in the right format for SketchUp?

An easy way to get to the AppData folder without changing your settings is to click on the Start button, type %appdata% and press Enter. The same goes for the other special folders like ProgramData.

I do go to that folder but I see nothing there. Not like the folders listed in the Materials Tray. (See attached Screen Capture)

Materials Tray.png

When in the AppData>Roaming>Sketchup>Sketchup20XX>Sketchup>
One must drill down, once you enter the last folder the Materials, components folders will be visible.

The User/App Data…SketchUp/Materials folder is intended to only contain material files you add. The native folders you show are stored elsewhere. You can make subfoldersin your Materials folder if you like. I have sub folders for things like Wood, Fabrics, and other things. Then in my Wood folder I divide it by species so I have Cherry, Oak, Walnut, Teak, etc.

I followed that path Dave, and I see nothing. What am I doing wrong here?

And by the way, I only live 40 miles from Windom. My son lives in Windom.

I tried that, but the folder I added didn’t show the image file I placed in it.

Nothing’s wrong with that folder. Unless you add materials to that folder, you shouldn’t expect to see anything there. Like I said the OEM materials are stored in a different location. Here’s mine. All of these folders are of my doing.
Screenshot - 5_4_2020 , 8_13_17 PM

The OEM folders are in Program Data. You don’t want to add your custom materials there, though. If you put your custom materials in Program Data instead of User/App Data, you risk losing them if SketchUp overwrites the Materials folder if you do a repair or update. SketchUp can’t overwrite the User/App Data folders.
Screenshot - 5_4_2020 , 8_14_29 PM

My friend lives near Currie.

Go back to the preferences folder look at the files window and look at the little folder to the right of the materials path. Click on it. Explorer should take you to the folder, note the path. If you want to change it to the APPdata folder, ok. I have mine all saved in the My Documents folder\Sketchup \materials etc. This way they get picked up easily in my backup strategy.
Does this help? Click on the arrow, it should take you to the folder you have designated for saving.

Thanks again Dave, How do I remove the listing at the bottom of this listing in the picture? Do all your folders show up in the Materials tray? How do you get them to do that?

The folders in the User/App Data folder will show automatically if that’s what you have set up for the Materials location in Preferences. You can see the folders from mine, above in the drop down.
Screenshot - 5_4_2020 , 8_37_15 PM

To eliminate the folder from the list, you need to find where you put it and delete it. I deleted the one called mymats which I’d made in a lesson with a student. Then I reopened SketchUp and it’s gone.
Screenshot - 5_4_2020 , 8_42_19 PM

Did you copy all the OEM materials into your folders? And then set your file path in preferences to your Documents/Sketchup/ materials folders. I’ll try this out. Thanks a whole lot for your help.

No. I don’t touch the OEM folders. Those showed up automatically. I always leave my custom SketchUp materials, styles, and components in the User/App Data folders and by default those are the locations set in Preferences so I don’t have to bother with setting those.

FWIW, I’ve never been a fan of putting the User’s Materials folder into My Documents although it does have the benefit that when you upgrade to SU2021 you only need to point SketchUp to that folder using the file locations in Preferences. Instead, I copy the folders from the previous version’s User/ App Data folders to the new one. I can do Materials, Components, and Styles all at the same time as I copy my templates.

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Once again, Dave, many, many thanks for the help you gave me. I think I got it working. I didn’t put anything in the My Documents folder, either. In fact, I set it up just like you showed me in the snip you sent.

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