Can't find the plug-in download

It’s not that long ago that all plugins were spread randomly across the internet in various small repositories and individual pages. The advent of Sketchucation plugin store and then the extension warehouse combining many of them into easily searchable databases was a godsend.
There are still many very good plugins hosted outside these two, but a quick google will usually find them if you haven’t found them in either SU or EW. And another huge bonus is that both SU and EW let you auto install all new versions of your plugins when you update your Sketchup version and update them easily when the authors release new version.

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[quote=“Box, post:18, topic:65689”]
The Plugin you asked about in this thread is available from the Extension Warehouse, the one in the other thread is from Sketchucation.
And then there’s the possibility of using a browser outside of SU, so that’s 3 avenues for getting extensions. I understand that this last option implies manual installations, as opposed to the automatic ones offered by EW and SUCation.
I gather that I should choose the methods “internal” to SU over the browser-based ones,
and that I should favor whatever platform the extension is “native” to, in the case that both internal supports offer it.

Don’t overthink it. It all comes down to personal preference and what you find easiest.
If a plugins you want is hosted on both major platforms, download from the one you are most comfortable with.
If it isn’t on those then download the .rbz from it’s website and install it manually using the Install Extension button in the Extension manager.
If it can only be found as a .rb file then either zip it and rename it to .rbz and manually install, or physically copy and paste the .rb into the correct(often hidden) plugin folder in your system. (this was how we had to install them all in the past).

Personally I look first in the Sketchcation Extension Store because I prefer it. Then if not there I will go to the EWarehouse.
If not there I will then google it and download it manually.

By using the ‘internal’ system you have the added bonus of being able to auto install or update your plugins as a group rather than having to do them individually. You can also filter the groups of plugins and not install the ones you find you nolonger use.
The sketchucation tool has other useful options, such as the plugin manager with live temp enabling of plugins (just for a session). ‘Sets’ so you can create groups of plugins that enable for specific tasks. Shortcutter, a link to show you how you have your keyboard shortcuts set up…

These complex tools are here to make your life easier, they certainly make finding and learning about plugins much better than the stoneage system just a few years back.

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