How to reboot SketchUp?

[Henry12]

After updating my plugin, is it possible to restart SketchUp by Ruby?

[Neil_Burkholder]

This works for Windows. I’m not sure how to do this on Mac.

Process.spawn("SketchUp.exe")
Sketchup.quit

Quirks:

1. This starts the default version of SketchUp if more than one version is installed.
2. In SketchUp 2022 the quit is executed to soon and SketchUp is not restarted.

Also see here.

Opening and closing sketchup using command line prompts

Hi, I am trying to automate a process where a worker computer will be able to open SketchUp with a blank template, run a ruby script in my extension, save the file, and then close Sketchup. I already have an extension to render a retaining wall design using a ruby script. Currently I have people taking the ruby script I provide and then having them render the retaining wall within Sketchup The goal is to be able to generate a sketchup file of the rendered retaining wall because the Sketchup w…

[TDahl]

I would be extremely cautious regarding quitting and restarting SketchUp in an extension. The human user (who should normally be in control of such actions, in my opinion) needs to know and authorize such a major step to avoid losing unsaved work. If the extension is intended to run “unattended” (as may be the case with the topic linked by @Neil_Burkholder) then perhaps fewer cautions may be appropriate.

[tt_su]

I’d second what TDahl said; leave this to the user. Display a message if you want, but most users are used to having to restart after installing/updating extensions.

Forcefully restart the application might cause the user to lose data. Even if an extension is updated it doesn’t mean the user needs/wants to use the extension immediately and a restart would be an interruption in their workflow.

[Neil_Burkholder]

For the record this is how I handle this in my extension.

[tt_su]

@Neil_Burkholder

For the record this is how I handle this in my extension.

That’s what I’d recommend as well, inform the user - don’t take the action on their behalf.

[dezmo]

@Neil_Burkholder

Process.spawn("SketchUp.exe")
Sketchup.quit

The quit method is used to terminate the application. This will pop-up the usual model save prompts if there are unsaved models open. User can cancel the model save, in which case the application will not terminate.

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Also, - if there is an other instance of Sketchup is running it will not terminated.

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Perhaps reload the extension will be enough in case there is no changes in the menus…
e.g.: Reloading my plugins - #2 by eneroth3

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Otherwise I agree with @TDahl and @tt_su that inform the user to restart will be necessary to use the new version, and let the user decide what to do…

[tt_su]

@dezmo

The quit method is used to terminate the application. This will pop-up the usual model save prompts if there are unsaved models open. User can cancel the model save, in which case the application will not terminate .

I’d avoid using this as the prompt to update. The prompt will not explain why the app tries to terminate. And as mentioned, the user might be busy with other tasks where restarting, even a modal prompting an update might be interrupting workflow. Better user experience to notify the user in a non-intrusive way, related to using the extension.

@dezmo

Perhaps reload the extension will be enough in case there is no changes in the menus…
e.g.: Reloading my plugins - #2 by eneroth3

Maybe, but - I’d recommend keeping this as simple as possible. It’s not a use-case that occur very frequently. Not every “problem” needs an engineered solution.

[DanRathbun]

@tt_su

I’d avoid using this [the quit method] as the prompt to update.

Just an FYI for the readership. I was involved in politicking to get the quit method implemented.
The use case was specifically for batch mode processing of models, by a system batch script that would load models using command line parameters.