How to set default number of segments for circles (and other default values)?

SketchUp
1

How can I (using a Mac) change the default number of segments when creating circles? I know how to change set it for each circle as I create them, but want to change the default to simply the process. In searching for an answer, I saw some scripts solutions from circa 2016, but the files were no longer available.
In general, how can I set defaults for various features? Does it require a script? Is there a configuration file somewhere that can be edited?
I’m very experienced software developer, so use all the technical jargon you want.

Thanks

2

That isn’t natively doable.

It does require a plugin to do that.

No.

You could write your own script to do it.

3

DaveR, thanks for the prompt response!

You mention a “plugin” is required. Is there a plugin for setting the default number of circle segments?

To write a script, is there any documentation on SU settings that you can point me to? or other useful information?

4

If you set a default, it is “sticky” for the rest of that SketchUp session, but the next time you launch SketchUp it will revert to the app’s default value.

I think those defaults are hard-coded into the SketchUp app - at least if there is a config file that specifies them I have never found it. There is also no Ruby API access to them that I am aware of.

Edit: To clarify, if you create a circle using Ruby API one of the arguments is the number of segments. But that value is not sticky and doesn’t affect circles you later draw using the GUI or the Ruby API.

5

There is a plugin available from Sketchucation. You referred to it in your first post. It doesn’t work in the current version of SketchUp, though. I installed it to test it. You could download it and look at it for reference. As an experienced software developer I expect you would have an easy time of it.

6

If you set the number of segments before making a circle (not after) that number will become the default for the remainder of that session (until Sketchup restarts). There is no way that I know of to reset the startup default.

7

That old plugin was Windows only. It won’t run on Mac. Since I think the right number of segments for circles is model-by-model depending on the details of the model, I don’t really see a good reason to resurrect and port it to Mac.

But if you feel so inclined, the key element was a macro dll that simulated user input to SketchUp. The (brief) Ruby side used this facility to simulate the user activating the Circle Tool and entering the desired value for number of segments. You could find a way to do the same on Mac.

8

It does not stick for me. I’m on a Mac using SketupUp Pro 2021 version 21.0.392, so maybe it works differently or is a bug??

9

OK. I’ll create a Sketchucation account and take a look at that.

10

When you say “does not stick for me”, do you mean that if you set it once for the Circle Tool that value isn’t repeated for subsequent circles in the same SketchUp session, or that it resets to 24 the next time you launch SketchUp? The former would be either user error or a bug. The latter just reflects that the setting is single-session only.

11

After further testing, it DOES stick in the same session unless I create a circle that is too small. When the “Number of segments too large” error occurs, the default number of segments is reset to 24. That just happened to be what happened when I first tested.

12

Yes. Sketchup will limit the number of segments used for a circle if it is too small. This is to help you avoid creating bad geometry.