I have an old iMac and have Sketchup 2017 installed. I think I have the STL program installed but I can’t make it appear in the Export options. Is my problem because I have OS X 10.10.5 and it is no longer supported or am I just not doing it right?
Thanks for any advice.
If you have the stl Import/export plugin created by the Sketchup Team you will find a second export option in the File menu, Export STL.
Thank you for replying. The STL extension is in MacHD/Lbrar/AppSupport/Sketchup2017/Sketchup/Plugins/SimLabSTLExporter
In that are 3 items Exporter_loader.rb SimLabSTLExporter.hash and
SimLabSTLExporter.susig
It does not show up in the file menu and if I click on Exoprt /3D model all I’m offered is COLLADA File(.dae) or Google Earth File (.kmz) If I go to Options the little window doesn’t offer STL only little tick boxes.
I am completely at a loss. Has it saved to the wrong place in which case where should it sit or perhaps the important bits are not on my machine. It also sits in similar addresses for other versions of Sketchup.
Thanks for any help
Martin
Install this one, it is simple and works.
https://extensions.sketchup.com/extension/412723d4-1f7a-4a5f-b866-281a3e223337/sketch-up-stl
… because Simlab exporters usually located in Extension menu:
Hi thanks for replying. I clicked the link that Box provided and created a Trimble login and downloaded. It is sitting in the downloads folder but will not open. I went as you suggest to Extensions SimLabSTL Exporter and it shows a little window from Simlab Soft with little white arrows on green dots asking my to Buy , Get a Free Trial and Help (step by step instructions that takes me to a big black screen from SimLab about Composer Licensing. I’m pretty sure the problem is me. But I am at a loss what to do.
The file you downloaded from my link should be an .rbz this needs to be installed to work.
So with 2017 go to Window/Extension Manager, then click the red button that says Install extension, navigate to the .rbz that you downloaded.
This should install the extension for you and after a restart of SU you should find the Export Stl option in the File menu, or mac equivalent.
I’m a windows person so there may be some slight differences in the procedure on a mac.
Hi Box,
Thanks for your help, I have done that but when I get to the install Extension stage I get the red tick click on Install Extension and I’m asked to choose a place on the computer to save it but the Cancel option is active but the Open is grey and can’t be clicked.
As I said in an other reply I think it may be a Mac thing but mostly a me thing!
As I also said if I follow the Library pathway to STL extension, its sitting there for for Google Sketchup 7,8 and Sketchup 2017, 2016,2015,2014,2013. I wonder if I should unistalll all of them and start from scratch?
My trouble is I don’t really have a clue what I’m doing as far as the computer is concerned. Macs are normally so user friendly you don’t need to delve into the works.
Thank you for your support.
Martin
Why don’t you just open the Extension Warehouse UI in SketchUp, search for the extension and install it? It won’t ask you where to put it. It’ll just put it in the right place.
There’s no need to ununstall if you still have the versions of SketchUp installed and are actually using them.
Hi Dave, Thank you for replying. I have done this many times and it has obviously saved them in every possible location but for reasons best known to itself my computer won’t let me access an active Export to STL.
I wonder if as it is an old iMac and the OS X is 10.10.5 and I think they are up to 10.15 or even 11, as I can’t update beyond what I have is that the issue?
Cheers
Martin
I don’t use the older versions but have some models saved that were created using them and I don’t know if there are any issues opening old models in newer versions, as there is in some other programs?
Martin
When you access the Extension Warehouse within SketchUp 2017 it will only install the selected extension in the correct location for that version.
You could have issues with the old OSX version if it isn’t supported by the SketchUp version. I abandoned my old Mac because I could no longer upgrade the OS.
No. There isn’t a problem opening older SketchUp models in newer SketchUp versions. I have models that were created as far back as SketchUp 3 that open just fine in SketchUp 2021.
You could consider uninstalling the really old versions of SketchUp to clear up space on your computer.
Thank you Dave I think this is a really helpful answer. As I thought the age of my machine was the issue, I have been looking at buying a cheap computer just for 3D printing. It could be I was right. Mine is a 2009 iMac, do you think that could be the issue?
Sketchup 2017 works well, the only issue is converting to STL.
There shouldn’t be any problem installing the SketchUp .stl extension and then using it via the File menu.
It doesn’t show in the file menu.
I’m trying different versions to see if any work.
Its interesting the different options Export as 3D the different versions offer. None STL so far though.
Are you still looking in Export>3D Model…? Box wrote 3 hours ago that the .stl export will show as a separate menu item in the File menu.
It doesn’t show in the file menu.
Is there another STL exporter not SimLabSTLExporter that may work or is SimLab another name for Sketchup?
It seems like you haven’t read the replies that were already given to you.
The SimLab STL exporter isn’t supposed to be found in the File menu. It is found in Extensions. Dezmo posted that with a screen shot 5 hours ago.
Box suggested that you install the SketchUp STL importer/exporter which I thought you had done a long time ago. And as he wrote, that one shows up as a separate entry in the File menu.
Hi Dave I’ve read and followed up all the messages today and have looked at all the places mentioned.
The picture if I have managed to load it shows the download which was successful as far as the messages it gave goes but still Extensions takes me to Simlab
I’m sure I’m just a silly old man and it is my fault. When I used to do this when I was teaching there was never a problem.
The SimLab exporter isn’t free. It’s $79 for a single user license. There is a free trial. Did you try clicking on Get Free Trial?
And it sounds like you still haven’t opened the Extension Warehouse user interface in SU2017, searched for the SketchUp STL Importer/Exporter, and installed it. SketchUp STL is free.
