As the majority of my time is in the field, I am using sketch up pro on my ipad Pro. Beings as SU is relatively new to Ipad, are their plugins available or additions to the Ipad application like the “weld” plugin?
No, there won’t be any extensions or such for iPad… I believe because of apple regulations and abilities.
Weld as a function, however, is in the context menu when more than one thing is selected. Not sure that actually helps you as it’s not comprehensive like a plug-in, but it helps me 
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There should be a way to apply them. I can think of a few examples of apps like Pythonista, which support installing modules/libraries etc.
Another way might be to vote them in and have the most popular ones packaged in updates which can then be optionally applied via the UI.
In any case, one of the foundations of the SU workflow process is being able to customize your own UI over a stripped down version of every other 3D modeling application on the market. To not have any support for plugins is to change the package at a core conceptual level.
I was personally quite sad to learn that there is no support for plugins, but then I was equally and happily surprised to learn that we finally have an iPad app, so I’ll keep hoping for now.
-E-
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Hi! Have you try this?
I agree that plugins would be good to have in the iPad version. I don’t know how difficult it would be to implement a system or whether it would require a different API and/or programming language than in the desktop version. However, I think the developers are working hard on fixing bugs and getting basic features working and have been quite responsive to requests on this forum. I also think they regard the iPad version as a complement to the desktop, not an equal alternative.
I can say that I have collected all of the feedback that we’ve received and will surely continue to receive about the desire for SketchUp for iPad to be extensible in some form or fashion.
I can also say, that we do take customer feedback into account when making decisions about future roadmap initiatives (thanks @slbaumgartner for your acknowledgment along these lines, it’s much appreciated).
This is not an easy puzzle to solve for iPad/iOS & within Apple’s ecosystem, but I understand and believe in the inherent potential for us all if we do solve it.
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Perhaps you could make extensions optional and accessible from the Webapp for a nominal fee.
I would like to use things like OpenCutlist or a Shaper Origin extension, but can’t afford a pro account for the desktop version.
Extensions are not currently possible in the web-based and iPad versions of SketchUp for technical reasons, rather than for business reasons (as far as I know).
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I read that in the iPad version it is not possible because extensions are not permitted by Apple…
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Interesting. I think there are many apps in Apple’s app store that offer optional extras (such as games that offer alternative character appearances). Apple would want their 30% cut of the purchase price, of course.
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I read it here on the forum somewhere…
I’ll see if I can find it.
Edit: found it here:
Maybe @MikeWayzovski can tell you more about it…
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Hey Tom,
For what it’s worth, I’ll offer that there’s a bunch of nuance and complexity w/in the App Store rules & requirements. Services, content, and software are treated differently. The rules about software are the most stringent. Applications that are published to the App Store have to contain all of the executable code that customers will have access to. Apps are not allowed to offer to their end users, the ability to download, from within their apps, additional executable code from an external service. Extensions would either have to be preinstalled or be available as separate apps via the App Store.
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Bummer. Best of luck to Trimble if you try to negotiate with Apple about how to facilitate the ability to use extensions on mobile Apple platforms.
I guess it would be asking too much for Trimble to use the obvious solution. Include the extensions in Ipad for Sketchup.
The extensions have become just another way of the nickel and dime charges for extensions that should be included in Sketchup. That way the actual cost of a subscription does not double or triple in price by the time you actually add in tools through extensions that sometimes are basic functions one would expect. Instead Trimble just throws out one or two new features each year and cranks up the profit machine.
There are thousands and thousands of extensions out there…
I think it is impossible to put them all in the native Ipad app and above all the app would get unworkable and impossible to learn to use.
SketchUp is known for its low learning curve and that would dissapear completely!
Yes there are thousands of extensions and apps. However , there are several drawing apps that greatly improve the ability to work with Sketchup for Ipad for those who are not beginners to Sketchup.
These should be included or added to Sketchup’s basic functionality Ipad or Windows in general.
There could also be basic a package for Architecture, Landscape, Construction etc that is selected when installed that would include some of the essential missing functions for experienced users that Sketchup lacks.
Beginners have the opportunity to learn on Sketchup for Web without increasing the beginning learning curve. Maybe it could be adapted to Ipad too. ( Although it looks quite similar currently )
Although building some extensions into SketchUp for Ipad would be nice, bear in mind that Trimble does not own the intellectual property rights of those extensions. They would have to buy it from the extension authors or risk lawsuits for stealing IP. If they did that for a lot of extensions it would likely have an impact on the subscription price.
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Oke, this is offcource all very subjective… What seems for you a good selection of extensions is waste of space for somebody else…
This is going to be the same discussion as which extensions should be a native part of SketchUp Pro…
And as @slbaumgartner allready said, most (almost all) extensions are not owned by Trimble…
This is a huge opportunity for developers to get paid for their work.
Most, if not all extensions are developed third-party to Trimble and SketchUp as it is.
If the technology is there, just not the space to operate within the Apple universe, then we just have to escalate the conversation and show that the demand is there. We’ve all got ideas for the best of the best extensions available for Sketchup and Pro. Am I right?
You would have to take this conversation to Apple then…
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