Retrieve Tag Name of Selected Object

Developers Ruby API
1

I spent the last few late evenings when I should have gone to bed trying to work this out.

I’m trying to retrieve the tag name of a selected object.

I’ve checked out ruby.sketchup and done many Forum / Google searches…

2

Tag is still called as Layer in Ruby API…

References:

#Dirty code snippet:

def get_tag_name
  model = Sketchup.active_model
  selection = model.selection
  if selection.single_object?
    if selection.first.respond_to?(:layer)
      object = selection.first
      layer = object.layer
      layer_name = Sketchup.version.to_i < 20 ? layer.name : layer.display_name
      UI.messagebox("#{layer_name} is associated to selected object #{object.class} ")
    else
      UI.messagebox("Selected object has no Layer/Tag name .")
    end
  else
    UI.messagebox("Select exactly one object")
  end
  layer_name
end
get_tag_name

EDIT: #display_name added for SU version > 2020

1 Like
3

thanks dezmo

correct me if I’m wrong, essentially…

model = Sketchup.active_model
selection = model.selection
object = selection.first
layer = object.layer
layer_name = layer.name

is retrieving the tag name which was what I have been trying to work with but just couldn’t get it right.

4

Yes.
As you can see in my previous post as well… but here are the proof:

As of SketchUp 2020 “Layers” were renamed to “Tags” in the UI. The API retains the use of “Layer” for compatibility and is synonymous with “Tag”.

https://ruby.sketchup.com/Sketchup/Layer.html

BTW. Again, for compatibility reason, they implemented a method In SU2020:
The #display_name method is used to retrieve the display name of the layer.

(implemented to my first response)

5

was using the layer class but trying to get something out of layer.name was eluding me :scream:

6

Actually a one liner:

Sketchup.active_model.selection.first.layer.name

But This will return “Layer0” for “Untagged” in SU 2020 or later

Therefore:

# if you are using SU 2020 or later
Sketchup.active_model.selection.first.layer.display_name

Will give you the proper name as in the UI. But you will get an error in earlier SU versions.