SU17: "unable to read extension archive"

I too have this problem in Sketchup Pro for Mac 2018. No matter what I do, I cannot get this extension to uninstall. I’ve video screen-captured the restart of Sketchup with my Plugin’s folder in view. The previous restart, I told Extensions Manager to uninstall Trimble Connect. The extension .rb and its folder vanish from the Plugins folder. I restart Sketchup and IT PUTS THE EXTENSION BACK IN MY PLUGINS FOLDER, then reminds me with the annoying notification (which I don’t recall allowing or premising to intrude in my space) tells me there is 1 extension to update. Therefore, I can only conclude that Sketchup Pro for Mac 2018, Version 18.0.16976, has a hard code to ENSURE that Trimble Connect is installed! This is true whether or not I’ve told Extension Manager to “inactivate” the extension. Sorry for wanting to “uninstall” it but I CHOOSE not to use it and therefore not wanting it loaded when Sketchup Pro is run. Amazing what $120/year gets you nowadays!

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SketchUp comes with a set of Trimble extensions that cannot be totally uninstalled, but they can be switched off so that they do not load if you do not need them.

I myself usually have Advanced Camera Tools, Photo Textures, and Trimble Connect switched off.

When switched off, only a short extension registrar script loads. (This script contains the information that displays in the Extension Manager so that it can be switched on/off, and updated, etc.)


The new v17+ Extension Manager is confusing in that it allows the Trimble “distro” extensions to be uninstalled. This may create an update notification state of confusion.

If you had Trimble Connect ver 2.0.2 installed from the Extension Warehouse, then uninstalled it. Upon next start SketchUp will re-copy the release ver of TC from it’s distribution “staging” folders, which are likely to be an older version. The startup cycle will check the EW for newer extension versions and it’ll find a newer version of TC, and notify you.

The solution is to update the “distro” extensions to the latest version, and switch off those you do not use.
Just leave these extension installed and keep them updated regardless of whether you have them switched on.

The 1st image in the fix doc above shows the list of these (5) native distributed extensions.*
The following image from the User Guide also shows these distributed extensions * …

* The Photo Textures extension has been discontinued (and came with v17 and earlier.)

2 Likes

That was perfect. Thanks for the detailed fix!

Worked great, thanks for making the clear instructions!!
…Patrick

WORKS… Thank You…

Hi there, I am new here.
I have been using the free version of SU for years, upgraded to 2018 Pro about a week ago, and ever since there is this persisting problem with load errors. “advanced camera tools”, “sandbox tools”, “trimble Connect” and so don’t load at startup. I have tried suggestions from that “fix for extension updat error” file, to no avail. It says to “update”, but that big red button does not say update or install, but uninstall.

So I uninstalled and reinstalled. Restart SU. Same error again as always.

Log out, log in, multiple times…

No change in the error message at startup

What else can I do? I will paste the exact error below.

Thanks for any help
Garry

Error Loading File C:/Users/Garry/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2018/SketchUp/Plugins/shk_3skeng/3skeng_Start_Signed.rbe
Failed to read RBE/RBS file.
Error Loading File C:/Users/Garry/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2018/SketchUp/Plugins/su_advancedcameratools/actloader.rbe
Failed to read RBE/RBS file.
Error Loading File C:/Users/Garry/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2018/SketchUp/Plugins/su_dynamiccomponents/ruby/dcloader.rbe
Failed to read RBE/RBS file.
Error Loading File C:/Users/Garry/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2018/SketchUp/Plugins/su_sandbox/sandboxmenus.rbe
Failed to read RBE/RBS file.
Error Loading File C:/Users/Garry/AppData/Roaming/SketchUp/SketchUp 2018/SketchUp/Plugins/su_trimble_connect/boot.rbe
Failed to read RBE/RBS file.