What is sketchup_webhelper.exe?

[Henry12]

I want to build a local service with Sketchup. There is a sketchup_webhelper.exe. What is it and how can I use it to create a local server?

[tt_su]

sketchup_webhelper.exe is a process that relates to SketchUp’s embedded webdialogs. They do not relate to running a server to serve HTTP requests.

@Henry12

how can I use it to create a local server?

What are you looking to do with this? What are you serving?

[DanRathbun]

A local server would need to be running outside the SketchUp process to be helpful. This is because their listening loop blocks the main thread.

If you have a system Ruby install there are a choice of server gems.
Also the Ruby standard library comes with a basic server implementation called WEBrick.

But since this would be a separate external process, it could be implemented in Python or whatever. Search the web for “running a local server”.

Do you need to init the server from within the SketchUp process for say a Ruby extension ?

[DanRathbun]

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[Henry12]

Actually my need is to render thumbnails of skp files.

I found a plugin that implemented it. There are many skp files on my computer, and the plugin can quickly render their thumbnails without opening the skp in SketchUp. I check the URLs of the thumbnails, such as http://localhost:25870?path=… The path is a local directory. I guess the plugin generate the thumbnail images and start a local server to render them.

I am confused how the plugin shows the local images. It seems to init a server within the Sketchup.

[DanRathbun]

@Henry12

There are many skp files on my computer, and the plugin can quickly render their thumbnails without opening the skp in SketchUp.
…
I am confused how the plugin shows the local images. It seems to init a server within the Sketchup.

Likely using the API module method … Sketchup::save_thumbnail()
The thumbnail image is inside the SKP file, and this module method just extracts it, as it was last saved. (This might be out of sync if the user switched off “Redefine Thumbnail on Save” in Model Info dialog.)

@Henry12

I check the URLs of the thumbnails, such as http://localhost:25870?path=… The path is a local directory.

Ruby comes with the Dir, File and File::Stat classes for directly dealing with local files.