Maintenance update (M2) for SketchUp 8 released

If you are using SketchUp, then it’s time for you to soon browse over to Google’s website and download the latest version (v.8 M2). Although this release is not a new version but rather a maintenance release (hence the “M2”), there are a few new features and a bunch of bugfixes.

So what’s new and exciting in this version? The new features are:

  • A new plugin/extension file format and installation procedure
    Plugins can now be “packaged” in a ZIP file (which has the RBZ extension). This has the advantage that the end user does not need to worry about a plugin’s files and where they need to go. He/she simply needs to go into the program’s preferences and click the “Install Extension…” button. Done! Time for me to re-write my Plugin Loader plugin, I guess.
  • New Ruby method to support this behaviour
    A developer can now program this behaviour into their own plogin using the new Sketchup.install_from_archive(path_to_rbz) method.
  • Better COLLADA import/export
    SketchUp’s support for the COLLADA file format (with a DAE extension) has been improved and made more reliable.
  • Advanced camera tools are now included in the Pro version by default
    This set of tools that was previously only available as an additional plugin is now included in the main installation. Even if you are not a cinematographer, an advantage of these tools is pre-visualizing how a real camera would see a scene.
  • Pro trials stop working without a license
    In the past, when a trial for the Pro version ended, SketchUp would simply revert to the free version.  This option has now been removed – mainly to reduce user confusion.
  • Support for the Mac’s Lion operating system

For more on the release:

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