# Using Sketchup Ruby API outside of Sketchup...say in Linux?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-sketchup-ruby-api-outside-of-sketchup-say-in-linux/131212>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [March 6, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-sketchup-ruby-api-outside-of-sketchup-say-in-linux/131212 "2008-03-06T23:47:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zeeshan\_Zia](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@Zeeshan\_Zia](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Zeeshan_Zia)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-sketchup-ruby-api-outside-of-sketchup-say-in-linux/131212/1 "2008-03-06T23:47:47Z")

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Hi,

I need to write a program that can obtain 3D mesh information from  
Google  
Sketchup (.skp) files, while in Linux.

Google Sketchup provides a Sketchup Ruby API that can be used to create  
plugins, that usually run from within Sketchup to do this task.

However, I want to ask if someone has used the Sketchup Ruby API without  
Google Sketchup. Is this possible? Also, can Ruby programs be executed  
under  
Linux?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Best Regards,  
Zeeshan

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Zeeshan\_Zia](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/71e660/32.png) [@Zeeshan\_Zia](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Zeeshan_Zia)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2008, 6:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/using-sketchup-ruby-api-outside-of-sketchup-say-in-linux/131212/2 "2008-03-07T18:40:29Z")

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> Also, can Ruby programs be executed under Linux?

This does not make much sense. .rb files happily work on both Linux and  
Windows, but most active development for Ruby is done on non-Windows,  
how would you think will they try out their changes … uploading to a  
Windows machine and then testing? 🙂

As far as binaries are concerned, they wont work natively under Linux  
(.rb files arent binaries though), but you may have some luck with Wine.

I am not sure if someone managed to make sketchup work under Linux+wine,  
I had too many problems and gave up on it.

Google should make the code base flexible, its really not that difficult  
to make it work cross-plattform.