Presentation PCPA Rhino Tools Manual

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Rhino Tools Manual
Version 2.1

Rhino Tools Manual
Table of Contents

Rhino Template File
Installation
Layers
Layout
Annotation Styles
Rhino Toolbar

Installation
Architecture
Blocks
Drawing
Geometry
Legacy
I/O
Experimental

Grasshopper Components
Installation
Components
Troubleshooting

Table of Contents
Version
2.0
2.1

Date
08-06-2018
12-03-2018

Developed by: PCPA NY REACH Core
Jimmy Chang, Spencer Steenblik
Prepared By: Tim Williams

Rhino Tools Manual
General

General Requirements

• Always model in inches.
• Always update to the latest version of Rhino.
• Always keep the project near the Rhino origin point.
• Never overwrite the toolbar or template.

Table of Contents

Template
Table of Contents

Template
Table of Contents
Installation

1.

From the PCPA Rhino
Toolbar, click PCPA >
Standards > Set Template

Further instructions can be
found here.

When you open a new Rhino
file, the template will be the
default.

Template
Table of Contents
Layers
Layers have been simplified for
readability and speed of
navigating.
All objects should fit within this
hierarchy.
Changes since 1.0
• Each root layer has a number
in front for proper sorting.
• Root layers have been
assigned unique colors.
• Architecture layers combined
with Interior and brought to
root.
• Annotation and Hatch
combined into Drawing layer

• Animation and Lights
combined into Render layer

Template
Table of Contents
Layers
Architecture
•
For all objects describing
the geometry of the
building

Template
Table of Contents
Layers
Site
•
For landscape and
surrounding context

Entourage
•
For people, plants, and
vehicles (often blocks)
Design Options
•
For the master blocks that
contain all objects
describing a design option
Blocks
•
For the geometry of
frequently used blocks, and
their block instance.
Zoning
•
Geometry describing the
zoning requirements

Template
Table of Contents
Layers
CAD Import
•
For the layers of imported
CAD drawings

Program
•
Used for massing models

Template
Table of Contents
Layers
Drawing
•
For geometry placed on the
layouts, or printing from
layouts

Template
Table of Contents
Layers
Render
•
For objects necessary to
render

Template
Table of Contents
Layout
In the layout called
PCPA_Layout, there are many
paper space annotation objects
to help in preparing your
drawing.

1. Paper Space Annotation
5. Scale Bars and Scale
Factors

2. Titleblock

3. North Arrows
4. Annotation
Styles

Template
Table of Contents
Annotation Styles
6 PCPA Annotation styles have
been placed in the template file.
•
•
•
•
•
•

PCPA_08
PCPA_10
PCPA_12
PCPA_14
PCPA_18
PCPA_Precision

Model space scale has been set
to 192 by default.
PCPA_Precision is for checking
model geometry.
*Beware that model space
scale does not affect printed
text size.

PCPA_08

PCPA_10

PCPA_12

PCPA_14

PCPA_18

Template
Table of Contents
Linetypes
3 PCPA Linetypes have been
placed in the template file.
• PCPA_DashDot
• PCPA_DashedMedium
• PCPA_DashedSmall

Toolbar
Table of Contents

Toolbar
Installation

1.

Ensure only one instance
of Rhino currently open.

2.

Drag and drop PCPA_WIP
from the following folder
into Rhino: Toolbar path

3.

Close Rhino (this saves the
toolbar to your Rhino
settings).

PCPA Should appear at the top
menu bar of Rhino

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Installation

After installing the toolbar, if it
does not display immediately,
you can show it by right
clicking anywhere on the
toolbar, then choosing Show
Toolbar, then scrolling down to
the PCPA and checking that
box.
(You do not need to check the
other PCPA tabs)

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Architecture
Stair
Stair

Table of Contents
INPUT

Creates a stair to specified
height, along a guide curve.
Risers kept below 7”, tread is
result of the guide curve length.

Guide Polyline

OUTPUT
•
Stair

OUTPUT

Stair

*Curved geometry not currently
supported.

INPUT
1. Select Guide Polyline
2. Width (inches)
3. Height (inches)

>

Toolbar
Architecture
Ramp
Stair

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Creates a ramp at specified
slope, along a guide curve.
Handrail inserted if slope > 5%
*Curved geometry not currently
supported.
*Will currently only insert 1
landing per run.

INPUT
1. Select Guide Polyline
2. Width (inches)
3. Slope (%)

OUTPUT
•
Ramp
•
Handrail

Ramp
Guide Polyline

Handrail

Toolbar
Blocks
Create Design Option
Stair
Selected objects will be
converted into a block and
placed in a new matching
layer, under “3_DESIGN
OPTIONS”.

INPUT
1. Select Geometry
2. Input design option name

OUTPUT
•
Block on layer under
“3_DESIGN OPTIONS”

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Design Option Layer

New Design Option Layer

Design Option Block

New Design Option Block

Toolbar
Blocks
Iterate Design Option
Stair
The selected block will be
duplicated and renumbered
with a new block name.
A new matching layer name
with be created and the
previous will be turned off.
Supports numbers and letter
suffix, separated by “-” , “_”, or
“ “.
INPUT
1. Select block
2. Input new blocks name

OUTPUT
•
Duplicated block, renamed
with suffix +1 or update
date.
•
Duplicated layer with same
name

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Design Option Layer

New Design Option Layer

Design Option Block

New Design Option Block

Toolbar
Blocks
Make Block Unique
Stair

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

Block
Creates a new block definition
from an old block. (Keeps the
old block in the file, but deletes
the instance)
Default name will be either an
update date, or the name +1 (if
suffixed with a number)

INPUT
1. Select block
2. Input new blocks name

OUTPUT
•
New Block with same
geometry and origin pt.

OUTPUT

New block (same geometry)

Toolbar
Blocks
Super Explode
Stair

Table of Contents
INPUT

Blocks inside a block
Explodes a block and all blocks
within it.

INPUT
1. Select block with blocks
nested inside.

OUTPUT
•
Geometry inside those
blocks.

>

OUTPUT

All blocks exploded

Toolbar
Blocks
Populate
Stair

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Population Type
Populates a surface with
selected population type.
Blocks are imported from the
network and randomly placed
across the surface.

INPUT
1. Select surface
2. Number of objects to place
3. Select Population Type

OUTPUT
•
Blocks randomly placed on
the surface.

Imported blocks randomly
placed.
Surface to populate

Toolbar
Blocks
Populate
Stair

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Population Type
Populates a surface with
selected population type.
Blocks are imported from the
network and randomly placed
across the surface.

INPUT
1. Select surface
2. Number of objects to place
3. Select Population Type

OUTPUT
•
Blocks randomly placed on
the surface.

Imported blocks randomly
placed.
Surface to populate

Toolbar
Blocks
Populate
Stair

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Population Type
Populates a surface with
selected population type.
Blocks are imported from the
network and randomly placed
across the surface.

INPUT
1. Select surface
2. Number of objects to place
3. Select Population Type

OUTPUT
•
Blocks randomly placed on
the surface.

Imported blocks randomly
placed.
Surface to populate

Toolbar
Blocks
Populate
Stair

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Population Type
Populates a surface with
selected population type.
Blocks are imported from the
network and randomly placed
across the surface.

Existing blocks randomly
placed.
Surface to populate

INPUT
1. Select surface
2. Number of objects to place
3. Select Population Type
4. Select Existing Block

OUTPUT
•
Blocks randomly placed on
the surface.

Existing Block

Toolbar
Blocks
Reset Block Scale
Stair
Returns a block to its original
scale, while maintaining origin
point.

INPUT
1. Select Scaled blocks

OUTPUT
•
Blocks at original scale

Table of Contents
INPUT

Scaled blocks

>

OUTPUT

Scaled blocks

Toolbar
Blocks
Export and Link
Stair
Exports a block to another
Rhino file, then links it back to
the original block.
Useful when a block occurs
multiple times in a file, and you
want multiple people on this
file.

INPUT
1. Select Block

OUTPUT
•
Linked Block

Table of Contents
INPUT

Block within document

>

OUTPUT

Block linked

Toolbar
Drawing
Area Tag
Stair
Adds a text object according to
the bounding geometries area
at the center of that object.
Text object with appear on
layer: “8_DRAWING::Text”

INPUT
1. Select closed planar curves,
surfaces, or hatches
2. Number of decimal places
-1 = X,XX0
0 = X,XXX
1 = X,XXX.X
2 = X,XXX.XX
OUTPUT
•

Text object at center of
polyline

Table of Contents
INPUT

Closed Polylines,
Hatches, or Surfaces

>

OUTPUT

Text object with Area

Toolbar
Drawing
Dimension Polyline
Stair
Automatically dimensions
polyline segments.
Will not dimension arcs or
NURBs curves.
Dimensions with appear on
layer:
“8_DRAWING::Dimensions”

INPUT
1. Select Polylines
2. Offset Dimension (inches)

OUTPUT
•
Dimensioned Segments

Table of Contents
INPUT

Polylines

>

OUTPUT

Dimensioned Segments

Toolbar
Drawing
Layout
Stair

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Adds a new layout to selected
standard paper size with a
PCPA Presentation Template.
Date is a text field and will
update to the current date.

Selected Layout

Project Title and Client Name
can be parametrically changed
through Rhino’s ‘Document
Data’ tab.
INPUT
1. User Selected Layout Size

OUTPUT
•
New Layout with titleblock
Presentation Titleblock

New Layout

Toolbar
Geometry
Contour at Point
Stair
Cuts input geometry at a
designated elevation.

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Point to cut contour

Input Objects

Useful for extracting floor plan
cut lines.

INPUT
1. Select objects
2. Get point to cut contour at
Resulting contour

OUTPUT
•
Curves joined and on each
original objects layer

Toolbar
Geometry
Color – Random Range
Stair
Randomly assigns object colors
within a specified range.

INPUT
1. Select objects to color
2. Pick color 1
3. Pick color 2

OUTPUT
•
Colored objects

Table of Contents
INPUT

Input Objects

>

OUTPUT

Toolbar
Geometry
Color – Gradient
Stair
Assigns a gradient of colors to
objects based on their distance
from two input points and two
input colors.

INPUT
1. Select objects to color
2. Pick point 1
3. Pick color 1
4. Pick point 2
5. Pick color 2
OUTPUT
•
Colored objects

Table of Contents
INPUT

Input Objects

>

Point 1 (Green)

OUTPUT

Point 2 (Yellow)

Toolbar
Geometry
Color – By Size
Stair
Assigns a gradient of colors to
objects based on their length,
area, or volume (depending on
what type of objects are input).
Accepts curves, surface,
hatches, polysurfaces and
closed breps.

INPUT
1. Select objects to color
2. Pick color 1 (Smallest)
3. Pick color 2 (Largest)

OUTPUT
•
Colored objects

Table of Contents
INPUT

Curves

Surfaces

Closed Polysurfaces

>

OUTPUT

Toolbar
Geometry
Color to Material
Stair
Sets an objects material to its
display color. Creates a new
material if one does not already
exists.

INPUT
1. Select objects

OUTPUT
•
Objects with colored
material

Table of Contents
INPUT

Colored objects

>

Material matching display color

OUTPUT

Toolbar
Legacy

Table of Contents
INPUT

Buttons from the first PCPA
Toolbar.
Random Unselect
•
Randomly unselects a
percentage of selected
objects
Clean Boolean
•
Macro: Boolean union +
Merge all faces
Curve Boolean + Planar
•
Macro: Curveboolean +
Planar Srf
Various PCPA Display Modes
•
Changes display mode to
one of the standard PCPA
displays

>

OUTPUT

Toolbar
I/O (Input/Output)
Capture Display Modes

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Each display mode exported to
PNG file
Exports a PNG from the active
view with the user selected
display modes.
PNG name with be appended
with the display mode name.
Display modes with PCPA at the
front are defaults.

INPUT
1. Select display modes
2. Output path
3. Image Height (pixels)
4. Image Width (pixels)

OUTPUT
•
PNG for each display
mode selected.

Select Display Modes to Capture

Toolbar
I/O (Input/Output)
Export to Render [DWG]

Table of Contents
INPUT

Geometry to Export
Exports selected objects to
DWG format with the layer
names prefixed with the date
and option name.
DWG settings automatically
applied.

INPUT
1. Select objects
2. Choose file path

OUTPUT
•
DWG file

>

Exported File

OUTPUT

Toolbar
I/O (Input/Output)
Export to Render [SKP]

Table of Contents
INPUT

Geometry to export from Rhino

>

Model in 3ds Max

Exports selected objects to SKP
format with the layer names
prefixed with the date and
option name.
SKP Files are preferred because
they maintain materials, layer
names, and proper geometry.

*If mesh settings not ideal,
mesh before export.
INPUT
1. Select objects
2. Choose file path

OUTPUT
•
DWG file

Properly formatted layer names in 3ds Max
‘Filename > Rhino Layer Names’

OUTPUT

Toolbar
I/O (Input/Output)
Import CAD

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

Automatically generated parent layer names
Imports DWG file and nests its
layers under a parent layer,
named “Date_Filename_##”
Empty layers are removed.
All imported blocks come in
exploded.

INPUT
1. Select DWG file

OUTPUT
•
Generated parent layers

Imported Lines

OUTPUT

Toolbar
Experimental
Unfillet

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

Will remove all arcs from a
polyline.

INPUT
1. Select polyline

OUTPUT
•
Polyline

Fillet corners

Arcs removed and lines extended

OUTPUT

Toolbar
Experimental
Rectify

Table of Contents
INPUT

>

OUTPUT

Rebuilds a polyline according to
specified angle and length
multiples.
If 0 is input for the multiples, the
original angle or length is used.
*Curves not currently
supported.

INPUT
1. Select polyline
2. Input angle multiples
3. Input length multiples

OUTPUT
•
Polyline

Polyline with irregular
lengths and angles

Lengths and angles rounded.
In this case 90 degrees and 6 inches.

Toolbar
Experimental
Cut Model

Table of Contents
INPUT

Objects to trim

>

OUTPUT

Trimmed objects duplicated and grouped

Trims a model with a surface.
Duplicates and hides original
geometry.
Creates two groups, one with
the remaining geometry, the
other with section surfaces
created when cutting through
solid objects.
Useful for rendering or make2d
exports.
INPUT
1. Select objects to trim
2. Select surface to trim with
Surface to trim with
OUTPUT
•
Duplicated geometry
trimmed by surface plane.

Solid objects will be given a surface at
the trim location.

Toolbar
Dropdown

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Layers
PCPA Standard layers can be
added to a drawing by
choosing either Add All Layers
to load all layers, or choosing
one of the Root Layers to add
just that Root.
For projects still using 1.0 Layer
Standards,
Add All Layers (version 1.0) will
load all 1.0 layers.
This will also import and assign
PCPA materials if not already in
the document.

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Project Levels

Table of Contents
Data can be read in Grasshopper

Stores level data within the rhino
file. Heights and FTF are
formulas, responding to
changes.
Can enter feet, inches, or
decimal.
Can copy paste data to Excel
(Edit > Copy)
Can import levels from another
Rhino file.
(File > Import from 3dm)
Can read level data into
Grasshopper.
*This is still experimental and
may have errors.
Excel-like interface inside of Rhino

Right click to open the context menu

Toolbar
Dropdown
Layout
Adds layout to current file.
Project Name and Client Name
reads from Document Data.
Date is text field of the current
date and will automatically
update.

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Load GH Components
Loads all PCPA GH Components
and PCPA Standard Set (curated
collection of useful GH Plugins)
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.

Close all Rhino Sessions.
Reopen Rhino
From the PCPA Dropdown
menu, choose Load GH
Components
Many things will then be
imported. Some things
may fail or say “Broken”.
Stay calm.
Open Grasshopper

*Warnings may appear
(depends on how many
grasshopper plugins you have
already installed). This should
only happen the first time you
run Load GH Components
Check out the GH Installation
Troubleshooting if problems
persist

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Load PCPA Materials
Loads all standard PCPA
Materials into the current file, if
they are not already there.

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Load ACAD Schemes
Loads all ACAD Schemes (used
when exporting to DWG).

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Load Annotation Styles
Loads all standard PCPA
Annotation Styles into the
current file, if they are not
already there.

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Load Display Modes
Loads all standard PCPA
Display Modes into the current
file, if they are not already
there.

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Set Template
Will set the default template file
and folder.
Typically only needs to be run
once.

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Special Folders
Will launch the folders
containing the relative PCPA
standard.

Table of Contents

Toolbar
Dropdown
Help
Launches this Rhino Manual in a
pdf viewer.

Table of Contents

Rhino Tools Manual
Version 2.1
Analytics
In order to improve the
functionality of the toolbar, user
input in these functions is
dynamically stored in a file on
the network.
Analytics should help us learn:
Which scripts aren’t working
Which are popular
Which are unpopular
Which settings should change
Usernames are encrypted for
anonymity.

Grasshopper
Future Release
Analytics

Current release contains
• Stair
• Ramp
• Escalator
• Get PCPA Layers
• Get Project Levels
• Rectify
• Unit Check
• reachCampus
• Topography and Site Generator
• Frit Pattern
• And many others…

Table of Contents

Rhino Tools Manual
Version 2.1

ERROR: “FAIL---Could not copy…” Warning
SOLUTION: Close all Rhino sessions and follow the GH installation steps again.

ERROR: “File Conflict Warning ” Warning
SOLUTION: Choose the Delete button on the left. For each pop-up

ERROR: “Component ID conflict” Warning
SOLUTION: Choose the Replace All button.

If this continues to come up when opening Grasshopper,
paste %appdata%\Grasshopper\Libraries into windows explorer. Then delete
the conflicting file (00_PCPA Standard Set should not be deleted).

Table of Contents

Rhino Tools Manual
Version 2.1

ERROR: “RUI File Error” Warning when Rhino Starts

SOLUTION: Drag and drop the toolbar to install again: Toolbar path

This usually happens when your computer temporarily loses connection to the
network when opening Rhino.

ERROR: “Method Not Found ” Warning
SOLUTION: Go to the “Add & Remove Programs page” in Windows Settings.
Scroll down and Uninstall “IronPython 2.7.3” . Close and reopen Rhino.
*This is a conflict caused when Dynamo has been installed. (Latest versions of
Dynamo do not need this to run).

ERROR: “Exception Occured” Warning
SOLUTION: There is a bug in the script. Please send screenshot and description
to Tim.

Table of Contents

Rhino Tools Manual
Version 2.1

ERROR: “NVIDIA OpenGL Driver: A TDR has been detected”

SOLUTION: Graphics card cannot process such a large image. Either export as a
smaller image or change your NVIDIA settings from default to Dynamic
Streaming (as seen here)

Table of Contents
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