The "RhinoParametrics" user interface
Pre-requisit : RHINOCÉROS 4 SR9 or highest.
RhinoParametrics' commands are displayed in green to differentiate them from standard Rhino commands.
The RhinoParametrics panel is composed of :
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- 2 rows of parametric creation functions, which give access to dialogs where numerical are entered to define the object's parameters.
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Object creation can often be achieved in several ways. Over 75 different objects can be created using more than 150 parametric methods. Just like Rhino, RhinoParametrics offers functions to create canonic shapes, curves, surfaces, solids and boolean transformations.
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- 1 tree, which contains 3 nodes by default.
 corresponds to the 3 default construction planes. All parametric objects are represented as a node in the tree.
A Rhino object not having a corresponding node in the tree is not a parametric object. For example, objects created while RhinoParametrics is inactive (the window is closed) or imported objects (ex. via iges) are not parametric objects. The RhinoParametrics main panel is opened and closed panel using the button  .
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The Tree doalog supports :
- Multiple selections using the CAP and CTRL keys.
- Drag & Drop. Using the ALT key activates copying of the object.
The check buttons allow to show/hide the objects.
RhinoParametrics is based on a parametric modelling engine, which is an essential condition for an iterative design process. In this model, all geometry generating operations (points, curves, surfaces, or volumes) are parametric objects themselves, having as their parameters objects and/or numerical values.
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The global geometry is the result of a construction process based on these parameters and / or specifications. Thus, a point in space is a geometrical construction based on 3 coordinates (X, Y, Z), the intersection between two curves on a surface, or the intersection of a curve and a surface in space.
The simplest example is the construction of a segment or of a line from 2 points (figure 1). Following parametric descriptive rules, the line and the two points exist in the model independently of their respective geometrical construction, which is itself the result of a construction based on its own parameters. When a value of P2 (X2, Y2, or Z2) is modified, the geometrical representation of the point P2 is updated. P2 sends an event message to all objects in the model in order to inform them that its geometry has been modified. Then, as it is impacted by this change, curve L1 can reconstruct itself.
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Point 7 is one of Line 8's parameters. If Point 7 were to be deleted, Line 8's construction is "broken" and the line is then shown in red in the 3D view and in the tree. It follows that all objects using Line 8 as a parameter can no longer be "updated" and are shown in red just like Line 8.
If the line is further edited, and the "missing" point replaced with a new point, the construction of Line 8 is again defined. It follows that Line 8 and its dependent objects will be reconstructed. |
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