Aliases while waiting for AddGuide improvement

Rhino
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1

Hello, for those who expect addguide improvement, here are my aliases

Work fine, simple efficient, fast to use, easy to remember.
I cannot work without anymore.

Based on a created Blue Layer called “xxx_guide”
(can be changed to any other color or name, just search / replace in text editor)

Hope someone will like, will use
Let me know.
I would love someone to “Python script” them :slight_smile:

All aliases begin with a double a (aa) to be sure not to be using any Rhino command.
Next letter is the command shortcut, Like “L” for line, “O” for offest, “S” for select and so one.
I have commented all Aliases with #

AddGuide commands

# Line - 2 points
aal ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _Line pause pause _SelLast _Scale _Enter 10 _BringToFront _-Properties _Object _Layer xxx_guide _EnterEnd

# line - X parallel
aax ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _Line b pause r5000,0,0 '_SelLast _BringToFront _-Properties _Object _Layer xxx_guide _EnterEnd

# line - Y parallel
aay ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _Line b pause r0,5000,0 '_SelLast _BringToFront _-Properties _Object _Layer xxx_guide _EnterEnd

# line - Z parallel
aaz ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _Line b pause r0,0,5000 '_SelLast _BringToFront _-Properties _Object _Layer xxx_guide _EnterEnd

# Circle - just circle
aac ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _Circle pause pause '_SelLast _BringToFront _-Properties _Object _Layer xxx_guide _EnterEnd

# Line - Offset (how to : 1/ Use CPlane object, 2/ select surface plane for offset direction, 3/ type aap, 4/ Shift click on plysurface segemnt or clic on curve, 5/ offset)
aap ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _Offset _pause _pause _pause '_SelLast _scale enter 2 _BringToFront _-Properties _Object _Layer xxx_guide _EnterEnd

# Interset - Command (works with curves intersecting surfaces)
aai ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _Intersect pause '_SelLast _BringToFront _-Properties _Object _Layer xxx_guide _EnterEnd

# DupFaceBorder - Command
aab ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _DupFaceBorder _pause '_SelLast _BringToFront _-Properties _Object Enter _Layer xxx_guide Enter

AddGuide Management

# Guides - Select 
aas ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _-SelLayer xxx_guide Enter 

# Guides - On
aao ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter -_Layer On xxx_guide Enter

# Guides - Off
aaf ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter -_Layer Off xxx_guide Enter

# Guides - Delete
aad ! _-Layer New xxx_guide r xxx_guide 0,0,255 o xxx_guide Enter _-SelLayer xxx_guide Enter _Delete
1 Like
2

Have you considered putting this into a toolbar?

3

Hi skysurfer

Shortcuts are much faster to use on my point of view, no mouse moving or clicking, even if they need to be memorized.

My favourite one is gumball relocate.

Main problem with “my” addguide is related to zoom extents, big lines even affect mouse middle button zoom and ctrl right clicking.

Second, would be cool to “near” snap on a guide automatically if no other snapping points are located close to the guide line.

Third is to have real infinite lines.

Fourth is to be able to snap to line / plane intersections.

For sure many other useful workflow functions I can’t think of

Regards

4

Hello McNeel team

I know you are working hard
But
Is there any chance this kind of guidelines ever show up ?

At least is there any way of making some objects in rhino, or a rhino layer that dos not affect ZOOM (as it was off ?)

Love a answer.

Regards

5

Hi Karim -

I can’t find any reference to which improvement you are referring to in your post. These feature requests for guides are currently on the list. As long as something is on the list, there’s a chance for it to be implemented at some point.
-wim

6

Hy Wim

Thanks for your involvement
I scrolled on the feature requests.
Somme missing can’t list all

I Should and will illustrate with a small video all I’m actually using.
You will guess what’s missing and what’s wrong or difficult to achieve

I’ll do it asap
Those guides will for sure help many users in their workflow

Best regards

7

Hi Karim -

I won’t speak for other on tech support, but if you want me to look into what you report, please use words and not a video. I have another 2141 threads on my list and will take videos at the end…
-wim

8

:frowning: sorry for you Wim
Promise no video

I’ll try to be clear and short
(I use “should” but “could” is cool too)

(I) consider AddGuides like construction lines you want to get rid of once you are done.
I guess most Rhino users type selcrv the delete…But what if you need to keep these crv…
Even though using curves, there is no real management for these “construction lines”

AddGuides

  • should “act” as any crv
  • should be infinite
  • should not affect zoom
  • should remain visible
  • should have a ON OFF toggle (not related to hide command) could be a specific custom layer in prefs
  • should have a delete all option
  • should have a select all option
  • should as much as possible be nested commands
  • should have a custom color & linetype (like layer)
  • should never be printable
  • should be snapped with a “glue” osnap (when moving a selected object close to a AddGuides)
  • should be able to be deleted copied rotated … as any other object
  • should create a “glue” point when intersecting a plane
  • have these options
    X
    Y
    Z
    Collinear to edge or curve
    offset to edge or curve (in 3d space not only in current plane, just need to point the direction
    trough 2 points
    create intersect (like the intersect command)
    use any curve command (would be fun and adding a bunch of existing tools)
    Could even think of converting any Rhino object to a Addguide in fact…
    …

Best regards and good luck with the rest of your 2140 threads
Thanks for you to be here

9

Just in case it helps for now - it is not what you are asking for but perhaps flexible enough to be useful-

commands:
AddCLine
CLineDocSettings
ConvertToGuides
ConvertToReference
RefreshCLines

Note these are lines in the document on a special layer - they can be dealt with as any other layer and objects - i.e. to select, delete, rotate etc. They can be forced to be psuedo - very pseudo - infinite with RefreshCLines.
Note the constraints possible in AddCline - that is the useful bit, think.

CLines.rhp (37.5 KB)

-Pascal

10

Hello Pascal
Thanks

I like the overall process of your CLines
Quite the same as mine.
My comments, to explain why I will still be using mine.

AddCline constraints are fine
What doesn’t suit me
One would need to create shortcuts to be fast and easy to use (but that’s OK)
CLines layer should not be locked by default, as the Clines are bound to be copies offset rotated duplicated (Locking layer could be a toggle, I’ll add it to my shortcuts)
What would suit me, is including extra features

  • create a circle ngon…
  • create intersect (like the intersect command)
  • use any offset to a curve command (would be fun and adding a bunch of existing tools)
  • Dupfaceborder dupface & dupedge

CLineDocSettings
suit me fine
is perfect as expected, helps to change layer settings for Cline Lintype and color)
In my shortcuts need to manually find replace.

ConvertToGuides
The Only Good things about Addguide

  • NON related to ZOOM
  • Have a default near snap
  • Not need for a layer (but how to personalize line type color, set on of delete …)
    Otherwise Useless…
    Addguides disappear as soon as don’t have a drawing command active
    Cant be used with pushpull !

ConvertToReference
Could be usefull, but last created CLine are not selected
The reference edges are selected
So you need to deselect, select last “sellast” (Ig copying a frame from on wall to another)
usi
using dupface / dupfaceborder / dupedge or just copy paste is faster

RefreshCLines
Yes does affect sizes of CLines, but only in one way bigger
Then affects even more zoom !
Should be able to reduce CLines sizes regarding to actual zoom size
Anyway Clines should not be affected by zoom

ClineManagement (Missing)
ON / OF / SELECT / DELETE ALL
And most of all deleted in nested blocks
We could use something like my custom ''MergeLayersAndBlockLayers"
MergeLayersAndBlockLayers_v01.py (2.4 KB)
It could me be Called “DeleteAllLayersEvenInEmebbedblocks”…(pff) or simply ClinesDelete

I will illustrate in case you have time to lose a small vid of my proper Clines I call “AA” for Aid
But for the moment not good enough in PY to code…
I witch I could

Thanks, thanks, thanks Pascal

11

Hello Pascal

I’d like to know if there is any chance to have an improved add guide in R8.
Otherwise I’ll try to py my scripts.
But it will take me long, not good at programming !

Thanks for your answer, much more if Add guide improves
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