Bug: Thumbnails always auto-update

Rhino Rhino for Windows
1

I believe this has been reported previously, but in both the Block Manager and the Named Views tab, the thumbnails still update ignoring the auto-update box being unchecked. This happens when I change one linked block to another in the Block Manager.

R5 SR4 x64

2

Hi Greg,

Can you explain more about what your workflow is and when you see the thumbnail update in a named view? I see them update here only after a save (which I always assumed was by design). Do they update for you then too or just when changing a linked block? If you have a sample file and the linked block that might help too. I haven’t been able to reproduce an unintended update yet here.

3

Thanks for looking into it, Brian. Just made a test file here and I have the same problem - not sure what we’re doing differently. Here’s my workflow:

  1. Run BlockManager
  2. Select block name, go to properties, choose a different linked block.
  3. Hit OK and new block is shown in the Block preview thumbnail and Named view tab, even though auto-update is not checked in either.
  4. Close block manager.

In attached, open test_block_thumbnails and replace linkedblock_1 with linkedblock_2.
Test files zip

4

Hi Greg,

I asked around on this one and haven’t found a good answer yet honestly. In my opinion the thumbnail should change if the geometry is changed because the thumbnail is really just a saved view. So the camera position stays the same but what the camera sees changes. The Auto-Update feature is used to control the update of the thumbnail during object transformations in my understanding but would still be forced to update upon a save which seems correct to me given the previous reasoning that the thumbnail is a saved view and not a saved static raster image.

I filed this regardless though as RH-19817 and we’ll see what development says here. Thanks for the feedback, it’s appreciated.
(This is not publicly visible yet… but that’s planned)

5

Thanks Brian.

In the block manager, the checkbox is called “Block Preview”. If unchecked, there shouldn’t be a preview! With very complex blocks, it can take a very long time to create that preview. That is why I leave it unchecked.

I see what you are saying with regard to the auto-update on the Named View - it won’t update when geometry is moved. However, I have the same problem that views can take a very long time to refresh with complex geometry and/or multiple views. I know about the list view mode, but prefer the thumbnails. I can understand if they refresh on block changes, but still would prefer they didn’t unless auto-update is checked.