Hi there, I’ve done a fair bit of RhinoScript and am developing my Python skills for the additional functionality and UI it offers. So have always create standalone scripts that my team can use.
I’m really keen to explore Grasshopper, and have only scratched the surface so far. But would ideally not want to have my team need to learn Grasshopper, but just interact with a simple UI where they can’t do any harm.
We won’t really be creating one off Grasshopper elements, but I’d be creating something for the team to use time and again.
Is that feasible with Grasshopper, or should I just stick with straight Python? I get the feeling from the incredible examples I’ve seen of what people have done in Grasshopper that it seems more geared towards one offs, but that may just be my ignorance.
For reference we are a kitchen manufacturer, using the same types of elements, profiles, components, regularly. If people have examples of things they are using on a regular basis, that would maybe give me some insight.
Good thing that you are starting to explore Grasshopper! Continue!
Grasshopper normally require you to open the .gh file and interact with its “canvas”.
You can make simple definitions where the user is expected to link/reference rhino geometries, insert some numerical variable and lastly bake a new geometry to rhino document.
But this, as you said, can lead to user mistakenly edit/alter your .gh file, breaking it… (well, you can make backups…).
You should check Grasshopper Player.
You can use it even with a normal Rhino button (-_GrasshopperPlayer “C:\path\myscript.gh”), where the file is only loaded and never edited.
But Grasshopper Player does not have an UI, it’s just the normal rhino command line interface…
Edit:
Learn some gh basis. Start with a simple project. Ask here in the forum for specific help when needed.
Do not try to make whole products entirely with a big .gh definition. That’s wrong, at least for new gh users.
Try to use gh to automatize simple boring tasks.
Thanks @maje90 , for the details on Grasshopper and advice. I will definitely keep it simple to start with and your advice helps shape where this might fit in our workflow.
Regards,
Adrian
You can build almost anything you might need in Grasshopper, from scripts to full package manger distribution plugins.
For UI options you have:
Command Line
GH Remote Control Panel
Rhino Script Syntax UI methods (some python coding required*)
HumanUI - windows only but very professional looking UIs are possible using just GH components
Synapse and WebUI are two newer UI projects similar in concept to HumanUI but cross platform
Cheers
DK
*I use a bunch of Script Syntax UI methods in my plug in for little warnings etc, I should really make some GH components for these available as a miniUI option for things like the Grasshopper Player…
I managed to create a UI using Human UI, allowing me to launch Grasshopper Player. But I want to be able to create a new button in the toolbar, or even a plugin for my team members to install where they can launch the Grasshopper Player script by selecting the button rather than navigating to the file saved on the server. Is there anyway to do that?
