I want Rhino to always use meters, and to always show me six digits of precision. I made a template file called Precise Objects - Meters.3dm with those choices, and set it as my default template in Options → Files → Template files. When I start Rhino by clicking the icon pinned to my taskbar or pinned to my Start menu, it opens showing meters with six digits like I want.
If I then open a new file, say an .obj file, it goes right back to millimeters and three digits, which is both not what I want, and also incorrect. I’ll add that the .obj file does not have any units inside it that Rhino is getting the units from. How do I change Rhino’s default units and precision to be meters and six digits?
I’ve searched on here, that’s where I found the suggestion about the template file, but it’s not a solution.
What does “Open a new file with your custom template” mean? I click the folder, or I select File → Open… while I have the correct settings and Rhino changes them.
I don’t want to have to delete everything from a Rhino session I’m in, just so I can use Import instead of Open. Rhino must store those unit and precision choices somewhere.
maybe I’m confused about your problem, can you clarify a bit more what is going on?
If you save a model the tolerances and units are saved with the file.
if you need to override them, you need to import that file into another file that has your desired settings. Opening a file will ALWAYS revert to the settings in the file itself regardless of your choice of template.
if you want to change settings in the midst of a session, simply go to tools>options>units and change the model units as you prefer.
BUT… keep in mind if you modeled at .01 units and you change the model to .0001 units, your model will likely fail to data transfer correctly.
you can loosen tolerances, but you can’t tighten them.
you mentioned 6 digits of precision… why? it’s very unusual (and quite unnecessary) for anyone to need that much precision unless you are doing optics for a space laser.
Exactly that. Note the use of the word new. So File>New, choose your custom template. Your settings will be loaded in a new blank file. Now Import your .obj or other file. The template settings will still be there.
Hi Michael - you do not get to set the units in an existing file - that is set, if it has a unit system, by whomever made the file. You can Import the file into your preferred file but on Open the file units are not up to you, so to speak.
I have models that I use in other codes, not just within Rhino. I open them in Rhino to view them, or as part of modifying them. I don’t live in Rhino. I also don’t need to view the full precision of the model, but I do need more than three digits. As I said, somewhere, Rhino has chosen that every file I open defaults to millimeters, and only shows three digits. I always work in meters, and I want to see six digits of accuracy in those units, not just three.
Don’t confuse file absolute tolerance with display precision. Two different things. You can always set the display precision to what you want in Options.
My files generally do not have any units in them. It’s not reading the units from the file and making the change cased on that. I just want the Rhino session to stay using Meters, and using six digits of accuracy in what it shows me, rather than changing to some default setting that someone else thought was good.
Again, I just want the Rhino session to stay using Meters, and using six digits of accuracy in what it shows me. That’s what I’m looking for an answer to. And no, telling me to just use Import doesn’t solve the problem. No more than telling me “Just reset it every time youi open a file” would solve it.
Hi Michael - you cannot - Rhino defaults to mm if no particular Rhino file is opened - you need to import to a template file that is set up as you like.
I think the issue people run into is opening a file in Rhino directly from say Windows Explorer - that does not work if you want specific template settings.
