Image Printer on Rhino for Mac

Rhino Rhino for Mac
1

Hi,

I’m looking for the function of printing an Image on Rhino for Mac just like in the Windows version.

Does it exist, and if so, where could I find it.

Thanks
Karl

2

Can’t find it as well, but there are some Workarounds:

  1. In PDF options “open in Preview” and then export choosing the format you want.
  2. Create a Printer PlugIn with Automator which can do that job for you (render as picture), now you will have that option in the PDF options within the printer dialog.
3

We license a function library called “LeadTools” for Windows Rhino to make that possible. I don’t know what the deal is as far as licensing an OSX version of the development tools. Maybe there’s a better option for OSX. I just don’t know. I’ll check in with the developers. My guess is it’s just another feature still on the to-do list.

4

ViewCaptureToFile will do a selection of image formats, but nothing else like resolution, B&W etc.
And anti-aliasing does not work, so your edges will be ragged/serrated.

Max.

5

Hi Max- use the ‘dash’ version of this command ( -ViewCaptureToFile )for more options… I know, I know, but that is how it is for now…

-Pascal

6

While -ViewCaptureToFile works great, out of habit, I use the Mac OS X feature shift-command-4 a lot too.

If you have a Retina display you can get a fairly high resolution image as well.

Also, play with Preferences-Display Modes (i.e. line thickness and colors, etc.) to create exactly the look you want. You can call that customization up in future by RMB in the view. While my preference is to not use anti-aliasing in general, I will crank anti-aliasing all the way up when doing screen captures I want to look their best.

7

Thanks guys,

that helps a lot.

  • Karl
8

Hi All,

Sorry for pulling up an older thread, but the Mac version’s inability to print to an image has annoyed me for a while now. I dug into ‘Toby’s’ suggestion of a Printer PlugIn with Automator. I am not an expert with automator so I am sure there is probably a smoother way to do the automator, but I wanted to share what I came up with because it actually works really great. It automatically locates itself in the Print to PDF drop down menu and gives me the option to save in a variety of image formats at a variety of dpi. Exactly what I was looking for as the screen grab options were not high enough resolution.

Open Automator. Create a new document. Use the ‘Print Plugin’ template. Add three actions to your document:

  1. Render PDF Pages As Images
  2. Move Finder Items
  3. Rename Finder Items: Name Single Items

All of these actions can be simply searched for in the search bar. In each action click on Options and check the box next to ‘Show this action when the workflow runs’. This will allow you to change the settings for each action when you run this from the print dialog box. I saved it as ‘Save as Image’.

Now when I Print from Rhino, I can select ‘Save as Image’ from the ‘Print to PDF’ dropdown menu at the bottom left of the print dialogue. Works great.

2 Likes
9

there’s also the command ViewCaptureToFile…
if you put a dash/hyphen in front of the command…

-ViewCaptureToFile

you’ll be able to adjust the output size, file type, etc

10

You’re a boss!