Installing Python for Mac Rhino 5

Scripting
1

Hi!
For the past few hours I have been trying to find answer. Could you please give me a simple description on how to run Python on the newest Rhino 5 for Mac without Grasshopper?

I tried installing some Iron Python stuff, Komodo, downloading the gha file. Nothing worked. What should file should I select when typing in the command box “RunPythonScript” ?

I would appreciate any help,
Weronika

1 Like
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Hi,

Python is already installed with Rhino for Mac. Are you trying to run a python file or edit one? There is no built-in editor like in Rhino for Windows but you can edit your files using the Atom editor with the rhino-python package

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Weronika,
RunPythonScript will let you run existing python scripts. Look for files with the py extension. a gha file is a Grasshopper file and you won’t be able to use this on Rhino for Mac.

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Which file should I choose when i type RunPythonScript ? Thank you for your answers!
Weronika

5

I believe there is a samples sub-folder in default Scripts folder for python.

Here …

This will help, I hope … http://4.rhino3d.com/5/ironpython/index.html

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Oh ok I get it now. If Atom works, would IDLE as well?
Thanks for answers.

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I believe Idle is more useful to run Python direct from Terminal. Atom is used to execute python / rhino script commands in Rhino. Idle will not run Rhino commands because they are not python. If that makes sense?

Someone with more straight python knowledge can explain it better.

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Just went through the install of Atom (Python editor) on MacRhino. Lots of nifty features, but the one thing I miss is being able to easily look up rhinoscript commands for functions and options. Any way to add these to Atom, or easily reference these?

The biggest challenge is that finding instructions for install that are current seems to be a lot more confusing than it prolly needs to be due to multiple links with very different instructions, etc… Hera are a few things I learned that may be somewhat helpful for others who want to try a Python editor for Rhino:

  1. FAIL/OUTDATED: Initial searches for installing Python on MacRhino returned a long thread as the top hit here: The rhino-python package for the Atom text editor and Rhino for Mac. I followed the directions, but after a few oddities (primarily, Atom would not update to current Rhino-Python package version 0.7.0). Unfortunately, I discovered (after the 91st comment!) that these instructions are now outdated and the topic is closed. @Alain: Any chance you can revise the first line of this post with a warning that this is outdated and add a link to the current info?

2 - CURRENT?: I “think” the current info is here: Rhino for Mac users can also write and execute Python scripts?

3 - JACKPOT!: The prior link in #2 references useful documentation for installation here (at atom’s website). This is what got me up and running and what seems to be ground zero for the install. I’d go to this link first. (Do correct me if I’m wrong, someone!)

  • Worth noting is that I did encounter one item that could possibly use a little clarification in the installation instructions. The line “press the cmd+, keys to open the Settings panel.” Here, you want to press the “command + comma” keys!

  • (In retrospect, this now makes sense, but I misread this as “command” and “+” keys pressed simultaneously, with the comma simply being part of the sentence. Doh! )

4 Adding to the potpourri of instructions, there is another link on the McNeel Wiki: Python scripting in MacRhino which has a download. I’m not sure if this is current or not, whether this is the total package wrapped up all in one for convenience since I found this link after atom was installed and working. @Alain: Any insights on whether thIs is the latest/greatest, obsolete, or just simply another option?

~Dave

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this link is good for that:
http://4.rhino3d.com/5/ironpython/index.html

you could also try out Dash… outlined here:

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Thanks for this, Jeff. I’ll try to give Dash a whirl.

@dan: Just an FYI: Most (possibly all?) links at http://4.rhino3d.com/5/ironpython/index.html, are broken on the right display screen (Modules and Descriptions) for the top level of “Contents > Rhinoscript Package”

(I did not check all of the links after getting numerous 404 errors).

If one discloses each topic on the left, the contents display properly on the right. (Using Safari browser, in case that matters). ~Dave

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Hi @DigiFabLab,

You’re right, it makes more sense to mark the thread as obsolete at the beginning (I added the note) instead of only at he end. As you discovered, [this one] (Rhino for Mac users can also write and execute Python scripts) is the latest one.

The cmd + , style markup was not rendering well on the atom package page (it works fine here) and I had to add extra markup to make it work. Thanks for pointing it out.

The “Python scripting in Mac Rhino” article on the WIKI is old and will be removed. There’s no need to download anything anymore as Python support comes with the latest versions of Rhino for Mac.

The api docs: http://4.rhino3d.com/5/ironpython/index.html can be useful now but will also be replaced.

Sorry for all the confusion. We are working on a new developer documentation site that we’ll release soon that will make things much easier.

Thanks for the feedback and let us know if there’s anything else.
Alain

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Thanks for the very helpful clarifications!

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Hrmmm. I see what you mean. I don’t know why these are broken…I will check into that. But…

As @Alain said, we’re currently working on migrating all developer resources to developer.rhino3d.com, which is definitely still a Work-In-Progress. One hopes, with enough traffic, this will become the new canonical resource for all API documentation, guides, and samples. (We plan to deprecate the contents of this page once the migration is complete).

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Very cool. Good luck with the migration, Dan! ~Dave