Lack of persistent 3d dimension tool

[brvdln (Brv)]

@encephalon

@brvdln

I don’t know what you want to achieve,

well in this case i believe its about quickly dimensioning arbitrary located angled curves without much efforts. in my opinion having DimAligned for instance not only follow geometry orthogonal or parallel to the cplane but also along the actual edge having real dimensions instead of leaders would be helpful.

leaders do the job either, but if you have to communicate dimensions in a 3d drawing then making them look like all the other dimensions would probably be a manual endeavour, to keep sometimes heavy plans more compact and readable.

Yes, it would indeed be useful. The inconvenient thing, if I may say, is that the DimCurveLength command does not update unlike the other dimension commands.
In this case, I’ll show you a practical example. When I create a development of a sole, all the length, distance, and angle dimensions update once the “Scale” command is executed. The only dimension that I have to redo each time is the DimCurveLength because it never updates, and it’s a bit annoying, honestly.

[Tom_P]

@brvdln

DimCurveLength because it never updates

DimCurveLength updates fine here on a fast test.
which Rhino Version are you using ?
maybe post systeminfo.

[brvdln (Brv)]

@Tom_P

@brvdln

DimCurveLength because it never updates

DimCurveLength updates fine here on a fast test.
which Rhino Version are you using ?
maybe post systeminfo.

Rhino 8, In Rhino 7, it was the same as well.

I just performed a non-uniform scale in Rhino 8, but the elevation did not update; I had to execute the command again.

As you can see on the left, you can still see the old elevation, which remains the same despite performing a scale operation. On the right, you can see the new elevation measurement.
All the other dimensions, instead, update without any issues.
This is my workstation, but at home, I work with a €4000 PC and I have the same issues.

Rhino 8 SR8 2024-6-18 (Rhino 8, 8.8.24170.13001, Git hash:master @ c3cc7c123163b65d85b517aff795627d5b12166b)
License type: Commerciale, build 2024-06-18
License details: Cloud Zoo

Windows 10 (10.0.19045 SR0.0) or greater (Physical RAM: 32GB)
.NET 7.0.0

Computer platform: DESKTOP

Standard graphics configuration.
Primary display and OpenGL: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (NVidia) Memory: 4GB, Driver date: 1-18-2024 (M-D-Y). OpenGL Ver: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 551.23
> Accelerated graphics device with 4 adapter port(s)
- Windows Main Display attached to adapter port #0

OpenGL Settings
Safe mode: Off
Use accelerated hardware modes: On
Redraw scene when viewports are exposed: On
Graphics level being used: OpenGL 4.6 (primary GPU’s maximum)

Anti-alias mode: 8x
Mip Map Filtering: Linear
Anisotropic Filtering Mode: High

Vendor Name: NVIDIA Corporation
Render version: 4.6
Shading Language: 4.60 NVIDIA
Driver Date: 1-18-2024
Driver Version: 31.0.15.5123
Maximum Texture size: 32768 x 32768
Z-Buffer depth: 24 bits
Maximum Viewport size: 32768 x 32768
Total Video Memory: 4 GB

Rhino plugins that do not ship with Rhino
C:\Program Files\Common Files\McNeel\Rhinoceros\7.0\Plug-ins\XNurbs (80be33b0-13b2-4ac4-9c77-03829214f9e9)\6.1.1.119\XNurbsRhino7.rhp “XNurbs”

Rhino plugins that ship with Rhino
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Commands.rhp “Commands” 8.8.24170.13001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\rdk.rhp “Renderer Development Kit”
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\RhinoRenderCycles.rhp “Rhino Render” 8.8.24170.13001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\rdk_etoui.rhp “RDK_EtoUI” 8.8.24170.13001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\NamedSnapshots.rhp “Snapshots”
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\MeshCommands.rhp “MeshCommands” 8.8.24170.13001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\RhinoCycles.rhp “RhinoCycles” 8.8.24170.13001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Toolbars\Toolbars.rhp “Toolbars” 8.8.24170.13001
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\3dxrhino.rhp “3Dconnexion 3D Mouse”
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\Displacement.rhp “Displacement”
C:\Program Files\Rhino 8\Plug-ins\SectionTools.rhp “SectionTools”

[Tom_P]

can you post the file or at least the dim-part of it ?
maybe my fast testing was not complex enough.

[brvdln (Brv)]

@Tom_P

can you post the file or at least the dim-part of it ?
maybe my fast testing was not complex enough.

Try copying a sole and scaling everything using the non-uniform scale command, and you’ll see that the other dimensions update while the DimCurveLength does not.

Per Scala Non Uniforme.3dm (1.4 MB)

[Tom_P]

if I scaleNU the first piece “46” the length updates.
if I do a copy of it, and scale the copy - it does not update.

Dimlength refers to an object ID, and this ID is just copied. (not updated)
so if you do a copy the dimlength still refers to the initial object.

this looks like a ugly limitation - that is easy to understand from a developer perspective but completely unintuitive from a users perspective.

is this the problem ?

if yes the workaround would be:

draw a initial object with all dims.
scale that object
copy the scaled version to the final position
scale the initial object again…

or work with 2 documents - which will support a second undo/redo stack.
do a single scaleable object with dims in a first “interactive” document. scale it, copy it, undo.
past it to the final second “static” doc.

does this help ? kind regards -tom

[brvdln (Brv)]

@brvdln

DimCurveLength

@Tom_P

if I scaleNU the first piece “46” the length updates.
if I do a copy of it, and scale the copy - it does not update.

Dimlength refers to an object ID, and this ID is just copied. (not updated)
so if you do a copy the dimlength still refers to the initial object.

this looks like a ugly limitation - that is easy to understand from a developer perspective but completely unintuitive from a users perspective.

is this the problem ?

if yes the workaround would be:

draw a initial object with all dims.
scale that object
copy the scaled version to the final position
scale the initial object again…

or work with 2 documents - which will support a second undo/redo stack.
do a single scaleable object with dims in a first “interactive” document. scale it, copy it, undo.
past it to the final second “static” doc.

does this help ? kind regards -tom

Okay, thank you, you’ve helped me understand where the issue lies in Rhino (ID). But then why not make the DimCurveLength command work like the other dimensions (update)? In my workflow, I hypothetically design a sole, heel, etc., starting from a base number like 37 for women and 42 for men. Once I create the sample and dimension it, I copy the entire layer—say, from size 46 to rename it, for instance, to size 49. Then I develop the object using Non-Uniform Scale. Everything updates except for that dimension command. In the end, if I have to repeat too many operations because DimCurveLength doesn’t update, it’s faster to re-dimension. Still, thank you for explaining the problem to me.

[Gijs (Gijs de Zwart)]

Maybe this script helps a little (but it’s not persistent)

How can I place a diagonal dimension between these markers in 3D and not Ortho?

I made this script a while back, maybe it’s useful for you: #! python3 def mark_distance(): """ script written by Gijs de Zwart draws a line with arrows and dot annotation with the distance between the two picked points """ import Rhino import rhinoscriptsyntax as rs import scriptcontext as sc result = rs.GetLine(0,message1 = "pick two points") if not result: return else: pt1, pt2 = result if not pt1 or not pt2: r…

[Rhino_Bulgaria (Bobi)]

Some time ago, I posted two alternative ways to build 3d dimensions in Rhino, even though they were not exactly what a true native 3d dimension should be capable of. I will try to find them now.

Share your favourite scripts, macros and plug-ins

Thanks for sharing those! I slightly modified your 4th macro to turn the camera at 180 degrees instead of 90 degrees, because this is handy when modeling cars. Reverse camera view -RotateView a 180 l, -RotateView a 180 r This is a macro that I created to overcome one weakness of Rhino’s default ! _Line _Tangent _Pause command. It will ask for a planar object to temporarily align the CPlane to it during the command, then it will revert to the previous CPlane. Line: Tangent and perpendic…

Two macros for creating of a vertical dimension or aligned dimension directly in the Perspective viewport:

• 3-D vertical dimension
  ! _CPlane _Object _Multipause _Dim _CPlane _Undo

• 3-D aligned dimension
  ! _CPlane _Object _Multipause _DimAligned _CPlane _Undo

This video shows how to use the 3d dimensions:

Easy 3d dimensions in Rhino

---

A proposal from 2019:

3d dimension

The easiest way would be to use 3d dimension, that, at the moment, is not yet implemented in Rhino 6, but hopefully will be included in Rhino 7 (or a future update of Rhino 6). I imagine it could work this way: Pick the start point for the desired distance. Pick the end point. Snap to some object that closely matches the plane at which you want the dimension to be aligned. It should work exactly like the last click of the “Rotate 3d” command where you pick the angle of rotation while the start…

---

Another important thing to consider:

Angle Dimension - Dim Line Extension when Hint Left/Right, etc

Great idea, always wanted this. Easily voting for this to be implemented. However, I would love to see a slightly different version of the angle dimension, featuring a customizable length of the straight extension tangent to the arc, with the angle numbers following the same orientation perpendicular to the extension (optionally, also horizontal or vertical). That would be extremely useful, especially for small dimensions: [Angle dimension with extension line] Also, I find the default dimensi…

[Tom_P]

@Rhino_Bulgaria

Two macros

check out the macro I posted above - it might have some advantages - even if it does not come with a nice colorful video.

@Tom_P

uses 0,0,0 as first dimensionpoint
uses _cplane _undo for cplane reset

_CPlane _3Point _pause _pause _enter _dim 0,0,0 _pause _pause _CPlane _Undo

[Tom_P]

@Gijs
@brvdln

started a related topic

(Bug / Wish) copy Textfields related to Objects

This issue came up in a more complex context on this topic current behaviour example draw a curve (crvA) have length and Area as Textfield (using ID of crvA) copy curve and Textfield resulting in crvB the new Textfields still will reference crvA desired behaviour if a copy-Action is copying texts / dims with textfields and the referenced objects, the new text/textfields should reference the new, corresponding textfields. or if you want to go more explicit: An ID might get an additional …

which is more or less the resume of what I 've been writing

@Tom_P

Dimlength refers to an object ID, and this ID is just copied. (not updated)

cheers -tom

[Rhino_Bulgaria (Bobi)]

I tried it numerous times, but I can’t get a nice dimension between two end points.

3d dimension build.3dm (176.7 KB)

[Tom_P]

@Tom_P

_CPlane _3Point _pause _pause _enter _dim 0,0,0 _pause _pause _CPlane _Undo

run the macro
click (1)
click (2) - 3 times with some mouse movement in between to get a dim without distance

[Rhino_Bulgaria (Bobi)]

It’s not vertical, though. That’s the goal of having 3d dimensions in the Perspective viewport.

I use this macro, which allows setting a custom inclined plane:
! _CPlane _3Point _Multipause _DimAligned _Multipause _CPlane _Undo

[Tom_P]

@Rhino_Bulgaria

vertical

ok - i see
try this:

_CPlane _3Point _pause _pause r0,0,1 _dim 0,0,0 _pause _pause _CPlane _Undo

violet result

[cameronbehning (Cameron)]

@ftzuk

every time I want to check a dimension.

If you are just needing to check a distance and aren’t trying to specifically draft something, you can always use the distance command.

@encephalon

if there are so many options that it makes the entire task worthless alright, till then why not just make it simple.

I hear your frustration. managing complexity is difficult (just look at how much apple struggles with their settings) when you need to balance things working while also giving functionality. All those options exist because people use them. There is not one “just works” tool unfortunately. Even the simple tasks requires you to make dozens of decisions, conscious or not, and the program will have to make all those same decisions. You can’t just default your way around many of these problems because there not default condition that covers even 50% of cases.

If having a single simple use command, you could make a macro that would reduce all this stuff to one command. But you would be hard coding in all the decisions you make. That command would probably save you a lot of time.

Something to remember is that the developers do actually watch the forum and are responsive. They also care about the product. We could be in the hell scape that is AutoCAD with dozens of broken features and command and no simple way of doing anything.

[Rhino_Bulgaria (Bobi)]

Is there a way to eliminate the need to click for the 2nd end of the dimension? Similar to this proposal:

3d dimension

The easiest way would be to use 3d dimension, that, at the moment, is not yet implemented in Rhino 6, but hopefully will be included in Rhino 7 (or a future update of Rhino 6). I imagine it could work this way: Pick the start point for the desired distance. Pick the end point. Snap to some object that closely matches the plane at which you want the dimension to be aligned. It should work exactly like the last click of the “Rotate 3d” command where you pick the angle of rotation while the start…

In my opinion, there could be just 3 mouse clicks:

1. Mark the start of the vertical dimension;
2. Mark the end of the vertical dimension;
3. Set the height of the dimension (must support snapping to objects or entering a numerical value for the height in system units).

Alternatively, there is another similar proposal:

1. Mark the start of the vertical dimension;
2. Mark the end of the vertical dimension;
3. Set the angle of the dimension (must support snapping to objects or entering a numerical value for the angle in system units; press Enter or RMB for vertical).
4. Set the height of the dimension (must support snapping to objects or entering a numerical value for the height in system units).

[Tom_P]

… sounds more like a script then a macro…
… with a lot of creativity there might be a workaround, to somehow macro-rize it…

[Rhino_Bulgaria (Bobi)]

Your macro is almost there, just needs to eliminate picking the end point of the dimension, because it’s already set by the 2nd mouse click, which marks the orientation of the CPlane.

Making it dependent of the History recording (updating the 3d dimension after dragging one of the objects it’s attached to) is probably something that can’t be made via macro.

[Tom_P]

@Rhino_Bulgaria

Your macro is almost there, just needs to eliminate picking the end point of the dimension, because it’s already set by the 2nd mouse click, which marks the orientation of the CPlane.

yep… but as the 2nd mouse click is first for the _cplane command, then the same coordinate is used for the next command _dim the macro somehow needs to save / recall that input.
I dig a bit - but did not find a workaround, like somehow insert the point-Coordinates twice, from a point that is drawn (and later deleted the point by the macro…)
and the cplane command can not be called recursively…
… scripting is the way to go…