More control over text please

Serengeti (Rhino WIP) Drafting & Illustration
1

Lately, I am experimenting with using Rhino to do vector graphic/compositing tasks and cut out Photoshop/Illustrator from the process when I can. Because of many things, Rhino is dealing great with it:
CAD precision, unlimited working space, a lot of very useful tools&commands (like SelColor, SelLast, named selections, nested groups), many ways to make and modify intelligent objects, speed, new color wheel, etc.

There are some things that maybe could be implemented to fill the gaps and make it even more useful. I’m sure that some of it would be beneficial to all users. Of course, I primarily use Rhino to do other things and understand that it’s a CAD program but maybe there is not that much to be done, to unleash its potential in other fields. + There is a drafting & illustration discourse section, so I feel justified. :wink:

For now, I will mention the Text tool:

  • leading
  • tracking
  • justification
  • text fill other shapes than a rectangle
  • text following curve
  • font glyphs
  • better organized fonts – some fonts have multiple versions, in Rhino, they are all mixed together inside one list and it’s messy.

Photoshop:
image

Rhino:
image

Not all of the mentioned above are equally important. But at least justification, leading, and tracking would make a huge difference.

2 Likes
2

What i am missing the most is “justified” alignment type for text (like text in the newspaper, where words are spaced out so that they come out evenly at both margins). Most other CAD programs can do that.

3

I would add Text Shape Fill and Text following the path curve to these wishes. The first one is more important - just a simple ability to put the description and avoid collision with a Detail View for example.

Text created like that should be accessible by Grasshopper so you can deconstruct it and swap/modify boundary curves or text content along with all other settings.


1 Like