More Toolbar/Container questions

Serengeti (Rhino WIP)
1

I am verrrry confused about how toolbars and containers work now.

I legit do not understand what is going on now. It seems like I need to make a toolbar file (but it is not actually used for anything except to then make a container?) But then i need a separte container file to actually be used. Then i need a separte image file for any custom commands/scripts.

Is a toolbar a toolbar and/or a container? Is it an either/or, a sometimes/maybe?

Allegedly I have to make toolbars first which I did. I still don’t understand why I need a toolbar, but don’t actually use a toolbar, and use a container instead. I still have no idea how to update those toolbars. Doesn’t seem like i can save over them when adding new buttons.

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I have made what i think are containers and all the items on them work on my computer.

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Anyone else on my team can load one of the custom toolbars from our server, but none of the things work. My understanding is that if a toolbar or container is imported and everyone has access to all the files that are required, it should just work.

Anyone else on my team CANNOT load a .rhc that i save for any of the what i think are containers. Simply does not import/load.

Is anyone else out there having problems like this?

Is there a way we could be a block diagram/flow chart showing what a toolbar is, how it should work, what it works with, what it is NOT. Same for containers.

I’m sure the McNeel folks know what they are doing, (everyone at McNeel has always been great to work with) I just can’t figure out what it is. This new method for Toolbars and Containers has made all that extremely confusing and difficult.

2

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The thing in green (not sure if this is a toolbar or a container) works just fine. I think it is a toolbar because it is not listed on the containers. When i click the little checkity check box I then have 2.

None of this makes sense.

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5

Hi ErikRatliff,

I haven’t gotten into too deep into this aspect of Rhino in a while and there have been a lot of changes 7<8<9 and would like to work with you on this to get a handle on it.

Can you can you detail what your overall environment and goals are?

6

I cleaned up my above posts a bit:
I’m really confused about how toolbars and containers work in the new Rhino version.

I honestly don’t understand what’s going on anymore. It seems like I have to create a toolbar file first, but then that toolbar isn’t actually used directly — I have to make a separate container file to actually display it. On top of that, I also need separate image files for any custom commands or scripts.

I’m not even sure anymore: Is a toolbar a toolbar, a container, or sometimes both? It feels like I’m making toolbars that I don’t actually use, and instead I have to use containers. I still have no idea how to properly update or edit these toolbars. It doesn’t seem possible to just save over them when I add new buttons.

When I share my custom toolbars from our server, other people on my team can load them, but none of the buttons actually work. My understanding was that if everyone has access to all the necessary files, it should just work. However, when I try to save and share a .rhc container file, most people on the team can’t even import or load it at all.

The thing in green that I have working — I’m not even sure if it’s a toolbar or a container. It doesn’t show up in the containers list, but when I check the little checkbox, suddenly I have two of them. None of this makes any sense to me.

I’ve asked a few LLMs and looked around on the forums, and it seems like the least frustrating solution is to just make a proper plugin for any custom stuff and try to ignore this whole confusing toolbar/container system as much as possible.

Has anyone else been struggling with this? It would be really helpful if there was a simple block diagram or flowchart that clearly shows what a toolbar actually is, how it relates to containers, what files are involved, and what each one is supposed to do (and not do).

I know the McNeel team knows what they’re doing (shout out to Pascal, Dale, Mary Ann, Rajaa, Peter) and they’ve always been great, but this new way of handling toolbars and containers seems to have made customization way more confusing and difficult than it used to be.

My environment: custom fab shop with a few person engineering team. We need to be using the same tools and processes.

My goals:

  • make custom “tools” in Rhino & GH (later) that the whole team can use.
  • make a “thing”, put some custom buttons on it, save it, share it with the team, update it as necessary. I am saying “thing” here since I am not even sure what is what anymore or why I have duplicate UI “things”, one allegedly being a toolbar the other allegedly a container.