Named Views - Grasshopper canvas

Often my interest is aroused by components and solutions which are not using its full potential. That is exactly what happened to Named Views inside Grasshopper.

Our definitions can be really huge and we should have some handy shortcuts. One way is to use Jump components which I mentioned in other thread or probably much better - Named Views.

To add a Named View you got to click on the eye icon and to select Named View you got to click on the tiny arrow next to it. Then choose the proper view from the dropdown list. Because Named Views were created for our comfort it should be in the opposite manner. Logical is, that we are choosing from named views far more often than creating them. - The bigger button should show us the list. That arrow is so tiny, that if I want to move somewhere quickly I would rather move whole canvas with one fast move of my mouse than click precisely on some button, and then choose from the list.

named%20view%200

Even if we swap those buttons, the dropdown list isn’t the best solution because there are two separate processes.
a) moving cursor to the button to display a list
b) after receiving displayed list start looking for the right item to choose from it

Right now we have a pretty nice, empty space here:

Why wouldn’t we use it for the things that we want to have extremely easy and fast access? We could store there icons with the names of our saved Named Views or maybe other things too.

8 Likes

I don’t know how feasible this would be but being able to start a wire or drag components, hover one of those named views and be able to continue dragging after the view changes would be sweet.

3 Likes

I think that’s a brilliant idea. Maybe modifying the way how we connect components (or expanding possible ways) would help.

I think dragging wires makes pleasant feeling, other programs, like Unreal Engine 4 or Substance Designer do it the same way, but it can be limiting in our scenario.

Here is how I see it.




In case of big jumps, and connecting components you could do it directly in the popup, as you said or click on the icon and be moved with whole canvas to that place.

3 Likes