Ive spent a few years doing 2D drawings in Draftsight, finally making the switch to 3D and like the look of Rhino and its capabilities. Ive been using the demo software for a few months and learning from tutorials.
Mainly work in designing exhibition stands, hospitality suites and furniture etc from a production point of view rather than for visualisation.
Im not sure if this question would relate to rhino or whether its something that could be achieved in grasshopper(which i havent started learning yet) is if i design a wall say 6 metres long, a tv placed in the middle, some lighting at set points from each end and various cabinets. If the client then wanted the wall length changed could constraints be set so that the tv, lights, cabinets etc would all adjust automatically with the change in total wall length. If that makes sense.
What you described can be achieved with CAD-Software that follows the concept of parametric modelling / history based modelling / feature tree.
This would be for example solidworks, fusion360, onshape, creo, inventor, freecad, …
those software use sketches, driving dimensions, constraints / mates / assemblies to set up the rules how geometry is defined / arranged.
If you really need the adaptiveness you re describing - not sure if rhino is the right choice.
Some small dependencies can be set up in Rhino with history enabled. (but don t expect to much)
At the beginning of Rhino V8 development there have been sketches - but mcneel skipped the development for the final V8.
Grasshopper (which uses “parametric” with another meaning / implementation then above software) is more a visual programming language / environment for Rhino, allowing access to Rhinos functionality. (the first version called explicit history). There is also several ways to access / enhance Rhino via scripting / coding / programming. (see https://developer.rhino3d.com)
What you describe can be reached with grasshopper and coding, but I think this is not the best solution.
Hi Andy,
The kind of modifications you mentionned would not prevent me from using Rhino.
Changing the lenght of a wall and re-centering object is a matter of seconds with the fast tools Rhino has. In parametric CAD, it could be automated (provided you modeled the parts and assemblies with this kind of change in mind), but you’ll need to update several files and make sure all the relations are working.