Rhino 8 Development

Serengeti (Rhino WIP)
82

Hi All,
I would like to start saying thanks to Rhino and its developers for being what it is: a powerful software backed by a strong and active community. No way to go for yearly updates / subscription fees like the others do.

I work in the marine industry, where Rhino is a sort of “unofficial” standard. Many offices/shipyards have Catia/Solidworks/Nx but, at the end, use Rhino a lot for their quick and dirty modeling stuff.

As you move from 3D to 2D the magic of Rhino stops: Section or Make2D views are generated and copied to “Old Way” layouts in Autocad/AutoClone/…
This is bad because there is no dynamic update, meaning a lot of manual/boring and potentially source of error job need to be done.

If Rhino would have more robust Drafting capabilities and a Good Vector Output it could be the choice to manage the full cycle, from 3D modeling to production drawings.
Avoiding import/export geometry to other software would be a huge benefit.
There is already a thread about this, as mentioned by @ryan.odom : Layout & Drafting: What’s the plan?

Apart from the point above, here a quick list of what I think is missing in Rhino, in no particular order.
I will cover individual points with better description/examples:

3D Modeling

  • Chamfer by ratio / angle

  • Silhouette for garbled surfaces

  • Clipping Plane attached to CPlane (similar to Spaceclaim)

Assembly / Big project management

  • Blocks!!

  • Multi File opening inside same session??

Plugin / Tools Collections integration

Layout, Drafting and Annotations

  • Level managed by layout only, not global display in model (-> Safe Layout plugin)

  • Good Vector Output!

  • 2D Views / Sections Synced (or cached) to 3D model

  • Automatic generation of projected views / sections / details / etc.

  • Advanced clipping

  • SectionTools integration and improvement

  • Structure Grid <-> Sections / Views

  • Make 2D improvement - Dynamic Update

  • Layout tools

  • Excel Support

  • Layout detail of any shape

  • Print Preview as default or more easily On/Off

  • Easier management / screen preview of Line Weights/Styles. Scaled to actual view (no need to zoom in)

File versioning, support / integration with other Software

  • PDM?

  • GrabCad integration / Plugin

  • Step 242 Import / Export.

  • Direct Copy/Paste with SpaceClaim (actually works copying from Rhino 5 to Spaceclaim)

  • Dropbox (recurrent tmp file error when working with large files)

GUI - Operation - Miscellaneus

  • Popup Menu improvement -> New Radial Menu??

  • Sync of Preferences/Shortcuts/Plugins between multiple PC’s (i.e Workstation + Laptop / Home + Office, etc…) useful also for backup / migration to new computer.

  • Package file, to export custom display modes and other settings/plugin to an archive for sharing design file

  • Smart (Solid Modeler Style) Structure Tree of Parts/Assemblies/Blocks and Elements (->SpaceClaim)

  • Highlight Layer/Part on structure Tree when I hover over an object

  • Highlight element when I hover over its layer

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