Rhino BETA Feature: Icon redesign

Screenshot example of a surface icon:


Here, almost black and bold (generating) curves and dark blue outlines are used.
However, this logic with colored outlines should not result in other icons, such as the box, which do not have almost black outlines, having too little contrast.

The contrast is even weaker, especially with the cyan SubD icons and the lime Transform and Array icons, as can be seen in the attached comparison:


However, if you increase the contrast, the result becomes oversaturated and even more colorful.

I start to like these icons, especially with the dark (black) background.

Getting used to this change, epochal I would say, in the history of Rhino, in which we were accustomed, in all versions, to the usual indigo colors on a gray background, is not easy, but after the initial impact the result seems quite pleasant and coherent, even if a little “colorful”.

I would make some more small revisions

guys lets stick to english please.

Hi @marika_almgren, @Gijs

I’m pushing this small changes again :

  • TEXT is a construction tool so it should be before Join/explode just after Meshes
  • PUSH/PULL is a kind of modifying tool that works on multiple type of geometry so It should be just after Meshes.

This way the toolbar with 4 column can get the join/explode+Trim/split combo in the same line.

I’m used to this postion since 25 years and I wish not to change them.

so instead of this:

We can have this:

Moving the PushPull into a more visible and coherent position.

Do you see any drawback?

The drawback is that most people don’t use “Text” as often (if at all), but many will use “PushPull” thousands of times more often. Like 50-500 times per day.

Trying to reach the “PushPull” icon through the “Text” one will inevitably require:

  • longer mouse travel:
  • more precise mouse movements;
  • occasionall inconvenience due to the mouse tooltips actively hiding the adjacent icons (there was also some noticeable freezing in Rhino 8 related to the mouse tooltips).

How often do I need to create text in my NURBS projects? Mostly zero times. A few projects may need some drawing of the finalized part (that takes days, weeks or months to complete) where I want to place some quick text around.

Meanwhile, something as important as “Mirror” remains hidden for no reason…


More important commands such like “Rotate” and “Scale” are located on the left side of the toolbar, behind less important icons, too.
For example, I need to rotate and scale objects way more often than “Align”, “Distribute” or “Array”.


The “Group” and “Ungroup” icons take a valuable space, in my opinion. Those tho icons could be as follows:

  • Icon 1 LMB: Group
  • Icon 1 RMB: Ungroup
  • Icon 2 LMB: Add to group;
  • Icon 2 RMB: Remove from group

Both, “Add to group” and “Remove from group” are used rarely, so they could be hidden behind the main “Group” icon, releasing an extra space for more important commands (“Mirror” or another).

I’m absolutely with you on this.

Text and group takes vital space from much used tools (mirror)

IMO also show knot could go away and remain inside point editing toolbar.

My post was a “little step” toward better interface, I think revolution aren’t welcome in this regards.
It took 5 year to give dignity to SubD tools, and this is just a wip veersion :stuck_out_tongue:

Just a comment, the most important tools will depend on whether you are an architect, industrial/car designer, modelmaker, or whatever… Somehow for the default interface they have to make some compromise choices to try and cover all the areas.

But I agree on the “T” text object tool, I don’t know who really uses it frequently… Me, I use Text a lot as I make tutorials etc. I expect architects or anyone who makes 2D plans will also.

Right, but having Mirror instead of Text object it’s a simple catch :slightly_smiling_face:
Text object could easly fit Solid toolbar.

That’s one place for it. It is a multi-object-type tool though, curves, surfaces and solids… Always hard to find a good place for those.

Beautiful icons :+1:

maybe we finally could get an option to properly hide all this obfuscated mess away entirely? i really dont need icons that much, having pretty icons in many fancy rainbow colours that u have to ignore anyway that use much of ones precious screen real estate additionally is just something i am not happy with at all. there are many apps that allow you to fully hide it using tab. though it works in rhino meddling around but as soon as you start a command the crap comes right back. so its no solution.

and instead of restructuring and modernising the UI properly we now have a redundant procedure of getting make up in our faces, on something that was not pretty before but far more functional for those having to ignore the icons.

I would think you could simply hide all of those toolbars and just use the …gasp… Windows Rhino-style command line.

you mean that sledge hammer that is so wild in your face which conditioned people for decades so hard that they cant live without it anymore and get convulsive contractions dealing with something that could potentially look tidied up and act more mature?

Yep, that’s the one! Definitely fallen in love with it over these last 28 years…
Stockholm syndrome, y’know… :winking_face_with_tongue:

we use TextObject and Text loads in our models and our layout sheets, depends what your industry is I suppose

I really miss the cat ! :wink:

Poor cat, give him a (forever) rest :face_with_tongue:


I keep searching for the fillet button, can’t find it!
Other buttons are mostly similar, I intuitively find them.

Rhino 7:
Cubes in the icons have 3 different shade for the 3 flat faces, dark corners, feels like a cube!

Rhino WIP:
Cubes in the icons have barely 2 slightly different grey shad, both feels like a
“generic white flat hexagon” with a light blue shape over… doesn’t feel like a cube, doesn’t feel like seeing a fillet or a chamfer.



With 2 columns setup:

  • Show edit points and Show control points buttons are now just after curve buttons. This feels wrong as those 2 buttons looks like arcs, and seems mixed and lost with other curve buttons.
    Maybe give them red color?
  • Move, Copy, Rotate, Scale are now at the other column (left-right) , swapped.

2026-03-19 21_38_40-Untitled - Rhino WIP
Soft transform button should have that light green color as other transformation tools, maybe?
That is the color for SubD buttons… is Soft Transform SubD-only?


I know this is just a matter of re-learning icons and positions… but…