Rhino WIP Feature: Command Line UI unification

Serengeti (Rhino WIP)
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Hi everyone,

In the Rhino WIP, we’re working on unifying the command line experience across Mac and Windows.

One of the things that makes Rhino unique is how central the command line is to the workflow. But as many of you know, the command interface has historically been quite different between Mac and Windows.

  • On Windows, Rhino users are used to a persistent, text-heavy command line that shows command history and typed options.

  • On Mac, the interface leans toward a cleaner, more graphical UI with sidebars and popups for options.

Both approaches have their strengths, but until now, you’ve been locked into whichever style matched your platform.

With the Rhino WIP, we’re working to change that. The goal is to make our command UI cross-platform, so you can choose the style that fits your workflow regardless of whether you’re on Mac or Windows.

Trying It Out

Use the “CommandMode” command to switch between Search, Sidebar and History modes in the Rhino WIP on both Windows and Mac.

  • Search Mode (New on Windows) – A popup search-and-options interface, similar to the “Use command options dialog” on Mac.

  • SideBar Mode (New on Windows) – The default Mac-style graphical command sidebar.

  • History Mode (New on MAC) – The classic Windows-style textual command line, complete with command history.

Why This Matters

By making these UIs cross-platform, we’re not only giving you choice and flexibility – we’re also laying the groundwork for:

  • A consistent command system that behaves the same across Mac and Windows.

  • Easier testing and iteration on new UI ideas.

  • Future customization, so you can tune the command experience to your own preferences.

This is still early days, but we’re excited to finally let you mix and match UI styles in Rhino.

We Want Your Feedback

Play around with the modes and see which one feels right for you. Does History Mode on Mac make your workflow more efficient? Does the SideBar feel refreshing on Windows?

We’d love to hear what works, what doesn’t, and what could make the new Command Line UI even better.

42 Likes
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3 posts were split to a new topic: TestShowKnots using Eto does not display knots on surfaces

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A short video or some hints on how to user SideBar mode and Search mode would be useful for Windows only users. These modes are probably intuitive for those with Mac experience but not obvious to users with only Windows experience.

Is command history available when using SideBar mode or Search mode?

1 Like
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I’ve added a short video for each of the modes.

Absolutely! The same command history is available in all modes.

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How/where? I’m a Windows only user used to command history automatically appearing above the command line (provided there is space).

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This does not change if you are using History mode. In the other modes, the history is still shown but without the command line in that panel.

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On mac here.

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as you can see the Command option pops up when History [Windows style] is selected. so it doubles/ mix between the two modes.

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Now obvious to me.

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Now when using Search Mode. [my Normal mode on Mac since the beginning]

there is also a weird double thing popping up.

it look like the same bug as with the History mode

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Edit: found out why this is happning , In Options > General, there’s always been [on Mac] the box to tick the command option dialog [the pop up]. so if this is on , It still bring up the option dialoge while the new Eto test is on.
So if you can deactivate it when the test command is running , or at least let Mac user know they need to turn this off manualy.

thanks a lot

1 Like
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Ah! yeah, this is a bug that’s on my up next list RH-88748. You need to turn off the “Use command options dialog” in Settings > General. Thanks for reporting the issue!

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Hi @curtisw One more bug has to do with resizing the popup options

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I never realised how much I needed this! I run a quite minimal Rhino/Grasshopper GUI, so this is just perfect :star_struck: One question, is there some logic/setting to where the Search Command window pops up? It seems to always appear here on my system:

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Edit: Nevermind, one can drag it and it will pop up where you dragged to, very nice.

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One more Question.

The only shortcoming of the old command option dialog [on Mac] was always that it disabled that side tool bar that updates according to the active tab. [not sure how it’s called since i never had access to it]

Will/Does the new Eto system allow for this side tool bar to work with command dialog? as an independent toolbar? [It was always glued to the command on the side toolbar ]

it is nice Graphically the Eto system looks cleaner and more… well, “professional”

thanks a lot

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Hi Akash -

I’ve added that to RH-88400 CommandPrompt resizing in Search mode
-wim

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Hi Akash, yeah I didn’t really expect that either. Yes, you can have the “Rhinoceros Sidebar” in any mode on Mac now, but we’re missing the option in Window > Containers to enable it. I’ve added RH-89735 Cannot toggle Sidebar on Mac to get that added in.

For now, what you can do is either reset your window layout, or you can follow these steps if you want to keep everything else as is:

  1. Switch the command UI to SideBar mode
  2. Type something to make the sidebar show up
  3. Dock it where you want
  4. Switch back to Search mode

Thank you, I’m glad you’re liking it! :blush:

2 Likes
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THIS SHOULD BE THE DEFAULT!!!
I was waiting for this since V5.5…

This part of the MAc interface is much better, and modern, that the usual one.
I love it.

I’ll keep testing it

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History Mode may be my way back to Mac. I switched to Windows just because of Rhino back in 1998. Now I’ll go for a mac mini and have to find a way to update my legacy Windows machine - just for compatibility :grinning_face:

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@curtisw

Maybe now, we only need the + for the viewports tabs….:slight_smile: and we [Mac users] are almost at Windows level.

I kind of know that under the hood it is possible to add view tabs because i saw someone used a template created in Windows with 5 view ports [named and all] on Mac R8.

*[Please do feel free to move it out of this topic, but i wanted to get your attention for something UI that has been requested times and again over the years]

thanks a lot

1 Like
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Hi Akash -

I just saved a 5-viewport model on Windows and opened that on macOS. I only got 4 viewports.
At any rate, this issue is on the list as RH-54392 Rhino for Mac’s Viewport area is not customizable
-wim

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Instant alias doesn’t seem to work with this enabled