Layout Groups
The Rhino WIP now includes a feature called Layout Groups. Layout groups are logical groupings of layouts that organize your layouts.
What is a Layout Group?
A Layout Group is a collection of layouts that share common characteristics. They may be associated together for easier development of these common elements, or for printing or exporting.
Existing layouts can now be associated together into a Layout Group.
Groups can be named to reveal the purpose of the layout group.
Also a description field on the layout group can be used to further clarify the intent.
Why Layout Groups?
Layouts represent the sheet of paper you put in your printer or plotter.
It is not uncommon to see 50-60 layouts in a Rhino model.
The only way to previously organize layouts was with naming conventions.
For example, all the architectural sheets would have a prefix of A on the layout name, all the mechanical sheets would have a prefix or M on the layout name. Layouts to be checked or reviewed could be prefixed with “check”, and there are many more examples of the creative way layouts were named and then sorted by name.
With the layout group feature, layouts can be grouped by status, by classification of information, physical location and more. This makes interaction with a large collection of layouts easier and more efficient.
Some common ways to name layout groups.
- Status: in progress, complete or approved.
- Classification of information like architectural, mechanical, electrical
- Physical location like floor 1, floor 2
- Assignment of work: drafter or designer
Because layouts in the group share common goals, the layout group is a very helpful organizational tool for developing and printing layouts that are assigned to a group.
Layout groups provide benefits like increased efficiency by wasting less time searching for a layout to modify or print.
More Information
Layouts can belong to multiple layout groups. Layout groups are named to represent the collection of sheets that will be added to the group.
When you add a Layout Group, all existing layouts become associated with a ALL layout group automatically.
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Layout groups also have a search bar like layers and blocks to locate specific groups.
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Layout groups have a description field to communicate the purpose and intent for the group
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Layout groups also allow for printing the collection of sheets, without having to scroll and select the required layouts or the print job.
Once the layout group is created and saved, future printing the group will be a breeze.
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When saving back to Rhino 8, your layout groups will not be preserved in the “round trip”. (It is an entire table and can not be maintained when saving to Rhino 8 or an earlier version of the 3DM.)
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Shift on the chevron to expand and collapse all layout groups efficiently.
How It Works
- Open a file with Layouts.
- Open the Layout pane with the Layouts command.
- From the Layout panel, highlight a Layout to add to a Layout Group.
- Pick the Layout Group button .
- Type in a name and description for your layout group.
- After the group appears, you can drag and drop any layout that also needs to be part of the group from the ALL layout group.
Use Shift + pick to select multiple layouts.
Control to unhighlight.
Delete a layout that is no longer required in the layout group
The layout will be in All.
Layouts must be deleted from ALL. - Right click on the layout groups to print or export layout.
Commands:
- No command is available to run this command outside the Layouts panel.
- It is not scriptable in a toolbar macro.
- Any customization can be done in Python scripting.
