RhinoScript IsArc

There is an old unanswered thread:

The Documentation about

IsArc:
Verifies an object is an arc curve object or is a NURBS curve object that looks like an arc.

can somebody post a Nurbs curve that looks like an arc - and IsArc returns true ?
If I _rebuild an arc and set the tolerance - parameter of IsArc (much) higher then the deviation - IsArc still returns false.
If I build a degree 2 curve and set the weight according to an similar Arc - isArc still returns false.

The function behaves like a IsRealArc Function - the behaviour i would need.
But the documentation claims, the Function is a “IsShapelikeArc” - the behaviour that would trouble me, but also would be necessary in other cases.

thanks for clarifying this. - best Tom

Hi Tom,

See the attached.

– Dale

arcs.3dm (25.1 KB)

thanks Dale - so the _what (rhino command line) command will not show any difference, but a c# RhinoCommon Type-Test “if (Geometry) is ArcCurve” or “is NurbsCurve” in RhinoCommone does it. Any approach to distinguish the two types with rhinoscript ?
Both types export in dxf as Arcs. Can i trust on that ? (the Arc-like-nurbs while not become a spline or something else - even with strange settings ??) - i am exporting machine data.

And the pity - your info still does not solve my entire problem - the _convert command does not do anything on the attached curve. the strange thing: as soon as i move the curve it does the job.

Crv_not_convert.3dm (140.2 KB)

_convert
Output=Arcs SimplifyInput=Yes DeleteInput=Yes AngleTolerance=5 Tolerance=0.05 MinLength=1 MaxLength=0 OutputLayer=Input

appreciate your help

thanks - best - Tom

Use the List command to view detailed technical information.

Use Rhino.IsNurbCurve.

Yes

great. thanks for your fast reply…

(Rhinoscript) Rhino.IsNurbsCurve (with s) works fine with Rh 5.
but it is not in the documentation nor in the Autocomplete. Also not in the WIP / Rh 6

And did somebody find a moment to figure out, why the (Rhino, Commandline) _Convert Command is not working for the above Curve attached ? thanks.

Wow there is an oversight, as the function has been there since (probably) Rhino 3.0. I’ll see to fixing the docs for the Rhino WIP.

Yes, this is known - https://mcneel.myjetbrains.com/youtrack/issue/RH-37229

Running Convert with an angle tolerance of 0 will produce a polycurve with a single arc segment.

The SimplyCrv command in the Rhino WIP will also give you a single arc segment.

thanks again for your reply dale -

regarding the curve convert - i think you did not take the curve i posted in the file (Crv_not_convert.3dm (140.2 KB))
and the posted parameters

???

Hi Tom - the curve, apart from the end caps, is already a series of very small arcs - as though it is the output from Convert on a simpler curve. What is the output that you were looking for from this curve?

-Pascal

dear pascal thanks for looking at this. The output i am looking for is Curve that only consists of Lines and Arcs - and a Rhinoscript that is handling that transformation. I use a scripted version auf the “_convert” command.

The curve i posted behaves strange: if i run the _convert command in place the command will do nothing. (_sellast is empty afterwards, or Rhinoscript LastCreatedObjects will find nothing)
if i move or copy the curve to a new location, the _convert command will react as expected. (_sellast / LastCreatedObjects will catch the curve)

see attachted screenshot showing the same curve in different locations with different results of the _convert command.

Therefore my problem is that the scripted version of the command will look like an error. (even if there is non) - i have hundreds of curves and i need a stable workflow.
thanks
best
tom

Hi Tom - it looks to me like the SelLast is getting the moved or copied curve - that is why it seems to react. I think nothing happens as far as Convert goes though, so SelLast drops back to the result of the move operation. As far as I can see the curve as you posted it is already composed of arcs and the two end lines. If you want to use the top-level Rhino command inside a script and know if there was a result inside a script, you can use

rs.LeastCommandResult() (Python) or Rhino.LastCommandResult() (Rhinoscript)

after running the command - if that function returns 0 then the command ran successfully and produced a result. In this case it returns 3, for failure.

Does that help at all?

-Pascal

dear pascal - thanks for your attention.
it is not the move / copy result.
Do the following to reproduce the strange behaviour:

  • copy the initial curve0 to a new location to get curve1
  • draw any geometry to have some update for the _selLast command
  • _convert curve0 with posted parameters (it will look like the top curve in the screenshot - the feedback in the commandline is 0 tangent…)
  • _selLast will not find curve0
  • _convert curve1 with posted parameters ( bottom curve in screenshot - the feedback in the commandline is 753 tangent … ( or similar number)
  • _selLast will find curve1

can you repeat that results ?

Hi Tom Yep, thanks, I see it this time - and Rhino.LastCommandResult() does return zero for curve1. Hm. I also see that if I move curve1 after Convert, it becomes a bad object, in V5 and not in V6. As far as I can see, it all works as expected in V6/WIP.

-Pascal