Unexpected GH ORIENT behavior

[emartingr]

After becoming better acquainted with Rhino 6, I decided to start learning Grasshopper. In one of my first, very simple models, I found that one of two very similar geometries produces an error in the ORIENT component and the other one, located in the same YZ plane does not. (I am attaching the .3dm and .gh files).

The problem does not occur when the offending part is rotated out of the YZ plane.

I have tested about 50 more different parts, also placed in the YZ plane, and no errors have been produced.

Y would be most grateful if someone can explain the cause of this behavior.
GH LASER CUTS.gh (22.0 KB)
Grasshopper tests.3dm (796.5 KB)

[Joseph_Oster]

The error is:

1. Data conversion failed from Surface to Plane

So supply the surface’s plane instead of expecting GH to figure it out:

orient_2022_Nov9a.gh (14.1 KB)

[emartingr]

Thanks a lot Joseph, this solves the problem.

I find Grasshopper an excellent piece of software but, for a beginner like me, the amount of components is overwhelming.

[Joseph_Oster]

@emartingr

the amount of components is overwhelming

The components are easy compared to the concepts behind them, including data trees. I just noticed that your final output is a “Group with 9 objects” instead of the curves you really want?

There is a lot more that could be done to orient the surfaces, including OpenNest:

Sort list of geometries by name

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OpenNest can't use some shapes

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It’s been a long time since I used OpenNest but I don’t think that’s true. Converting to polygons may affect how they overlap but it works fine for me without doing that. Other settings like ‘Iterations’, ‘Rotations’ and ‘Seed’ seem to have more effect on the results, though they can increase run time. Note that only one sheet is supplied, OpenNest makes as many copies (sheets) as necessary. Curves are internalized, no need for Rhino file. [Nesting_2022Sep22a] Nesting_2022Sep22aa.gh (20.…

[Joseph_Oster]

orient_2022_Nov9b.gh (263.1 KB)

Parts are internalized, no need for Rhino file.

[emartingr]

Joseph, I am most grateful for the information you sent. I didn’t know about the OpenNest plugin, which I expect will be very useful to me.

I will be out for a couple of weeks and hope to dedicate some time to assimilate the code you sent during this time.

[emartingr]

It’s been a bit longer than I expected but, to seriously learn Grasshopper, I decided to make a more complete program that anyone can use.

Discovering and learning about each GH module meant to modify and rewrite the program dozens of times to take advantage of these functions.

I would like make it available in the forum for anyone that may find it useful. If it is no abusing your patience, I would be grateful is you revise it first, and tell me the best way to go about it.

I sent a copy to Petras Vestartas to thank him for the OpenNest plugin and to hear some comment on my program since, may be, I used OpenNest in a somewhat unorthodox way.

One benefit for me would be to learn from possible improvements by other users.

I am attaching a PDF with instructions on how to use the program and a compressed file containing the GH program and a Rhino file with sample geometry.
Nest_Pack.zip (2.2 MB)
Instructions for using NEST-PACK program.pdf (575.0 KB)

Thanks in advance.