Hi!
(SystemInfo at bottom)
It’s January 2026, and I downloaded Rhino 8 for evaluation having grown a bit bitter about AutoDesk Fusion. I’ve tried to follow along with a number of different resources/tutorials/YouTube videos, and most of them lean rather heavily on the ‘command line’ experience, but as best I can tell (from reading other forum posts), this UI does not exist in Rhino 8 for Mac. Everything I’ve tried so far has failed (I guess obviously, or I wouldn’t be here).
I can type commands “blindly”, and assuming I don’t make any typos, it seems to work, but what I really want is the command line entry box that I see in all these videos. It looks like this (this screenshot was taken from a YouTube tutorial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mVBIbX5G5k):
I can see the command history panel, but there’s no Command: entry line at the bottom of it. How can I see my command as I’m typing it?
I’ve tried resetting to the default window layout. No luck.
Googling and ChatGPT-ing for hints, I’ve tried blind-typing the command “CommandPrompt Show Yes EnterEnd” but nothing appears, and what I see in the Command History panel says:
Command: CommandPrompt
Command: _DisplayCommandPrompt
Unknown command: _DisplayCommandPrompt
I tried making a macro, but that didn’t work either.
Other forum posts indicate that this might be a difference between Rhino for Mac and Rhino for Windows. Why would that be? Seems like an unlikely thing to bifurcate on.
Regardless, I’m at a bit of a loss for how to best learn to use Rhino when the command line is so heavily used by so many resources. If I have to type all commands “blindly”, I’m gonna go absolutely bonkers. Please tell me I’m missing something obvious.
Regards,
Ian
Rhino 8 SR27 2026-1-19 (Rhino 8, 8.27.26019.16022, Git hash:master @ a7029e543145704b986eede4bc40b6bd8a0645d0)
License type: Evaluation, build 2026-01-19
License details: Cloud Zoo
Expires on: 4866656-12-21
Apple macOS Version 15.6 (Build 24G84) (Physical RAM: 24GB)
Mac Model Identifier: Mac16,8
Language: en-US (MacOS default)
.NET 8.0.14
Metal GPU Family Apple 7
Metal GPU Family Common 3
Metal GPU Family Mac 2
Graphics processors
Apple M4 Pro
U28E570 (2304 x 1296 @ 60.00Hz)
GPU Vendor: Apple
USB devices
CalDigit, Inc.: USB-C SOHO Card Reader
Generic: 4-Port USB 3.0 Hub
FuZhou Kingwayinfo CO: VeGue VM30 Audio Device
C-Media Electronics Inc.: USB Audio Device
PCsensor: FootSwitch
Anker: Anker PowerConf C300
Apple Inc.: iPhone
3Dconnexion: SpaceMouse Compact
Generic: 4-Port USB 2.0 Hub
CalDigit, Inc. : USB-C SOHO Dock
Bluetooth devices
None
Third party kernel extensions
None
Third party plugins
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCore.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftObjectiveC.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreFoundation.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftDarwin.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftDispatch.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftIOKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftSystem.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftXPC.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_Builtin_float.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_Concurrency.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_StringProcessing.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_errno.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_math.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_signal.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_stdio.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_time.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftos.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftsys_time.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftunistd.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftDistributed.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftObservation.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftSynchronization.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftMetal.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftOSLog.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftQuartzCore.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftUniformTypeIdentifiers.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftsimd.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftRegexBuilder.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswift_RegexParser.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreAudio.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCryptoTokenKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftAVFoundation.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreLocation.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreMIDI.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreMedia.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreImage.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftAccelerate.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftNaturalLanguage.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftMLCompute.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCompression.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftDataDetection.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftCoreGraphics.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftFoundation.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftSwiftOnoneSupport.dylib
/Library/Frameworks/3DconnexionClient.framework/Versions/A/3DconnexionClient
/usr/lib/usd/libusd_ms.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftIntents.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftSpatial.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftPassKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftAppleArchive.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftDemangle.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftVideoToolbox.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftGameplayKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftSpriteKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftGLKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftMetalKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftModelIO.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftSceneKit.dylib
/usr/lib/swift/libswiftMapKit.dylib
/usr/lib/log/liblog_network.dylib
Rhino plugins that do not ship with Rhino
Rhino plugins that ship with Rhino
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhMaterialEditor.framework “Renderer Development Kit” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Commands.rhp “Commands” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/NamedSnapshots.rhp “Snapshots” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Import_OBJ.rhp “Import_OBJ” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/export_XAML.rhp “export_xaml” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/QuadRemesh.rhp “QuadRemesh” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Export_OBJ.rhp “export_OBJ” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RDK_EtoUI.rhp “RDK_EtoUI” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Import_glTF.rhp “Import glTF” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/ShrinkWrap.rhp “ShrinkWrap” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/export_SVG.rhp “Export SVG” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Export_glTF.rhp “Export glTF” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/MeshCommands.rhp “MeshCommands” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Export_DAE.rhp “Export_DAE” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/export_PDF.rhp “PDF Export” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/export_IGES.rhp “IGES Export Plug-in” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Import_SVG.rhp “Import_SVG” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/BlockEdit.rhp “BlockEdit” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Export_AMF.rhp “Export_AMF” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RhinoRenderCycles.rhp “Rhino Render” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/import_DST.rhp “Import_DST” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/export_PLY.rhp “PLY - Polygon File Format Export” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/Import_AMF.rhp “Import_AMF” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RhinoCycles.rhp “RhinoCycles” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_SKP.rhp “SketchUp Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_UDO.rhp “Moray Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_RAW.rhp “RAW Triangle Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_USD.rhp “Export USD” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Import_DGN.rhp “MicroStation file import: import_DGN” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_E57.rhp “E57 Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_VRML.rhp “VRML Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/AnimationTools.rhp “AnimationTools” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_modelio_macos.rhp “Model IO Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Import_WAMIT.rhp “WAMIT import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/NamedPositions.rhp “Named Position” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_SKP.rhp “SketchUp Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/SectionTools.rhp “SectionTools” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_RAW.rhp “Raw Triangles Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/MPlane.rhp “MPlane” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_XGL.rhp “XGL Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/RhinoRender.rhp “Legacy Rhino Render” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_CD.rhp “Cult3D Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_LWO.rhp “Lightwave Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_SLC.rhp “SLC Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_3MF.rhp “import_3MF” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_STEP.rhp “STEP Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_3MF.rhp “export_3MF” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_WAMIT.rhp “WAMIT Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Import_SLC.rhp “SLC Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Import_OFF.rhp “OFF Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Squish.rhp “Squish” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_X_T.rhp “Parasolid Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/RhinoBonusTools.rhp “Rhino Bonus Tools” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/RhinoLabsTools.rhp “Rhino Labs Tools” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Import_M.rhp “Import_M” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Import_X.rhp “X Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_IGES.rhp “IGES Import Plug-in” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_AI.rhp “Adobe Illustrator Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_ACAD.rhp “AutoCAD file export : export_ACAD” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Displacement.rhp “Displacement” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_LWO.rhp “Lightwave Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_SAT.rhp “ACIS Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_CSV.rhp “Comma Separated Value Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_PDF.rhp “PDFReader” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_STL.rhp “STL Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_VDA.rhp “VDA Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_STEP.rhp “STEP Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_FBX.rhp “Export_FBX” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Import_SolidWorks.rhp “Solidworks Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_STL.rhp “STL Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_RIB.rhp “Renderman Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_FBX.rhp “Import_FBX” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_Points.rhp “Points Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_VDA.rhp “VDA Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_ACAD.rhp “AutoCAD file import: import_ACAD” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_X.rhp “X Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/CreaseAngle.rhp “CreaseAngle” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_3DS.rhp “3D Studio Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_PLY.rhp “PLY - Polygon File Format Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/MeshTools.rhp “MeshTools” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/import_Points.rhp “Points Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/PanelingTools.rhp “PanelingTools” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/MeshFromPoints.rhp “MeshFromPoints” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/export_VRML.rhp “VRML/X3D Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Import_GTS.rhp “GTS Triangle Import” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/SolidTools.rhp “SolidTools” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_GTS.rhp “GTS Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/PlugIns/Export_POV.rhp “POV-Ray Export” 8.27.26019.1002
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RhinoDLR_Python.rhp “IronPython” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/GrasshopperPlugin.rhp “Grasshopper” 8.27.26019.16022
/Applications/Rhino 8.app/Contents/Frameworks/RhCore.framework/Resources/ManagedPlugIns/RhinoCodePlugin.rhp “RhinoCodePlugin” 8.27.26019.16022


