Wish: "Rectangle Measurement"

Rhino
1

I find myself doing this trick over and over again, so therefore I wish for Rhino implementing a new way of measuring distances (unless there’s an easy way to implement a Macro etc to do the same as shown below)

What I do in the Gif below is, I:

1: Draw a Rectangle as to measure (in this case) the HEIGHT distance between two points, which are offset to the sides and depth, as seen in the Gif. Measuring only between the points would give the direct distance in 3D space, but I want only the height between the points.

2: I then Split the Recangle.

3: The I measure the Length of one of the sides (the height, in this case).

(4. Then I remove the lines of the rectangle.)

Fig. Notice how the measuring points are “off” in all directions:
Rectangle Measurement

My suggestion is that an added “Analysis Tool” RectDistances or SqrDistances would indicate an “L” (Width and Height) between mearurement points, and on Enter the Width and the Height would be shown on the Command line.

Yes? No? Absolutely not? :thinking:

//Rolf

2

Hmm I don’t really understand. Measuring tool already gives you this?

3

It still leaves the dimension behind. I only want the numbers, not a drawing element left behind.

I also want it to “think” a rectangle in the axis aligned direction which I’m drawing in, even if in Perspective view, Vertical etc.

Also the Dimension command lays down flat instead of vertical if the points are off in both directions (X, Y).

And so on. This is for the fluid workflow, not for lasting Dimension data.

Perhaps the Dimension command could have options for achieving what I describe here? Including dropping the Dimension after an extra LMB click or ESC.

//Rolf

4

How about using the “Distance” command and look at the output of x,y,z ?

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5

And if you use Distance + SmartTrack?

6

use distance, click on the first point then ctrl click (cmd click for mac) on the same point which constrains the direction into elevator mode then click on the second point.

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