Work flow ideas?

Rhino Rhino for Mac
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I saw a similar post on this but I didn’t want to hijack his thread in case he was looking for something different. Ok I am looking for some workflow help or if I am simply barking up the wrong tree. Im an architecture student about to graduate and have been struggling with this idea for a few years now.

My needs:
-Design / model in the typical screens
-For reviews they want drawings that are 2d so plan, section, elevation, axon
-drawings have to be at some recognizable scale.

The process I landed on is to design as I typically would by building a model then, stop modeling and use the clipping plane to get the view I want, then make2D of that view, then export at a random scale for adobe illustrator for line weight processing.

The issues with this:
-there is no “paper space” yet for Mac to create sheets like I could in CAD
-so setting up line weights in rhino is irrelevant and cumbersome becasue they are by object and not cut plane, near, and far so 2-3 line weights based on proximity to cut.
-exporting to a scale to illustrator is fine but most of the time it takes multiple attempts to have the image fit on the sheet. -It could be so big it doesn’t fit on the artboard is positioned so half of it falls off the art board. Or just doesn’t fit well enough requiring another attempt.

Another problem is the drawings from this are not considered accurate enough to be stand alone so finished drawings would need to be recreated in CAD to increase the accuracy for the 2D plan, section, elevation.

Have someone figured out a better process or workaround? I would rather not have to just run my Mac in boot camp for ever and pay for a pc version of Rhino as well. Any help appreciated.

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Update to the 5.2 release of Rhino for Mac - layouts are implemented now:
Rhino 5 for Mac Update 5.2

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this video on Layouts has just been posted by @mary , very helpful intro, https://vimeo.com/178427299

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Thanks @milezee and @wim for jumping in here and sharing the link to the new video.

-there is no “paper space” yet for Mac to create sheets like I could in CADso setting up line weights in rhino is irrelevant and cumbersome becasue they are by object and not cut plane, near, and far so 2-3 line weights based on proximity to cut.

Yes, William, Rhino for Mac 5.2.1 and the WIP do have Layouts. Print weights are assigned to 2D curves only. You can assign them by object as you indicated, but you can also assign them by layer. Layer is a very effective way to group objects and assign print weight and print color. The print weight is in mm, and is applied to the final print size, after scaling. In other words, the print weight is not affected by the plot scale.

-exporting to a scale to illustrator is fine but most of the time it takes multiple attempts to have the image fit on the sheet. -It could be so big it doesn’t fit on the artboard is positioned so half of it falls off the art board. Or just doesn’t fit well enough requiring another attempt.

A Layout could be configured to the exact size of the board. Make sure to also set your scale to the Details. The video reference above will show you how to do this. If you do not set a scale to the viewport, it will surely be close or NTS. The layout can also contain a boarder and PictureFrame of rendered image.

Another problem is the drawings from this are not considered accurate enough to be stand alone so finished drawings would need to be recreated in CAD to increase the accuracy for the 2D plan, section, elevation.

With the proper model setup, Rhino is very accurate to many, many decimal places, if necessary. You do not need to recreate in another CAD. However, if you you need to integrate with a drawing set that has been developed on AutoCAD or CAD clone, you can Make2D to produce the 2D curves from the 3D model. Then export DWG or DXF.

Have someone figured out a better process or workaround? I would rather not have to just run my Mac in boot camp for ever and pay for a pc version of Rhino as well. Any help appreciated.

Please email me mary@mcneel.com. You can send me your model, and we can do a web meeting to help further. The Layouts and other print widths that we have been talking about here, are exactly the same in Rhino for Windows. So you will not be getting any different features. If you use plugins like VisualArq or RhinoCAM, and miss it on the Mac, then you may want to do the Bootcamp approach.

If you want to exchange your Rhino for Mac for Rhino for Windows, sales@mcneel.com would be happy to help. Let me know if your have any additional questions or if you would like additional help.

Sincerely,
Mary Ann Fugier
McNeel Technical Support and Training
Seattle, WA

1 Like
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With the addition of Layouts that does change things a bit. I will have to explore that more as it will certainly impact my workflow. But layering in this way isn’t as effect in the cases I am working with.

Lets say I am designing a building That means using layers for assemblies like a wall that has framing, insulation, sheeting, drywall, windows, vapor barriers, floor slabs, cladding the list can go on forever. I would love to be able to design a building and then talk about it on the screen in 3D but unfortunately the profession requires the transfer of information to happen in 2D space and always consist of plans, sections, and elevations.

For elevations this is simple becasue layers can have line weights fine and even some details. Where the problems comes in is plans and sections. This is becasue to get those sections the process is a bit trickier. I didn’t identify this earlier becasue I thought it best for another post but… The section tool is almost worthless for architects while very useful for jewelry designers. Architecture sections want what is currently produced by the section command and some indication of what is beyond that. What is produced by the section command we would call that the “cut line” and that would be the heaviest line weight where everything behind that that the eye would see as a lighter line weight. So this is outside of layers.

So the process I have created to get the results I want is to create a clipping plane and then position the camera how I want it and then make 2D. This will result in either 2 layers or multiple layers if I keep source layers on. It is effective but also makes the layering and file size cumbersome. I feel like a slight modification to the “section” tool to have the option to draw what is beyond with an option to pic viewing direction similar to the clipping tool, would help tremendously and combine the two step process. It would be way better, and I’m not sure anyone does this but if there was away of setting that section in layout and if I modify that form then that would automatically be updated in layout. Then we could set up the section once and just model and when it is time for a review we could just print. Maybe wishful thinking though :slight_smile:

“sigh” I have had so many long debates with people that transitioning from Rhino to CAD was a pointless step. This is both student peers, professors, and professionals and lost them all. I tried exclusively doing project in Rhino and creating drawings from there. Every time the argument about accuracy is thrown out there. I am not sure if it is due to the way the line work come from a 3d object to 2D where CAD is mostly 2D and its restrictions I don’t know. I have seen people take a model where I could swear it was completely accurate bring it into CAD and report that things are off or there are weird lines. I have done the process you describe and have made adequate drawings. I was just looking for something to streamline the process.

I do not have a project in the works currently just looking for ideas to improve workflow after talking face to face with one of your coworkers I got a few tips that I need to explore but they were all outside of these ideas. I will be sticking to my version for a while yet. But It looks like I will eventually be going to PC any way due to REVIT (sigh whole other ball of wax)