Making Slabs with Grasshopper

Slab is a limited command in rhino, but it has its uses in quickly putting up simple extrusions. It's always annoying to change your workflow because a basic tool is missing in grasshopper, so:

slab.gh

The definition is really simple. A series of closed, planar curves, the offset (inwards or outwards), and the extrusion value. With those in place, the script does a few offsets and booleans, and then spits out the slabs.

Label by Layer

Sometimes, while diagramming in rhino, it helps to easily see to which layer each object belongs. This script simply adds a text dot of 'layer name' at the center of each object, and then groups it with the object.

LabelByLayer.rvb - (change .txt to .rvb)

Rhino Hidden Line

A few of us at work had been complaining that Rhino did not have an easy to use hidden line feature. But there is, if you know how to set it up. It involves creating a "new display option" (AdvancedDisplay). 

I've written this .rvb script (for rhino4 or rhino5wip) that will allow you to easily toggle in and out of a hiddenline mode. 

 

SetHiddenLineMode.rvb - (change .txt to .rvb)

Hidden Line.ini - setup file with colors

Hidden Line White.ini - setup files with just white lines

Blog Updates

It's been a while since I've updated this blog, but I am going to restart with a focus on rhino tutorials.

A Package on A Bike

It is pitch dark, 85F, and here I was with the ponderous task of pushing back a luggage-sized shipment on my bike. My entire right arm was balancing the box on the seat, my left figher tips extended just enough to guide the handlebars, and my right hips balanced the overall leaning of the bicycle. I was wobbling along the street with just a small blinker.


Yawn, it had been a long Monday. It was 2 am when I realized that I had a Mom package to pick up at work. It was ostentatiously about food, but it was more an assemblege of thick socks and old sweaters. I even anticipated a large package by bringing a duffle bag for the bicycle. Riding a bicycle is about balance and control. With a bit of practice, one can ride simply by adjusting one's hips. A bit trickier is one-handed walking the bike.

My handling skills are impeccable. I flew through the half mile to work in less than 2 minutes, arms thrown into thw welcoming breeze. I jumped off, and ran in to grab the package. In and out, that was the plan.

What I found instead was a 2'x3'x4' behemoth (over 40lbs). Enormous and unwieldly, it required my back support to lift and carry. Beads of sweat began to form on my forehead as I began carrying it to my bike. What was I thinking? There was no hope of riding with the box. My only option was to load it onto the bike.


Thwap, twap, thinp, thwap - the metal rings clinked on the dufflebag against the bike. Lefty left, righty right - blinked my front flashlight. Finally, after half a dozen scares and 5 mins of going nowhere, our gaits matched and we were slowly on our way. The night was warm, the moon was hidden, and everyone was asleep. I was still awake, stumbling through the night. None that mattered though, I had a big and beautiful package to take home.

Dreaming at Night

Last Evening @ Bundy

For the month of September I shared a 2-bed bachelor pad with Mike. I was extremely glad to have found a great place and great housemate on Craigslist, and really enjoyed the 1/2 mi bike ride to and from work each day.


We've had many enjoyable conversations and even an attempt at DDO, but alas, all good things have an end. So I succumb to nostalgia