"Explicit History" plugin for Rhino 4

[jbshorty]

This link was posted today by one of the Rhino developers - There is a prototype plug-in for "explicit history" modeling in Rhino 4. The little video shows the history tree being a type of node-based system with a visual interface. It is only the first baby step, but at least this looks very promising. I'm happy that McNeel is finally working to develop constraint based modeling in Rhino...

http://en.wiki.mcneel.com/default.as...nMainPage.html

shorty

[shoeach]

shorty, thanks for information concerning Rhino.

After having known that Amapi parted from Thomas's hand, I had interest in Rhino as the NURBS modeling program and downloaded a trial version of it.

However, I am immersing myself in modo now and enjoying it.

To be frank, I’m itching to fiddle with Rhino, but I’m controlling myself not to do it now.

I look forward to information related to Rhino from you.


Syuichi

[jbshorty]

I am immersed in Modo right now too . But lucky for me, i already know Rhino. Also lucky for me, they keep adding new tools to learn...

shorty

[Sketchy]

I could hardly find time to do 3d nowadays. When I do find some, I'd just watch Andrew Brown's Wristwatch tutorial. Which means everything else is in the backburner, ie, C6, Blender (which I had planned to study further before modo and C6 came, especially after having bought a book called Essential Blender from BF before that.) I had to choose which one to spend my little time in. I picked modo301, which happened to work smoothly on my old pc.

Andrew Brown's Wristwatch video is an excellent tutorial to get to know modo. I highly recommend it. I recently preordered Dan Ablan's 301 Signature Courseware. (The price will be more than double after its release date.) The difficult part for me is the choice of project where I could apply such newfound knowledge.

Poly/subd principles are universal. Of course, you can use whatever modeling app you're comfortable in to come up with the same model. The tools are the same, it's the workflow that varies.

About Rhino, is this something like Amapi's DG, shorty?

[jbshorty]

Originally Posted by Sketchy

...About Rhino, is this something like Amapi's DG, shorty?

Hi Sketchy. It's too early to know how this might evolve. I am playing around with it right now. In theory, this could lead to something more powerful than Amapi's DG. Because it can be driven by object inputs, data input, and also a full set of math formulas. You can input multiple objects into one node, so all can be affected by a single modification. And you can link data to and from as many nodes as you want to. You literally click over a connector and drag out a snake from it then snap onto another connector. It's pretty cool. So far, it seems that every type of node will have input/ouput connectors for all the characteristics of that item. On top of the cool visual interface for displaying/editing nodes, there is an additional editing window which allows direct changing of the object properties through text changes, or you can reorder the input objects, or add/delete input objects to modify the final object. It’s really very cool. I think this looks really promising. Because Rhino already has the implicit history recording (similar to Moi), and could now also have a constraint-based input-driven approach (similar to Solidworks, etc). At same time will have Rhino’s great surfacing tools… yummy… but right now does not have all the basic solid-modeling nodes such as booleans, fillets, etc. Hopefully this stuff will be coming down the road...

shorty

[Sketchy]

Never heard of a node feature on a modeling app. The closest one I could think of is 3ds max with something like a tree where you could basically shuffle the branches. You could move, for example, a bend tool up the hierarchy.

PS. I checked the video sample and it does have a property of a DG. It looks like a graphical scripting or something.

[Wesgraphics]

trueSpace 7.51 has a dynamic history of sorts called the Link Editor. It's geared toward developers and technical users, but one can do many things with it by plugging in and plugging out various parameters (shaders, geometry, animation, scripts, etc.)

[jbshorty]

In my excitement, it seems i might have jumped the gun a bit. As it turns out, this plug-in will not ever be able to access all of Rhino's modeling features. And it would be difiicult to enable history recording in the same way that Rhino's implicit history does already. That doesn't mean Rhino will never do that, it's just not likely to happen from this specific plug-in... It does have some cool functions for creating dynamic arrays and will be good for "math" modeling...

shorty

[jbshorty]

The developer of this plug-in added a new control for "time". And he posted some interesting videos, captured from the Rhino viewport...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggwPyU2Wn74
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTqmmQ445P0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVEqUOJh6Sk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNfckQiQkCg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7CuMft5kqs

...and another one posted by a Rhino user
http://www.box.net/shared/qfzr9fr40s

shorty

[shoeach]

Rhino is very interesting NURBS program for me.
I sometimes fiddle with trial version of Rhino 4.0 for a change when I feel tiredness in practicing of modo.

To get commercial single user license of Rhino4.0 here in Japan, however, I have to purchase through Japanese dealer and I must pay $1,500 to them. I can’t purchase Rhino for $995 from US dealer directly who is offering cheaper than here.

I seem to have to continue to use this trial version perhaps...

shorty, I envy you who reside in US.

Syuichi

[jbshorty]

i am beginning to envy those living outside the US. Maybe due to the value of our ever-falling dollar but then again I heard Japan has ever-sinking land. something like 8cm per year ? Maybe i will stay where i am... McNeel's overseas price structure was a topic of conversation lately. But they say the global resellers and training facilities are the reason of the extra cost. I guess those people want to be paid too. why they don't do it just for enjoyment?

shorty

[guppyman]

Thanks for the info for construction history on Rhino.

It is a good thing. On the other hand, I think it may slow down the screen responsiveness.