Looking for advice on how to model a 3d parametric tree structure

Hi everyone,

I would like to model a tree structure. Here is a drawing of the kind of form I would like to achieve: Tree.jpg

- I have looked into L-systems and found rabbit is able to create a tree structure

- I have also found a shortest walk tapered branching script which is even better

- I have also looked for ways to achieve a tree with minimal paths but have struggled

I am very new to rhino and grasshopper so the coding/scripting is going over my head right now but I would really like to develop a good understanding of how it all works.

If anyone knows of any tutorials that would take me through the process of making a script in grasshopper/rabbit/cocoon to make a tree structure that would be amazing.

Also if anyone has any suggestions in terms of methods I could use to achieve this tree form I'd be very grateful to hear them.

Thank you very much for your help!

Sean

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by martyn hogg on November 27, 2016 at 4:13pm

You can do this with shortest walk... sort of.

Attached is a starting point. It creates a lofted surface of the tree you want to create then populates that surface with random points and then finds the shortest walk between points around either end of the surface through the random points on the surface.

The definition uses Cocoon and Weaverbird plugins (and Shortest Walk obvs!). I've disable the Cocoon and WB bit so the model loads quicker. You will still need to install Cocoon and Weaverbird though and you can enable that part of the definition when you are ready. It thickens the lines that define the tree into a mesh.

To make it more like the tree in your picture you could create a lofted surface for the top of the tree, a lofted surface for the base of the tree and another lofted surface for the trunk. Populate the top and bottom surfaces with random points and merge the points into one list for the shortest walk component. That way, I think the branches would flow in straight lines up the trunk because there would be no points in the trunk surface.

Attachments:

Shortest_Walk_Tapered_Cocoon_Tree_MJH.gh, 23 KB

Permalink Reply by Sean Holden on November 28, 2016 at 2:20pm

Hi Martyn,

Thank you very much for this amazing response. Unfortunately there seems to be a problem and the model is not loading.

When I load it in it says I am missing the 'removeDuplicateLines' component from the plug-in 'Kangaroo Components'. I have installed that version of kangaroo but am still getting the same error message - that object doesn't seem to be included in the plugin. I have installed all the other plugins.

Do you have any idea what might be the problem?

Many thanks for your time, much appreciated.

Sean

Attachments:

Screen shot issues.pdf, 2.6 MB

Permalink Reply by Laurent DELRIEU on November 28, 2016 at 2:27pm

You surely have version 2 of Kangaroo, install also the 0.99 !!

Permalink Reply by martyn hogg on November 28, 2016 at 2:34pm

Yes Laurent is right... RemoveDuplicateLines was Kangaroo 0.99

Permalink Reply by Sean Holden on November 28, 2016 at 2:58pm

Thanks for the quick response guys. Yeah I did install the 0.099 version and it's not in the objects. I have checked all the previous versions objects and I can't find RemoveDuplicateLines in any of them. Maybe the object is in one of the versions previous to these that are installed straight into the components folder - I'll try installing some of them and see if I find it.

Permalink Reply by Sean Holden on November 28, 2016 at 3:31pm

I wasn't installing it properly - apologies, like I said I'm very new to all this.

I still can't see anything in rhino however. The script has two warnings but I can't figure out what is wrong. I have attached a screen shot of the script if you have a chance to look at it.

Thank you!

Attachments:

Issue.pdf, 2.3 MB

Permalink Reply by martyn hogg on November 29, 2016 at 12:56pm

That doesn't look like the file I sent you!

The file I sent you was called Shortest_Walk_Tapered_Cocoon_Tree_MJH.gh

The file in that screenshot is called Shortest_Walk_Tapered_Envelope_Curves

Have you tried opening the file I sent you?

Permalink Reply by Sean Holden on December 6, 2016 at 6:10am

Yes, apologies I was opening the wrong file... It's great what you've done here - really appreciate this starting point you've given me, thanks a lot!

Permalink Reply by Sean Holden on December 13, 2016 at 3:50am

Hi guys,

I've finally had a stab at making the starting point you sent me to look more like my drawing. Here is the result if you are interested. I'm sure my scripting could be tidier, but I followed your suggestion Martyn and it seems to work well! Thanks again.

Now I just need to build my breath sensor and decide on how the tree will change with the rate of the breath. Maybe inflate/deflate, change colour, grow etc - I need to figure out what is possible! I'll be using Arduino and firefly - should be fun!

Attachments:

updated model screenshot.pdf, 1.6 MB
Shortest Walk Tree.gh, 31 KB

Permalink Reply by martyn hogg on December 13, 2016 at 4:01pm

Good work! Interesting project!

Permalink Reply by Laurent DELRIEU on November 29, 2016 at 1:54pm

Yes it is my file. You inverted discussions. First warning, you have to "set multiple curves" (bake curves from duplicate lines) or connect it with output of duplicate line. I tried to explain it in the other discussion.

The second is because of the first !

PS : Why making screen copy in pdf ? Png or jpg is simplier, no ?

Permalink Reply by Sean Holden on December 6, 2016 at 6:15am

Ah ok thanks a lot Laurent, really helpful.

I'm using rhino in bootcamp and the only place I could paste a screen shot was in open office so just saved a pdf from there. Maybe I should be able to find the screenshots saved somewhere - I'll look next time!

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