PanelingTools GH Add-On

Parametric tools to create and manipulate rectangular grids, attractors and support creative morphing of parametric patterns.


This is a BETA version and works only with the latest Rhino 5.0 BETA on Windows 32 & 64 Bit.

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  • Rajaa Issa

    Hi Zayad,

    Sorry to hear that.  Can you open 004_GridAttractors.gh file in the examples file?  Is it working?
    If not, can you tell what version of Rhino, PanelingTools and PT-GH are you using? 

  • Zayad Motlib

    Hi Rajaa,

    It is not working in the 004_GridAttractors.gh either. See attached image.

    I am using Rhino V (5.1.2012.508), GH 0.8.0066, and PT lastest version of May03, 2012. Window 7, 64 bit.

    Snapshot-Attractors.jpg

    thanks

  • Rajaa Issa

    Hi Zayad,
    This is very odd, somehow your computer is pointing to an old PT.

    If you go to pluginManger and under PanelingTools in the list of plugins, what is the path you have?
    If you go to that path and delete all PanelingTools folders and reinstall PanelingTools.rhi installer, does that help it?

    Thanks
    -Rajaa 

  • Michele Calvano

    Hi Rajaa

    I did everything you said but it still does not work. I don't know why!

    Help me!

  • Rajaa Issa

    Can you please email your system details, versions of Rhino and GH you are using to rajaa@mcneel.com?

  • Rafael Marrero

    Hi Rajaa,

    I'm also having problems installing the PT-GH Add-on. I followed all installation steps and troubleshooting tips on this comment wall. After installing everything, when I run Grasshopper, no Paneling Tools tab appears on the interface.

    I am running the latest version of Rhino 5 64-bit (5.1.2012.508, 05/08/2012), the latest Grasshopper (build 0.80066) and the latest PT version ( 03 May 2012) on a Windows 7 64-bit system.  

    Could you please help?

    Rafael

  • Zayad Motlib

    Hi Rajaa;

    In the plugin manager, PT is located inside the plug ins folder for Rhino5. The version of that plug in is created on March 20, 2012.

    I deleted that folder, along with the registery folder inside User's folder, then re-installed the PanelingTools.rhi installer. When I started Rhino, there was no paneling tools menu. I brought back the PanelingTools folder inside the Plugins folder, then I went to the Plug in manager to install it. PT menu was back again, but when I run GH, I still have the problem with the attractors. I run the PanelingTools.rhi installer again, but still same problem.


    Am I following your steps correctly, or am I creating a mess here?


  • Rajaa Issa

    Zayad,

    If you install the PanelingTools.rhi, you should not have to move it to plugin folder.  There is something wrong there and will have to contact you off the list to figure this out.

    Also, May 3 is the latest release of PT, you are running an old version.  Let's investigate this further.

  • Rajaa Issa

    Hi Rafael,
    Did you download PT-GH add-on from (http://download.rhino3d.com/Rhino/5.0/PT_GH/) and unzip and move to the following folder (%appdata%\Grasshopper\Libraries).  Let me know how that goes.

  • Rafael Marrero

    Hi Rajaa,

    Yes, I did.

    I did so again, just in case I had made a mistake before. There is still no PT tab in Grasshopper.

    I guess the mystery deepens.

  • Rajaa Issa

    One more question for you, do you see PanelingTools drop-down menu in the Rhino interface?

  • Rafael Marrero

    Yes I do.

  • Rajaa Issa

    So when you open (%appdata%\Grasshopper\Libraries) what do you see?  Can you list all files with their extensions?

  • Rafael Marrero

    There is only one file:

    PTComponentLibrary.gha 

  • Andres Gonzalez

    Rajaa, could you take a look at this please...PT01.gh

    I have not idea why it turn red....

  • Brian Gillespie

    Those of you having troubles installing, please do the following:

    1. Open Windows Explorer
    2. Paste "%appdata%\McNeel\Rhinoceros\5.0\logs" in the address bar
    3. Press Enter
    4. Send the newest several "PanelingTools*.log" files to brian@mcneel.com - I'll figure out why the installer is failing on your computer.
  • Rajaa Issa

    Hi Andres, I did have a look, is there any particular question you have related to it?

  • Andres Gonzalez

    It looks like I have an old PT in my computer... I am looking everywhere to find your files and deleting them to install a new and clean ver...

  • Andres Gonzalez

    It looks like it is working now. It comes to my mind that PT should have a About PT in both, Rhino and GH, so that we know which one is running all the time. Like a Ver. number etc...

  • Chris Hanley

    I don't know if this is specifically your case, but here is what has worked for me when I have updated and had a few problems.
    i am running rhino 5, 64 bit, windows 7. 

    Scenario: Run the paneling tools updater successfully, but then the newest components don't work.  try running the updater again and it says that the update is already installed.

    Resolution: 

    Step 1-(If in windows, you will need modify your folder view to include "show hidden files, folders and drives" to see all the folders in this path.)

    Navigate to C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\McNeel\Rhinoceros\5.0\Plug-ins\PanelingTools {6CAED836-BC06-4EBC-B1FD-E10886A0DC94}\2012.4.30.1332\(32 bit or 64 bit, whichever is appropriate for your machine).

    NOTE: The folder name has the date.  The current working version I am using is in the folder listed above)   I have found that the updater sometimes does "repoint"  rhino to the newest version. (that will be step 2).

    There should be 3 files in this folder:(the modified date on the files should be 5/4/2012)

    PanelingTools.rhp

    PanelingToolsDotNet.dll

    PT_SDK.dll

    Right click on each of the files individually and choose properties.  If there is an "Unblock" button, click it to unblock the file.  Check each of the 3 files. (if the "Unblock" button is not there, then you can go to step 2).

    STEP 2:

    Open rhino and go to the plugin manager.  scroll down to paneling tools, right click and choose properties.  The file path at the bottom of the properties page should point to your folder path you verified in step 1.  I have found that in some cases, after running the updater, the plugin path is still pointing to the previous version.  If that is the case, close rhino, go back to the folder path in step 1 and delete any older versions, (only keep the folder 2012.4.30.1332).

    Re-open rhino and reload the correct version of the plug in.  After successful loading, you should have a Paneling Tools drop down you Rhino menu bar.

    The above steps have only verified that the correct version of paneling tools is loaded in rhino.

    STEP 3:

    Download the latest PTComponentLibrary.gha and place it in your Grasshopper components folder, (delete/remove any previous instances of PTComponentLibrary.gha.)

    (From within grasshopper, choose File->Special Folders->Components Folder)

    Once you copy it into that folder, right click on the file and choose properties.  Make sure to "Unblock" that file as well.  

    close and re-open rhino.  launch grasshopper.  You hopefully have a paneling tools tab in your grasshopper toolbars.

    I don't know if this is exactly your case, but for that was the solution path for a few folks in our studio that seemed to work.

  • Rafael Marrero

    I followed the instructions on Chris Hanley's post and I finally managed to get the Paneling Tools tab in Grasshopper.

    In my case the installation was good and the path was correct. The problem was that the PTComponentLibrary.gha file was blocked by Windows 7. After I unblocked it, the PT tab finally appeared in GH.


    Thanks Chris and Rajaa!


  • Rajaa Issa

    Chris, thanks for sharing your experience in such detail.  I am happy it helped Rafael.
    I wonder if there are specific cases when the .gha file (or other plugin files) get blocked.

  • Chris Hanley

    In a windows environment, (vista and later), it seems to be governed by "the attatchment manager".  more info here.

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883260

  • Brian Gillespie

    I've found and fixed the problem installing PanelingTools on 32-bit Windows. The problem is in the program that displays the installation user interface, and will be fixed in the Rhino 5.0 Beta release that goes out this week. Thanks everyone for your help repeating and documenting the problem.

  • shabnam

    still having no luck getting panelling tools in grasshopper to work. Grid doesn't get generated. Some kind of problem with the install I think, although I can see the paneeling tools tab in grasshopper and I just went through the steps 1-3 posted by chris regardless.

    If you have the same problem or you know how to fix it please let me know.

    thanks!

  • Rajaa Issa

    Hi shabnam,

    Do you see PanelingTools drop-down menu in Rhino? If so, can you go to PluginManger in Rhino and click on PanelingTools in the list of plugins then click "properties" & let me know the path is is save at? 

  • shabnam

    Hi Rajaa,

    here's the info:

    General

    Name:Panelling tools

    Version: Apr 9 2012 16:16:51

     

    Technical Info:

    registry path:

    \\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\McNeel\Rhinoceros\5.0x64\Plug-Ins\6cae...

  • Rajaa Issa

    Hi,

    You have an older version.  Can you download the latest installer (May 3):
    http://download.rhino3d.com/Rhino/5.0/PanelingToolsV5/
    Close any Rhino session, then install PanelingTools.rhi.
    Now open new Rhino session and see if PanelingTools drop-down menu is there. Now close Rhino.
    Next, make sure you have the matching PT-GH (May 3rd):
    http://download.rhino3d.com/Rhino/5.0/PT_GH/
    Unzip and save to (%appdata%\Grasshopper\Libraries
    Next, open Rhino, then GH and see if you can use PT components.
    Let me know how that goes. 

  • shabnam

    ok. thanks!

    for some reason there was an error with the newest panelling tools in rhino and wouldn't load. It was going back to the older verion of panelling tools.

    I did a complete uninstall and re-install of everthing, and it's good now.

  • Michele Calvano

    Now pt works and works well. Thanks at all!

  • Arie-Willem de Jongh

    This plugin is great! Thank you for the great work and keep up the good work!

  • shabnam

     Hello Rajaa and the rest of the PT crew,

     

    I’m wondering if I can get some help setting up a definition using the panelling tools in grasshopper:

     

    Essentially, I would like to panelize a surface by orienting two different panels onto a grid based on curvature.

     

    I’m wondering if there is a way to divide the grid (using an if statement based on curvature values) and assign different panels to these “sub-grids”.

     

    I’ve attached the rhino File and the grasshopper script that I have set up so far.

     

    Please let me know, your help is much appreciated!

     

  • Rajaa Issa

    Hi,

    Here is a suggested solution for your problem.  The limitted typed of panels you can control through the way you divide the 2 curves.  I did not elaborate on this, but rather just gave a general path to solving the problem. Here is the Rhino & GH files.  Let me know if you have questions. PT_DifferentPanels.zip 
     

  • shabnam

    thanks very much for your answer Rajaa. I definitely need to "Orient" panels, and use just the two panel sizes to have a standardized assembly. Any suggestions how to do this based on curvature?

     

  • Rajaa Issa

    I am not sure how you can simply base it on curvature without carefully creating the upper and lower curves to start with... Can you assemble the 2 kinds of panels manually following your current curves?  If not, then there is no way to automate it.

    One way to do it is to break your input curves into:
    - Straight part, where you divide by fixed distance.  
    - Curved part, you need to make sure both curves are aligned properly and have the right length to divide by some full number. Both curves need to be equal part of a circle and their centers need to be vertically aligned.  See image... I hope this is helpful.

  • Brian Ringley

    Prepping files for "Paneling Tools in GH + Weaverbird in GH for 3D Printing" tutorial based on a course taught by Studio Mode and Anne Leonhardt at the NYC College of Technology - I hope to share them in the blog section of my Grasshopper page shortly (please download and offer comments and critiques!).

  • Brian Ringley

    Testing our new 3D printing build plates with a dainty model designed by Ronnie Parsons of Studio Mode using Paneling Tools + Weaverbird in Grasshopper.

  • Rajaa Issa

    Very nice Brian.

  • Derenik Baghramian

    Hello everyone!i hope you feel good guys here))))
    its there GH paneling plugin fo rhino version 4.0 SR9?

    Thank you

    Derenik

  • Rajaa Issa

    No there is not. PT GH is for Rhino 5 only.
  • Derenik Baghramian

    i downloaded the rhino 5 but i ask me for cd key is there any crack  od keygen that will help me?

  • Brian Ringley

    It asks for a key because you have to own a license of Rhino 4 in order to use Rhino 5. This is probably not the proper forum to ask for help cracking software...

  • MethodsRDL

    Hi Rajaa

    I was wondering if you can help me with this. I downloaded the installer but when i double click i automatically get the following error. Please see attached image. Thank you in advance. Gordon

  • Derenik Baghramian

  • Vangel Kukov

    Hi!
    I had installed Paneling Tools but then I erased my GH assembly files and now I don't have Paneling tools for GH but because I have it in Rhino the installer won't let me reinstall it! Can somebody sent me the paneling tools.gha file (vanguard.vk@gmail.com) or how can I uninstall PT and reinstall it properly?
    Thanks!

  • Rajaa Issa

    Hi Vangel,

    I recommend reinstalling PanelingTools to get proper backup.
    To be able to reinstall PanelingTools, you need to go to the following location:

    C:\Users\[YOUR USER NAME]\AppData\Roaming\McNeel\Rhinoceros\5.0\Plug-ins

    and under "PlanelingTools" folder, delete all sub-folders.

    Now you should be able to re-install PanelingTools.

  • Vangel Kukov

    Thanks!

  • James Lam

    Hi Rajaa, Yes,  RHI file seems to only work in 64 bit, any 32 bits that we can download?

  • James Lam

    seems the PT-GH installers only have win64 folder, I can't find any win32 path? in my appData ... path. if so, is any plan support 32 bits

  • Rajaa Issa

    James,
    This is strange.  Can you email me directly to see if we can sort this out?