Python and install it and it should work fine.
2. You still see the image above in case 1 however you have GHPython already installed. What about that?
In this case probably the GHA component is blocked. Find GHPython.GHA on your system (usually at: C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Grasshopper\Libraries) . Right click, go to properties and select unblock.
To make sure that GHPython is working fine on your system open the attachment file (testGHPython.gh). You should see something similar to the image below on your screen when you open the file:
If you see the something similar you should be fine to go! Try to open one of the example files.
3. You have Ladybug running but in some of the case the output is missing. You see something similar to this:
or this
This one is because you are using old version of GHPython. Close the file without saving. Download the new version and install it and re-open the file. It should work fine now.
Hope it helps,
Mostapha
…
the mesh into long strips 1 quad wide.
*I did make an alternative icon for this, but opted for the tamer one in the end ;)
The Unroller component goes along the strip face by face, rotating it into a single plane.
Note that this component will still give a result even if you supply it with non planar quads - it will just fold them along a diagonal. However, if the faces are significantly non-planar, then it won't work as well for fabricating from a smooth strip of sheet material, so it is better to try and make sure your planarizing in the relaxation part is working well.
The Unroller component also has a T input which allows you to unroll only part of the mesh at a time. This is mainly for animation purposes, and most of the time you will probably just want to leave it set at 1.
At the moment the unroller is limited to working with open strips, so if your strip forms a closed loop, you will have to split it first. Later releases should include an automatic 'loop snipper'.
The final part of the definition then takes all these strips, orients them into the XY plane, and does some very basic layout.
It's then up to you to label, add tabs, nest, laser cut and assemble!
Because of the subdivision, each strip should have an even number of quads, which can also be useful for generating interlocking tabs by offsetting alternate groups of edges. I'll try and post an example of this soon.
I hope this is helpful. It was my intention when making this that it could be a relatively quick and easy way of making smooth curved structures out of sheet material, (I'm thinking card, polypropylene, metal, thin plywood...) with a lot less fixing/connecting work than doing a similar shape with individual panels.
Thanks to all the participants in these long-running threads:
http://www.grasshopper3d.com/forum/topics/how-to-create-nodesbone
http://www.grasshopper3d.com/forum/topics/skeletal-mesh*
which inspired this work, especially some of the comments by Ivan Kiryakov, Wiktor Kidziak, Giulio Piacentino, Andrew Haas and Mårten Nettelbladt.
*note also that the meshes generated using this definition can be used for developable strips, because they have the even-valence property.
I was also inspired by these papers:
http://www.cs.jhu.edu/~misha/Fall09/Liu06.pdf
http://www.geometrie.tugraz.at/wallner/strip.pdf…
lName, signalValue, operationMode):
sigV=signalValue
if sys.version_info[0] == 3:
if type(signalName) is str:
signalName=signalName.encode('utf-8')
if type(signalValue) is bytearray:
sigV = (ct.c_ubyte*len(signalValue))(*signalValue)
if type(signalValue) is str:
signalValue=signalValue.encode('utf-8')
sigV = (ct.c_ubyte*len(signalValue))(*signalValue)
else:
if type(signalValue) is bytearray:
sigV = (ct.c_ubyte*len(signalValue))(*signalValue)
if type(signalValue) is str:
signalValue=bytearray(signalValue)#<========This is line 1052
sigV = (ct.c_ubyte*len(signalValue))(*signalValue)
sigV=ct.cast(sigV,ct.POINTER(ct.c_ubyte)) # IronPython needs this
return c_WriteStringStream(clientID, signalName, sigV, len(signalValue), operationMode)
It displays the following error:
Program started
Connected to remote API server
Runtime error (TypeErrorException): unicode argument without an encoding
Traceback:
line 1052, in simxWriteStringStream, "C:\Program Files (x86)\V-REP3\V-REP_PRO_EDU\programming\remoteApiBindings\python\python\vrep.py"
line 70, in script
Any hint?…
phere with the maximum number of triangles but not much than a defined threshold.
I scaled that mesh just to fit Rhino grid, but it is not mandatory. What is useful, is to scale not uniformly the mesh (Scale NU). It could be done after cellular modifier applied or before or before and after. The 3 options are possible in the script. If you don’t need them just put 1 in scale sliders.
Ellipsoid mesh is the populated with points, I put 2 independents populations to randomize a bit further. For each vertices of the mesh the closest distance from the populated points is calculated.
Here is an illustration in color of this distance.
This distance is then used to calculate a bump. If domain for bump is beginning with negatives values to 0, it carves the mesh. Instead it bumps/inflates it.
Some images to illustrate the difference with populating 100 points with one or two populations.
Here some images to illustrate the application of scale before carving or after.
Next phase apply noise. At the moment I don't find it good.…
d simulate the bending process of a flat stell sheet in order to get the same shape. This can be really interesting so we can evaluate the material beheaviour, the deformation on the cross section a
nd explore big deformations in mecanics analysis of materials.
I am not a mecanical engineer nor a civil engineer, I´m an Architect and my interest is the construcction method and extracting the necesary information to consider fabricating the project.
I´m having conceptual challengings on the methodology for this simulation, so I will post a small overview of what I`ve done.
1.- Understanding the Geometry.
This is a sclupture by the Venezuelan/Hungarian/German artist Zoltan Kunckel (KuZo).
The shape is achieved bending a pre water cut square sheet of stainless steel. After bended manually, the different lashes are pulled on the opposite direction. New curvatures are produced after all is deployed.
2.- Reproducing the Shape digitally.
Using Karamba I built a definition to reproduce the produced by physical stress. This model served to find deformations that occur when a set of loads are applied to a mesh. Following this process will allow us to find a coherent and more natural cross section so then we could re-shape simulating the bending process of a piece of ductile material.
3.- Discretizing curve
Reducing the model to its simplest element is a key aspect of finite nonlinear analysis. Once our shape is already defined we can divide its principal characteristic of its principal given curve.
At this point I have already found the desired curve.
I Think the better strategy to simulate bending the steel sheet into this shape, is rationalize the curve and divide it finding the tangents one of the curve that compose this sort of parabola. bur i don`t know how to parametrize that in GH.
Please. If someone have a better Idea about this process I`ll glad to read sugestions.
Tomás Mena
…
to enter the programming world and tinker more complex, interactive solutions. We will also explore advanced programming paradigms. There is no class official programming language, as both C# and Vb.Net are possible on the participant’s side, and all examples will be provided in both C# and Vb.Net. Additionally, we will see how to get started writing full .Net plug-ins. Finally, we will have time to explore user’s own proposals on the third day.
Day 1 Morning: programming introduction in .Net
• The Grasshopper scripting components. Choosing a .Net language. Language developments
• Variables declaration, assignment and utilization. Operators. Methods [functions]. Calls
• Classes: declaration and instancing. Constructors. Importing a namespace. Point3d, Lines
• Arrays declaration and usage. Lists. Adding to arrays and lists, advantages and opportunities.
Afternoon: patterns
• About OOP (object oriented programming) as opposed to procedural programming. Discussion
• Example of OOP good code reuse: sorting points by coordinates using the .Net SDK classes
• Lists as input parameters. Trees as input parameters. Usage and limitations
• Finding resources: on the net with website that can help getting started and troubleshoot. And books
Day 2 Morning: extending Grasshopper functionality with our definitions
• Store data between updates. The use of fields [globals, or static locals]
• Examples on how to use stored data between updates: a simple agents simulation
• Baking geometry with scripting directly into the Rhino document. Baking with names
• Passing custom types from a scripted component to another one. Our own code reusability
• Rendering an animation from Grasshopper. How to get started and final results
Afternoon: customizing our tools
• Our Rhino plug-in with Visual Studio C# [Vb.Net] Express Edition & wizard. Parametric mesher
• Writing a custom Grasshopper component: hacking an exporter for our data to Excel
Day 3 All day: personal project
• Rehearsal on any example from the first two days. A project that you want to start on your own, being it a Rhinoceros plug-in, a Grasshopper assembly or a script. Example might be to send data through network with UDP to Processing
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
A good foundation of Grasshopper visual programming is mandatory. You will need a level which corresponds to the Grasshopper 101 course outline. Examples of things that will not be covered in this course are: sorting document spheres by diameter, paneling of a surface with grasshopper components. You are expected to already know these from the Grasshopper course.…
using Grasshopper.Kernel.Data; using Grasshopper.Kernel.Types;
using System; using System.IO; using System.Xml; using System.Xml.Linq; using System.Linq; using System.Data; using System.Drawing; using System.Reflection; using System.Collections; using System.Windows.Forms; using System.Collections.Generic; using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
/// <summary> /// This class will be instantiated on demand by the Script component. /// </summary> public class Script_Instance : GH_ScriptInstance { #region Utility functions /// <summary>Print a String to the [Out] Parameter of the Script component.</summary> /// <param name="text">String to print.</param> private void Print(string text) { /* Implementation hidden. */ } /// <summary>Print a formatted String to the [Out] Parameter of the Script component.</summary> /// <param name="format">String format.</param> /// <param name="args">Formatting parameters.</param> private void Print(string format, params object[] args) { /* Implementation hidden. */ } /// <summary>Print useful information about an object instance to the [Out] Parameter of the Script component. </summary> /// <param name="obj">Object instance to parse.</param> private void Reflect(object obj) { /* Implementation hidden. */ } /// <summary>Print the signatures of all the overloads of a specific method to the [Out] Parameter of the Script component. </summary> /// <param name="obj">Object instance to parse.</param> private void Reflect(object obj, string method_name) { /* Implementation hidden. */ } #endregion
#region Members /// <summary>Gets the current Rhino document.</summary> private readonly RhinoDoc RhinoDocument; /// <summary>Gets the Grasshopper document that owns this script.</summary> private readonly GH_Document GrasshopperDocument; /// <summary>Gets the Grasshopper script component that owns this script.</summary> private readonly IGH_Component Component; /// <summary> /// Gets the current iteration count. The first call to RunScript() is associated with Iteration==0. /// Any subsequent call within the same solution will increment the Iteration count. /// </summary> private readonly int Iteration; #endregion
/// <summary> /// This procedure contains the user code. Input parameters are provided as regular arguments, /// Output parameters as ref arguments. You don't have to assign output parameters, /// they will have a default value. /// </summary> private void RunScript(bool bake, List<GeometryBase> G, Point3d L, Color C) { COL = C; LOCATION = L; NAME = ""; pnts.Clear(); crvs.Clear(); breps.Clear();
foreach(GeometryBase geom in G){ switch(geom.GetType().Name){ case "Point": pnts.Add(((Rhino.Geometry.Point) geom).Location); break; case "Curve": //create a new geometry list for display break; case "PolyCurve": crvs.Add((PolyCurve) geom); break; case "Brep": breps.Add((Brep) geom); break; default: Print("Add a new case for this type: " + geom.GetType().Name); break; } }
if(bake){ Rhino.DocObjects.InstanceDefinition I = doc.InstanceDefinitions.Find(NAME, false);
if(I != null) doc.InstanceDefinitions.Delete(I.Index, true, true);
int index = doc.InstanceDefinitions.Add(NAME, "description", Point3d.Origin, G); doc.Objects.AddInstanceObject(index, Transform.Scale(L, 1)); } }
// <Custom additional code> //GEOMETRY Lists to display
List<Point3d> pnts = new List<Point3d>(); List<PolyCurve> crvs = new List<PolyCurve>(); List<Brep> breps = new List<Brep>();
string NAME; Point3d LOCATION; int THICKNESS = 2; Color COL;
//Return a BoundingBox that contains all the geometry you are about to draw. public override BoundingBox ClippingBox { get { return BoundingBox.Empty; } } //Draw all meshes in this method. public override void DrawViewportMeshes(IGH_PreviewArgs args) {
}
//Draw all wires and points in this method. public override void DrawViewportWires(IGH_PreviewArgs args) { foreach(Point3d p in pnts) args.Display.DrawPoint(p, Rhino.Display.PointStyle.ControlPoint, THICKNESS, COL);
foreach(PolyCurve c in crvs) args.Display.DrawCurve(c, COL, THICKNESS);
foreach(Brep b in breps) args.Display.DrawBrepShaded(b, new Rhino.Display.DisplayMaterial(COL));
args.Display.DrawPoint(LOCATION, Rhino.Display.PointStyle.ActivePoint, 3, Color.Black); args.Display.Draw3dText(NAME, Color.Gray, new Plane(LOCATION, Vector3d.ZAxis), THICKNESS / 3, "Arial"); }
// </Custom additional code> }…
hat since we create a list of materials and we assign them to surfaces - volumes the next step could be to have an Life Cycle Analysis and Financial assessment produced.
The most common form to produce an LCA into a form that is commonly used and easily communicated is in the form of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) that follow ISO 14025:2006. As every form of LCA, EPDs raise a bunch of question regarding their boundaries and the accuracy of the results especially if we include the factor of location. In comparison with other LCA practices though, EPDs have to be followed by Product Category Rules (defining the boundaries of the study) that can be reviewed by external parties if the EPD is to go public. Part from that EPD results reflect each stage of the life cycle of a product including potential benefits from Reuse or Recycling. Finally if you have a system - for example a building - you can add the EPDs of the different subcomponents forming the building and get a final EPD for the building itself - the point where I think HB's functionality is fully aligned.
The financial assessment can easily be concluded if one has the price of the material he/she uses. Finally the environmental indicators of the EPDs (LCI, LCIA) can be translated into Shadow Costs (Shadow costs for Environmental Indicators here) and added to the final financial assessment as an option.
I have developed a similar plug-in (in C#) for Grasshopper for my master's thesis last year. The project focused on the comparison between constructing normally and constructing implementing Design for Deconstruction practices in steel buildings. The idea was to compare the two cases based on their environmental and financial performance. In the process I included also options for transportation of the material and for shadow cost, embodied energy and carbon assessment and more. The final outcome can be visualised in Rhino's viewports and exported to excel sheets. The plug-in is connected to local db with EPD data for steel profiles. The same scheme though can be followed for any type of material if we have the right database to connect it to!
Please have a look if interested at the report here! And let me know if you have any questions!
Please note that the report includes 3+ chapters dedicated to design for deconstruction practices e.t.c that are irrelevant with the topic but maybe interesting to read:)
Also if someone is interested in the report I can always send it to you.
(I will upload a video -runthrough of the plug-in later this week)
I would be very interested to have these capabilities in LB and HB and happy to help realising it!
Thanks
Tasos
…
guages I'd recommend all use the RhinoCommon SDK and thus all have access to the same functionality.
How long would it take me to understand and write my own code?
If you already know how to program, it probably won't take too long. If you're past the hurdle of what it means to declare and assign variables, how conditionals and loops work and what scope is, you've already rounded the hardest corner.
Is it even worth it?
That really depends. "Learn programming" is clearly not blanket good advice. Most people out there do not have to learn programming to be happy with their lives and successful in their careers. For some people it can make a small difference, and for a few people it can make a huge difference. If you feel you're in the 'some' category then this is indeed a question you have to answer. Note that the investment for learning programming is a continuous process. Unless you keep up your skills and learn about new stuff that becomes available, you'll lose the ability to write successful code over time.
Where do I start?
Step 1 is to answer the previous question. It is unlikely that anyone besides yourself can answer it, but you can start by making a list of things you do manually now that may be programmable. Then make a list of the things you are unable to do now but which you might be able to do with programming. If while looking at these lists your reaction is: "meh", the answer is probably no.
Step 2 is to pick a language. This is again a very personal thing; there's no wrong answer, because there's no right answer.
Step 3 is to start learning this language. My experience is that the best way to learn a programming language is to try and solve a real problem that you understand very well. If the problem statement is nebulous or poorly understood, you'll be learning two things and that's a recipe for unnecessary frustration.
Here are my thoughts on language:
Python: I don't use Python myself, I can sort of read it while moving my lips. I don't particularly like Python though. The indentation sensitiveness stresses me out, and I find the lack of type-safety disturbing. However it is a good language for mathematical/scientific programs. There are lots of additional code libraries you can easily import that will ease the development of mathematically intense algorithms.
C#: I like C# very much, but it does suffer from geekerosis. A lot of the keywords used in the language are not self-explanatory (abstract, sealed, virtual). For me this is no longer a problem as I've memorised what they all mean. C# is designed to be an efficient language to write, rather than an easy one to learn.
The great thing about C# though is that there's a huge amount of material out there for learning it. It is one of the most popular, mature and modern languages you can hope to pick.
VB: I learned VBScript as my first language, and then moved on to VB5, VB6 and VB.NET. It is somewhat more friendly than C#, and functionally it is almost identical. The switch from VB to C# is reasonably low-threshold and there are excellent tools for translating VB code to C# and vice versa.
Since you already know some Python, it probably makes the most sense to continue on that path. If you want to switch, C# is more like Python than VB, so C# would be my next suggestion.
As for where to get information... you have 4 major options when developing code for Rhino.
If it's a question about the language itself, StackOverflow is a great resource. It can be a pretty hostile place for beginner questions, but I find that mostly the questions I'm asking have been asked already and the answers on SO tend to be good. In fact usually when I google my questions, the first few hits are always SO posts.
If it's a question about the Rhino SDK or Grasshopper, you can ask it either on the GH forums (where we are now), or on Discourse. We're not as quick on the draw as SO, but we do know about Rhino.
If you're looking for a basic explanation of what a keyword or a type is for, perhaps with an example, MSDN is the best first choice. In fact if you google the name a of a .NET type, the first hit is almost always an MSDN page.…
Added by David Rutten at 2:03pm on December 3, 2014