Simply Rhino - Introduction to Python in Rhinoceros - 3 Day Course

Objectives

For designers and engineers who want to lay the foundation for Rhino.Python scripting, as well as
RhinoScript users who want to stay up to date, this workshop will convey the necessary ideas and
tools to successfully code geometry in Rhinoceros 5 on Windows and Mac.

As a participant, you will be guided through the details of this friendly and powerful programming
language that opens up immense creative and practical opportunities within Rhino that will
broaden your understanding and ability to create, analyse and manipulate geometry and
data, automate and iterate commands, perform calculations and make informed performance
orientated decisions within Rhino 3d Models.

Structure

The course is divided into 6 units of 4 hours each undertaken over three days. Participants will
obtain a conceptual understanding of coding for design, analysis and automation while practically
learning how to write, run, edit, optimise and debug Python code within the Rhino Python script
editor. The course will utilise Rhino’s various geometrical types such as vectors, points, curves,
meshes and nurbs surfaces in order to demonstrate the logic and potential of scripting each
within Rhinoceros.

Simply Rhino’s instructor is Robert Stuart-Smith, Director of RIBA Chartered architectural practice
Robert Stuart-Smith Design, co-founding Director of computational design research practice
Kokkugia and Studio Course Master at the Architectural Association School of Architecture Design
Research Laboratory (AA.DRL).

www.robertstuart-smith.com
www.kokkugia.com
http://drl.aaschool.ac.uk/

Prerequisite

Rhinoceros v5(most recent)

Grasshopper (latest version from www.grasshopper3d.com)
GhPython
Outline

Day 1 AM -Environment

• Command line macros & toolbar customisation

• Python Script Editor
• Online resources:
• RhinoScriptSyntax SDK Help
• RhinoCommon SDK Help
• Running existing scripts in both Windows & Mac Rhino
• The “Hello World” program
• Variables: syntax & naming conventions
• Conditionals and their use
• User data input
• Common arithmetic operations
• Containers: lists, tuples

Day 1 PM - Automation & basic object creation

• Iteration: looping through code several times

• Object names & Object data
• Creating & Manipulating: Points, Point Clouds, Lines, Circles
• Querying using logical operators
• Functions - reusable blocks of code
• Debugging code: break points, prints,etc
• Vectors & Rhino vector methods: Explicit and Generative applications
Day 2 AM - Analysis, Modification, Recursion

• Recursion: nested loops & psuedo-code

• Nurbs: curves, surfaces
• Splitting curves with parameterization
• Analysing surfaces and curves
• Modifying geometry to fit criteria
• Generative design in relation to geometry (growth in relation to surface curvature)

Day 2 PM - Code workflow

• Meshes
• Using Library classes
• Importing and exporting data
• Building geometrical types from data
• Instantiating geometry
• Code optimisations
• Brief introduction to classes: objects & inheritance
Day 3 AM - Python & RhinoCommon

• Introduction to RhinoCommon
• Developing a RhinoCommon script
• Script exercise: individual hands-on experience
• Presentation of Script exercise

Day 3 PM - Python in Grasshopper & beyond

• Grasshopper introduction
• Introduction to Python in Grasshopper
• Using python with grasshopper
• Real-time communication between Rhino and other applications
• Wrap-up Question time & discussion