[via: rhino newsletter]

The latest version of Sectiontools Plugin for Rhino 5.o wip is realeased with some improvements.

What’s new:

• Added new command “stEditSections” to edit sectioning options such as solid mode, direction and attributes. stEditSectionHatch and stSectionDir are now part of the new command.
• Combined “stView”, “stSetCPlaneToSection” and “stSetViewToSection” into one new command “stViewSections”. You can now “Clip”, “SetView” and “SetCPlane” all in one step.
• Added support for persistent options to stCreate, stCreateArray and stViewSections commands.
• Fixed a bug when flipping section direction.
• 2D Layout now outputs curves, solids and hatched to 3 different sub-layers. This will help assign different layer attributes to each one.
• Made it more reliable to view section curves, surfaces and hatches.
• Fixed CPlane alignment bug.
• Added a new item to “SolidMode” option in stCreate and stCreateArray commands. It allows adding both hatches and surfaces at the same time.
• Added enhancements to stMoveSections command. Dragging sections’ now gives real-time feedback of intersections and section clipping plane location.
• When creating sections, selecting objects is now a separate step from options. This way it will be possible to preselect objects and change options.
• Fixed duplicate polycurves in 2D layouts bug.
• Enhanced reporting output
• Fixed a crash bug when saving as V4 then open in V5.
• Many other minor bug fixes.
• Added nine new short clips and updated toolbars and help manual.

Downloading and Installing

Add tabs:

Usage:

If you want to switch to new ui, just type the command: testfancytoolbars and open your default toolbar layout(*.tb) or the  file (*.rui) of  Automatic Generation. The program will convert the toolbars you tick into tabs Automatic, You can also drag other toolbars whatever you want to insert an existing tab.

Other Commands:

TestsetPascalColors

TestSetdrawColors

LayoutWorkspace

testFancyToolBars

TestToolbarOptions

TestsetViewportBackground

You can even change the tab/background/… colors to match your taste.

Do you have some ideas about this new user interface? For me, it looks ok.

Designer: SKIDMORE, OWINGS & MERRILL LLP

PanelingTools is a powerful plugin that enables you to create complex structures and surfaces in rhinoceros easily. Now McNeel has released a new PanelingTools manual (about 80 pages), and new release are now available for download.

Download PanelingTools Manual for detailed description of commands and options.

Read more from McNeel Wiki

Paneling Tools for Rhino 4.0 sr5  has been recently updated(June 8, 2009). 

Download

Short video tutorials for PanelingTools Plug-in for Rhino 4.0.

Usage: Click this for more information

Moving the Gumball

Three types of transformation controls. To move the gumball, click, drag and release the controls. If you need to reposition the gumball without moving the objects it transforms, tap the CONTROL key while dragging a transformation control.

1. Translation controls:

• Click and drag on one of the arrows. The translation will move back and forth along the line the arrow lies on.

2. Rotation controls:

• Click and drag on one of the arcs.

3. Scaling controls:

• Click and drag on one of the small boxes.
• If you want uniform scaling, tap the SHIFT key while dragging a scaling control.

Download the Gumball plugins.

[via]Rhino Labs

Zach Downey is an Architectural Designer at SHoP architects in New York City. He shares his Rhino expertise on his blog.

• Creating Surface Patterns Using Bump Maps Created in Photoshop as an input parameter in Rhino’s Grasshopper
• Paneling Tools
• Patterning and Facade Studies Using Adobe’s Illustrator Part 2
• Populating a Surface with Polygons Extruded to a Point
• Patterning and Facade Studies Using Adobe’s Illustrator

A new release of PanelingTools plug-in for Rhino 4.0 is available for download.

The Idle Processor plug-in for Rhino 4.0 allows you to schedule commands to be run when Rhino has been inactive for a user-specified period.

For example, you could have Rhino automatically save your current document or start a time-consuming rendering.

Details on Rhino Wiki

== Description ==
A plug-in that fakes small filleted edges in RDK compliant renderers.
It allows you to fake filleted edges on meshes for rendering.

*Use the Object Properties “Edge Softening” option once the plug-in is installed to change the radius. The plug-in requires an RDK compliant renderer to work (for example, Brazil).

*Use the command “ExtractSoftenedEdgeMesh” to obtain the mesh for use in other render engines(for example, Vray) or RP.

Download