Prepared by Cedric Lalanne

RHINO Source Mat. by Steven Jannsen

QUICK GUIDE FOR ARCH. DESIGN

Rhino is a NURBS based modelling tool geared towards designers. Rhino 6 Recommened.
Rhino is NOT a documentation tool like Revit or Autocad, although it’s possible. Resources:
food4rhino.com - Plugins for Rhino
Regarding architecture, Rhino can easily create complex geometries that prove to flyingarchitecture.com - Rendering Gurus
be difficult in other software. youtube.com/user/nsenske - Tutorials
MENU BAR

COMMAND BAR

TOOLBAR

PANELS

SELECTION FILTER VIEWPORTS OBJECT SNAPS

 General N
SETTING UP Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description Co

Edit > Layers >

Layer Shows layer dialogue box Zo
Edit Layers...

Edit >
Properties P Shows information about selected object Zo
Object Properties...

Tools >
Options OP
Options...
Shows Document Properties and Rhino Options
C
Co

Edit >
Join J Joins curves into polycurves; and surfaces into polysurfaces Po
Join

Rhino Cheatsheet - Steven

Rhino Cheatsheet
Janssen - 9th
- Steven
Feb 2010
Janssen - 9th Feb 2010

General
General Navigation
Navigation X
Explode
Edit >
Explode
Explodes polycurves and polysurfaces (opposite of Join) Cu
Command Command Alias Toolbar Alias Menu Toolbar Menu Description Description Command Command Alias Toolbar Alias Menu Toolbar Menu Description Description

Edit > Layers >Edit > Layers > View > Zoom View
> > Zoom >
Layer Layer Shows layer
Shows layer dialogue box dialogue box Zoom ExtentsZoom Extents
ZE ZE Zooms so thatZooms so see
you can thatall
you can see all objects
objects
Edit Layers... Edit Layers... Group Zoom ExtentsEdit
Zoom > Groups
Extents > Groups objects together for easy selection In
Group

Edit > Edit > View > Zoom View

> > Zoom >
Properties PropertiesP P Showsabout
Shows information information about
selected selected object
object Zoom Selected
Zoom Selected ZS ZS Edit Zooms so thatZooms
> Groups so see
you can thatselected
you can objects
see selected objects
Right click on toolbar > Object Properties...
Object Properties... Ungroup Zoom
Zoom Selected Selected> Ungroups objects Re
Ungroup
Dimensions.
Tools > Tools >
Options Options OP
Then Drag Dimension tab Options...
to toolbar.Options...
OP Shows
Shows Document Document
Properties Properties
and and Rhino Options
Rhino Options
CurvesCurves
Selection
Command Command Alias Toolbar Alias Menu Toolbar Menu Description Description
Ci

Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Turn
Joinon Panels
Join that
J suiteJ your
Edit > needs.
Edit >
Joins curves into
Joinspolycurves;
curves intoand
polycurves;
surfaces into
and surfaces
polysurfaces
into polysurfaces
Polyline Polyline PL PL
Ctrl
Curve
Curve > Polyline
Edit
> > Polyline >
Draws
> Select Object > Draws
a series a series of
of connected connected lines
lines
Join Join SelAll Polyline Polyline Selects all visible objects Po
(Object Properties & Layers are essential) +A All Objects

Edit > Edit > Rhino Cheatsheet - Steven Janssen - 9th Feb 2010 Curve > Free-Form
Curve >> Free-Form >
Explode Explode X X Explodes
Explodes polycurves polycurves
and and (opposite
polysurfaces polysurfaces (opposite of Join) Curve
of Join) Curve CR CR Draws
Edit > Select Object > Draws
a smooth a smooth
curve using acurve
seriesusing a series
of control of control points
points
Navigation Explode Explode SelDup Control PointsControl Points
Duplicate Objects
Selects duplicate objects Le
Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Edit > GroupsEdit

> > Groups > Curve > Free-Form
Curve >> Free-Form >
Group Group View > Zoom > Groups
Groups objects objects
together together
for easy for easy selection
selection InterpCrv InterpCrvCRI CRI Draws
Draws a smooth a smooth
curve throughcurve through
a series a series
of control of control points
points
Zoom Extents ZE Group Group Zooms so that you can see all objects SelChain SC Interpolate Points
Interpolate Points Selects a series of touching curves D
Zoom Extents

Edit > GroupsEdit

> > Groups > Curve > Rectangle
Curve>> Rectangle >
Ungroup Ungroup View > Zoom > Ungroups objects
Ungroups objects Rectangle RectangleRE RE Draws
Edit > Select Object > Drawsfrom
a rectangle a rectangle from two points
two points
Zoom Selected ZS Ungroup Ungroup Zooms so that you can see selected objects SelLast Corner to Corner
Corner to Corner Select the last object that rhino created Cu
Zoom Selected Last Created Objects

Curve > CircleCurve

> > Circle >
Selection
CurvesSelection
Circle Circle CI CI
Centre, Radius
Draws a circleDraws a circle
Centre, Radius
Command Command Alias Toolbar Alias Menu Toolbar Menu Description Description
Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Ctrl CtrlEdit > Select Object >

Edit > Select Object > Curve > Polygon
Curve
> > Polygon >
SelAll SelAll Curve > Polyline > Selects all visible
Selects
objects
all visible objects Polygon Polygon Draws
Draws a polygon a polygon
with withof
any number any number of sides
sides
s Polyline +A
PL +A All Objects All ObjectsDraws a series of connected lines Center, RadiusCenter, Radius
Polyline

Edit > Select

Edit > Select Object > Object > Analyze > Analyze >
SelDup SelDup Curve > Free-Form > Selects duplicateSelects duplicate objects
objects Length Length LN LN Measures theMeasures
length of the length of curves
curves
Curve CR Duplicate Objects
Duplicate Objects
Draws a smooth curve using a series of control points Length Length
Control Points

Curve >> Pnt Object >

Curve > Pnt Object
SelChain SelChain SC SC Curve > Free-Form > Selects
Selects a series a seriescurves
of touching of touching curves Divide Divide DI DI Divide Curve Divide
by > Curve by > a number
Creates Creates a number
of points of apoints
along curvealong a curve
InterpCrv CRI Draws a smooth curve through a series of control points
Interpolate Points Number of Segments
Number of Segments

Curve > Curve >

Edit > Select Object
Edit > Select
> Object >
SelLast SelLast Curve > Rectangle > Select the lastSelect
objectthe lastrhino
that object that rhino created
created CurveBooleanCurveBoolean
CB CB Curve Edit Tools
Curve
> Edit Trims,
Tools >splits, and
Trims, splits,
joins and joinscurve
overlapping overlapping
regionscurve regions
Rectangle RE Last Created
Last Created Objects Objects
Draws a rectangle from two points
Corner to Corner Curve BooleanCurve Boolean
 Rhino Cheatsheet - Steven Janssen - 9th Feb 2010

Surfaces Transformation S
Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description Co

Surface > Plane > Transform >

Plane P2 Creates a rectangular plane from two points Move M Moves an object Pl
Corner to Corner Move

Surface > Transform >

SrfPt Creates a surface from 3 or 4 corner points Copy C Makes a copy of an object Sr
Corner Points Copy

Surface > Transform > Array > Copies an object into a rectangular grid
PlanarSrf PS Creates a flat (planar) surface inside closed curves Array A Pl
Planar Curves Rectangular (there is also “PolarArray”, which makes copies in a circle)

Surface >
Extrudes a curve into a surface Transform >
ExtrudeCrv EC Extrude Curve > Rotate R Rotates an object Ex
(there is also “ExtrudeSrf” for surfaces) Rotate
Straight
Deformation (UDT) In
Surface > Blends two or more curves into a surface Command Alias Toolbar Transform
Menu > Scales an object
Description
Loft Scale S Lo
Loft (be careful to select each curve near the same end) Scale (there is also “Scale1D” and “Scale2D”) P
Transform > Moves objects relative to the center of a move using a
SoftMove
Soft Move falloff curve T
Surface > Curve > Extend Crv > P
Revolve Revolves a curve around an axis to create a surface Extend E Extends the end of a curve Re
Revolve Extend Curve
Transform > h
CageEdit Cage Editing > Deforms a complex object using a simple cage
Cage Edit M
Surface > Sweeps a curve along a rail curve Edit >
Sweep1
Sweep 1 Rail (there is also “Sweep2” which uses two rail curves)
Trim T
Trim
Removes part of an object w
Sw
Transform > p
Flow Deforms objects so they follow a curve
Flow along Curve
Surface > Drapes a surface over curves and points Edit >
Patch
Patch (used when no other method works)
Split SP
Split
Splits an object into two parts A
Pa

FlowAlongSrf
Transform > Rhino Cheatsheet - Steven Janssen - 9th Feb 2010
Deforms objects so they follow a surface A
Solids Advanced Continued Flow along Surface
ti
Analysis
Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description Command Offset Alias Toolbar o Menu
Curve > Description
Offset Curve
Offsets a curve (be careful of the tolerance)
(there is also “OFfsetSrf” for surfaces)
A
Command Alias Toolbar Solid
Menu > Box > Description
Stretch
Curve >
Projects curves on to a objects
Stretches surface in one direction A
Co
Box B Corner to Corner, Creates a box Project Curve From Objects >
Height Project
(curves are projected along the z-axis of the CPlane) “o
Distance D
Analyze >
Calculates the distance between two points Fillet f
Curve >
Draws a circular fillet between two curves “i
D
Distance Fillet Curves
Curve > Transform >
Solid > Sphere > Bend Bends objects
Sphere Creates a sphere Intersect I Curve From Objects
Bend > Calculates the intersecting curves of multiple objects
Center, Radius
Analyze > Intersection
a Calculates the area of a surface Edit > Used to simplify change the number of control points on a
Area Mass Properties > Rebuild CR Ar
(also works on closed curves) Rebuild curve or surface
Area Curve > Transform Extracts
>
Solid > the curves
Twists which
objectsform the border
an axis of a surface
Cone
Cone
Analyze >
Creates a cone DupBorder Twist Curve From Objects around
Twist > (there is also “DupEdge” which extracts just one edge)
Duplicate Border
W
Edit > Control Pts >
Volume Mass Properties > Calculates the volume of a solid (closed polysurface) PointsOn F10 Shows control points (F11 or Esc turns them off) Vo
Volume Curve >
Control Points On E
Solid > Splop Wraps objects around sj
Cylinder Creates a cylinder ExtractIsoCurve XI Curve From Objects > Extracts a curve parallel to the edgeaofsurface
a surface
Cylinder
Extract Isocurve
R
Surface > Unfolds a surface
Solid > T
Torus
Torus
Creates a torus UnrollSrf Glossary Unroll Developable
Srf
Useful for making freeform models from flat materials
(use “Smash” on doubly-curved surfaces, eg spheres) w
Curve includes lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, Tolerance Default tolerance is 0.01 units.
Solid > free-form curves, rectanglesAllows you to place curves on an unrolled surface
This means new and thenwill be created
objects It
Pipe Creates a tube along a curve SquishBack re-roll it with the curves; useful foraccurate
placing to
text on surfaces
within 0.01 units.
Pipe n
Polycurve/ when multiple curves/surfaces (http://wiki.mcneel.com/labs/advancedflattening)
are
Polysurface joined together Objects will have fewer control points
when a lower tolerance (0.1) is set.
Solid > Surface > It
Cap Fills in planar opening to create a closed solid BlendSrf Closed Closed (periodic) curves formCreates
a loop.a smooth surface in between two other surfaces
Cap Planar Holes Blend Surface
Closed surfaces form a solid.
Objects will have more control points h
when a higher tolerance (0.001) is set.

Surface >
Solid > User can cycle through Boolean Union, Intersection, Converts an image into a surface
Boolean2Objects B2 Heightfield Heightfield from
Boolean Two Objects Difference and Inverse Difference (useful for making quick site models)
Image

Moves the construction plane, so that you can easily draw

View > Set CPlane >
CPlane C3 on a different plane (use command: “CPlane World Top” or