Rhino Cheatsheet - Steven Janssen - 9th Feb 2010

Rhino Interface

Menus

Command History
Command Prompt

Toolbars

Viewport Title
LMB: activate viewport without losing selection

Double Click: maximise viewport

RMB: show viewport options:

wireframe, shaded, rendered changes display mode
Display Properties shows camera infomation

Viewports
By default, 4 viewports are shown:
Top, Perspective, Front and Right

Navigation (Right Mouse Button):

RMB Drag = Rotate View

(this pans in top, left and right viewports)

Shift + RMB Drag = Pan View

Scroll Wheel = Zoom

(Ctrl + RMB Drag also works)

Ctrl + Alt + RMB Drag = Look around

Home/End = Undo/Redo View

Selecting Objects (Left Mouse Button):

Click + LMB Drag (left to right) = window select

Click + LMB Drag (right to left) = crossing select
(only selects objects completely inside selection box)

Common Shortcuts
Enter/RMB/Space = End or Repeat command
Hold Shift = orthogonal mode
Hold Ctrl = elevator mode
(draw out of the construction plane)
Press TAB = constrain angle

Object Snaps

Status Bar
Snap = Toggle Grid Snap on/off
Ortho = Toggle Orthogonal Snap on/off
Planar = Toggle Planar Drawing on/off
(eg when drawing a polyline, it doesn’t keep reverting to the CPlane)
OSnap = Toggle Object Snap Bar on/off
Current Coordinates Quick Layer Dialogue Smart Track Record History = remember how object was created
(eg a loft surface will update when you change the original curves)
 Rhino Cheatsheet - Steven Janssen - 9th Feb 2010

General Navigation
Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Edit > Layers > View > Zoom >

Layer Shows layer dialogue box Zoom Extents ZE Zooms so that you can see all objects
Edit Layers... Zoom Extents

Edit > View > Zoom >

Properties P Shows information about selected object Zoom Selected ZS Zooms so that you can see selected objects
Object Properties... Zoom Selected

Tools >
Options OP
Options...
Shows Document Properties and Rhino Options
Curves
Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Edit > Curve > Polyline >

Join J Joins curves into polycurves; and surfaces into polysurfaces Polyline PL Draws a series of connected lines
Join Polyline

Edit > Curve > Free-Form >

Explode X Explodes polycurves and polysurfaces (opposite of Join) Curve CR Draws a smooth curve using a series of control points
Explode Control Points

Edit > Groups > Curve > Free-Form >

Group Groups objects together for easy selection InterpCrv CRI Draws a smooth curve through a series of control points
Group Interpolate Points

Edit > Groups > Curve > Rectangle >

Ungroup Ungroups objects Rectangle RE Draws a rectangle from two points
Ungroup Corner to Corner

Curve > Circle >

Selection Circle CI
Centre, Radius
Draws a circle

Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Ctrl Edit > Select Object > Curve > Polygon >
SelAll Selects all visible objects Polygon Draws a polygon with any number of sides
+A All Objects Center, Radius

Edit > Select Object > Analyze >

SelDup Selects duplicate objects Length LN Measures the length of curves
Duplicate Objects Length

Curve > Pnt Object >

SelChain SC Selects a series of touching curves Divide DI Divide Curve by > Creates a number of points along a curve
Number of Segments

Curve >
Edit > Select Object >
SelLast Select the last object that rhino created CurveBoolean CB Curve Edit Tools > Trims, splits, and joins overlapping curve regions
Last Created Objects
Curve Boolean
 Rhino Cheatsheet - Steven Janssen - 9th Feb 2010

Transformation Surfaces
Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Transform > Surface > Plane >

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

Transform > Surface >

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

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

Surface >
Transform > Extrudes a curve into a surface
Rotate R Rotates an object ExtrudeCrv EC Extrude Curve >
Rotate (there is also “ExtrudeSrf” for surfaces)
Straight

Transform > Scales an object Surface > Blends two or more curves into a surface
Scale S Loft
Scale (there is also “Scale1D” and “Scale2D”) Loft (be careful to select each curve near the same end)

Curve > Extend Crv > Surface >

Extend E Extends the end of a curve Revolve Revolves a curve around an axis to create a surface
Extend Curve Revolve

Edit > Surface > Sweeps a curve along a rail curve

Trim T Removes part of an object Sweep1
Trim Sweep 1 Rail (there is also “Sweep2” which uses two rail curves)

Edit > Surface > Drapes a surface over curves and points
Split SP Splits an object into two parts Patch
Split Patch (used when no other method works)

Offset o
Curve >
Offset Curve
Offsets a curve (be careful of the tolerance)
(there is also “OFfsetSrf” for surfaces)
Analysis
Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Curve > Analyze >

Fillet f Draws a circular fillet between two curves Distance D Calculates the distance between two points
Fillet Curves Distance

Analyze >
Edit > Used to simplify change the number of control points on a Calculates the area of a surface
Rebuild CR Area Mass Properties >
Rebuild curve or surface (also works on closed curves)
Area

Analyze >
Edit > Control Pts >
PointsOn F10 Shows control points (F11 or Esc turns them off) Volume Mass Properties > Calculates the volume of a solid (closed polysurface)
Control Points On
Volume
 Rhino Cheatsheet - Steven Janssen - 9th Feb 2010

Solids Advanced Continued

Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Solid > Box > Curve >

Projects curves on to a surface
Box B Corner to Corner, Creates a box Project Curve From Objects >
(curves are projected along the z-axis of the CPlane)
Height Project

Curve >
Solid > Sphere >
Sphere Creates a sphere Intersect I Curve From Objects > Calculates the intersecting curves of multiple objects
Center, Radius
Intersection

Curve >
Solid > Extracts the curves which form the border of a surface
Cone Creates a cone DupBorder Curve From Objects >
Cone (there is also “DupEdge” which extracts just one edge)
Duplicate Border

Curve >
Solid >
Cylinder Creates a cylinder ExtractIsoCurve XI Curve From Objects > Extracts a curve parallel to the edge of a surface
Cylinder
Extract Isocurve

Surface > Unfolds a surface

Solid >
Torus Creates a torus UnrollSrf Unroll Developable Useful for making freeform models from flat materials
Torus
Srf (use “Smash” on doubly-curved surfaces, eg spheres)

Allows you to place curves on an unrolled surface and then

Solid >
Pipe Creates a tube along a curve SquishBack re-roll it with the curves; useful for placing text on surfaces
Pipe
(http://wiki.mcneel.com/labs/advancedflattening)

Solid > Surface >

Cap Fills in planar opening to create a closed solid BlendSrf Creates a smooth surface in between two other surfaces
Cap Planar Holes Blend Surface

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 >
Advanced CPlane C3
3 Points
on a different plane (use command: “CPlane World Top” or
alias: “CW” to restore the default CPlane)
Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Transform > Transform >

Rotate3D R3 Rotates an object around an axis ProjectToCPlane Projects curves on to the construction plane
Rotate 3-D ProjectToCPlane

Curve >
Solid >
Section Curve From Objects > Cuts a section through surfaces ExtractSrf XS Explodes only the selected surfaces from a polysurface
Extract Surface
Section

Curve > Shows which side of surface is considered ‘outside’

Cuts sections through objects at regular intervals Analyze >
Contour Curve From Objects > Dir useful for reversing direction if boolean commands fail
(this is the “Section” command’s bigger brother) Direction
Contour (also works on curves)
 Rhino Cheatsheet - Steven Janssen - 9th Feb 2010

Deformation (UDT) Installing Plugins/Aliases

Command Alias Toolbar Menu Description

Plugins:
Transform > Moves objects relative to the center of a move using a
SoftMove
Soft Move falloff curve There are hundreds of plugins available on the web, which extend rhino’s functionaliy.
Plugins developed by McNeel (the makers of rhino) can be found at:
Transform > http://en.wiki.mcneel.com/default.aspx/McNeel/RhinoHomeLabs.html
CageEdit Cage Editing > Deforms a complex object using a simple cage
Cage Edit Most plugins can be installed by simply dragging and dropping the *.rhp file into the rhino
window. A list of installed plugins can be viewed by typing “options” into the command
Transform > prompt and selecting “Plug-ins” from the list.
Flow Deforms objects so they follow a curve
Flow along Curve

Aliases:
FlowAlongSrf
Transform >
Deforms objects so they follow a surface Aliases are customisable shortcut commands. For example, instead of typing “Move” every
Flow along Surface
time you want to move an object, you might set up the alias “M” for the move command.

Stretch Stretches objects in one direction

Aliases can be imported and exported as text files (*.txt). To load an alias file, type
“options” into the command prompt and then select “Aliases” from the list. Click on the
“import” button and choose the file.
Transform >
Bend Bends objects
Bend

Transform >
Twist
Twist
Twists objects around an axis
Where can I get more help?
Email me (Steven Janssen):
Splop Wraps objects around a surface sjan8096@uni.sydney.edu.au

Rhino Forum:
The rhino forum has a very active group of rhino users, who usually answer your question
Glossary within a couple of hours.
Curve includes lines, arcs, circles, ellipses, Tolerance Default tolerance is 0.01 units.
free-form curves, rectangles This means new objects will be created It can be viewed with a news reader such as outlook with this link:
accurate to within 0.01 units.
Polycurve/ when multiple curves/surfaces are
news://news.rhino3d.com/rhino
Polysurface joined together Objects will have fewer control points
when a lower tolerance (0.1) is set.
It can also be viewed on the web at this address:
Closed Closed (periodic) curves form a loop.
Closed surfaces form a solid.
Objects will have more control points http://news2.mcneel.com/scripts/dnewsweb.exe?cmd=xover&group=rhino
when a higher tolerance (0.001) is set.