VL.Rhino.3dm

Project Description

The VL.Rhino.3dm library provides developers with an efficient way to integrate McNeel’s Rhinoceros 3D files into VL. It enables direct access to geometry, material properties, and user-defined metadata, all without the need to manually adjust 3D export settings.
By natively supporting Rhino files, VL.Rhino.3dm simplifies many common workflow challenges and introduces BIM-like capabilities such as attaching custom attributes to model objects. This allows developers to build structured, metadata-driven pipelines, locate and filter specific objects, and leverage Rhino’s organizational tools directly inside VL.
VL.Rhino.3dm is available as an open-source core library.

An extended commercial version, VL.Rhino (Pro), is currently in final preparation.
It will offer additional geometry tools, performance-optimized workflows, import/export capabilities, Grasshopper Live Link, Rhino.Compute and professional templates.
If you’re interested in early access or updates regarding the release, feel free to contact me.

Try it with vvvv/VL, the visual live-programming environment for .NET

vvvv/VL: http://visualprogramming.net

McNeel’s Rhinoceros3d: https://www.rhino3d.com/

Support VL.Rhino.3dm

VL.Rhino.3dm is an independent open-source project that I maintain in my free time.
If this library is useful in your work, you can support its ongoing development.

Professional / Business Support
If you need an invoice or want to contribute as a company, please consider supporting the project via Stripe.

Community Support
For individuals and casual supporters, Ko-fi offers a simple and friendly way to contribute.
Thank you for helping to keep the project alive!

Usage / Installation

In order to use this library with VL you have to install the nuget that is available via nuget.org. For information on how to use nugets with VL, see Managing Nugets in the VL documentation. As described there you go to the commandline and then type:

nuget install VL.Rhino.3dm

Link to Nuget:
VL.Rhino.3dm Nuget.org
Find the Code at:
Github

Course

You can find a 3h long recorded session with an in depth explanation and project examples at:
The Node Institute
or watch this short Rhinoceros User Webinar to get an overview:

Versions

Tested with vvvv gamma (VL) 7.0 and Rhino3dm 8.9 (Rhino Files are downward compatible)

Geometry

Points, Curves, Surfaces, Breps, SubDs, Meshes are currently supported.
You have to activate at least one time the shaded view inside Rhino, the displayed rendermesh quality is the quality you get inside vvvv.

UserStrings

UserStrings for objects are supported and can enhance your workflow perfectly by giving your 3D objects properties like with records you can use in vvvv.

Materials

Works best with PBR Materials, Texture Mapping is supported. As there are differences in material workflows, the materials are only an approximation but fit quite well in most cases. It is easy to replace certain materials with your own vvvv made ones as you get a material dictionary for easy access.

Lights

Directional, Point and SpotLights are supported but still WIP

Blocks

Blocks contained in the file are supported and rendered resource friendly as instances as well in vvvv.

Supported by:

Studio Brüll
Jan Henrik Hansen Architects

…and of course the fabulous vvvv Community