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Rhino 7: Text Fields
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Rhino 7: Text Field Enhancements

Overview

Text fields are formulas embedded into text or user text. These formulas are evaluated by Rhino and the resulting text is displayed. Several text fields already exist in Rhino 6.

Rhino 6 TextField tutorials

Rhino 6 Title Block video

This document provides a summary of enhancements to text fields in Rhino 7.

NOTE: It isn’t obvious in this document, but one of the key features that this new functionality enables will be “attributed” blocks. Users should be able to add blocks with text in them to the document and then set “usertext” on the block instance which changes the text inside of that specific block instance. This is a long standing request from the drafting community in order to simplify workflows for things like title block reuse.

Discourse topics tagged as text-field

Rhino Text Field Video Series:

Other sources of Data Field values:

Complete

%<2*3>%                evaluates to        6

%<NumPages()-1>%         evaluates to         3 (if there are 4 pages in the doc)

All fields that evaluate to numbers (Area, BlockInstanceCount, CurveLength, NumPages, PageNumber, Volume) can be combined in math formulas. This include access to the python math routines like sin(), cos(), ceil(), fabs(), …

        %<'{:03}'.format(NumPages())>% evaluates to 002 (if there are 2 pages in the doc)

(1001 . “Rhino”

(1002 . “{“) (1000 . <KeyString>) (1000 . <ValueString>) (1002 . “}”)

…  more key-value pairs

)

You can get at the XData with the XDList command in AutoCAD or with various programming options there.

The ‘Registered Application Name’ in AutoCAD is “Rhino”


XData in DWG files in that same format is read into Rhino and attached to object attributes on corresponding Rhino objects

The default unit system will be the model space units or layout space units where the object selected to measure resides.

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Marketing Video

Keep your design documentation current by using text fields.

Rhino 7 introduces 11 new text fields and features six improved text fields.

These text fields automatically update, ensuring that design changes are always accurately captured and current.

User text can now be stored on layouts and referenced from a text field in the title or other block.

Text fields in blocks allow you to reuse your content on different layouts and across all your projects.

Annotations like detail scale can also be expressed as a Text Field that updates automatically when the detail scale is changed.

Annotated blocks, sometimes referred to as Block attributes, offer great flexibility and accuracy.

.

Block values can be updated in the model and exported to CSV for analysis outside of Rhino in a spreadsheet or other program

The Area command has been enhanced with unit formatting, making it possible to draw in one unit system and display areas in another. If the area changes, the displayed area calculation does as well.

Check these text fields and more in Rhino 7.

Save time documenting your design by using formulas in the text on your drawings.

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Marketing Video

Build smarter drawings from blocks configured with attributes.

Attributes attach data to blocks.

Attributes can be configured to store a part number, cost, location, color, material or other details about the inserted block.

When a block with attributes is inserted, the attribute value is updated and stored with the each block instance.
It can be modified any time from the Properties panel

Attribute information extracted from a model can be imported into a spreadsheet to produce reports, schedules, or a bill of materials.

Save time by making your blocks smart with Attributes.

Check it out in Rhino 7.

Here a "chair" block with four attributes: type, manufacturer, model, and cost. Because the tags were set up as variables, specific information about each instance could be added for each inserted block reference.

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HOW TO USE Block Attributes

RH-M6

Drive Style: Philips
Head Type: Button
Length: 30mm
Material: Titanium
Thread Direction: Right Hand
Thread Size: 6-32

FILH-M6

Drive Style: Hex
Head Type: Pan
Length: 3/4 inch
Material: Brass
Thread Direction: Right Hand
Thread Size: ¼”-20

In this video we will take a detailed look at how block attributes are configured.

Use the Text command to create a text object.

Click the fx button in the Text dialog box.

Select BlockAttributeText on the left.

Enter text strings for Key, Prompt, and Value.

Create a block definition including the Block Attribute Text.

Use the Insert command to add the block into the viewport.

You will have problems for the Attridute values.

You can insert Additional blocks or copy an existing block until your model is complete.

We will look at extracting the Block attribute values in the next video.

%<UserText("block","Length","Length of Screw","1/2 inch")>%
%<UserText("block","Material","Fastener Material","Brass")>%
%<UserText("block","Head Type","Head Type?","Pan")>%

BlockAttributeText

Defines Attribute User Text to be included in a block instance.

The Syntax can be entered as text, as well

%<UserText("block","Key","Prompt","Value")>%

How it works:

  1. Use the Text command to create a text object.
  2. Click the fx button in the Text dialog box.
  3. Select BlockAttributeText on the left.
  4. Enter text strings for Key, Prompt, and Value.
  5. Create a block definition including the Block Attribute Text.
  6. Use the Insert command to add the block into the viewport.
  7. When prompted, enter the value or click the fx button to use another TextField.

  1. Make BlockAttributeText
    Set the Geometry by Parent
  2. Make the Blocks
  3. Insert the Block or Layers
  4. TestExtractBlockAttributes
  5. Format CSV to PDF
  6. Import PDF