How does GH allow you to write code?

Is there an API for popping up a code window and compiler?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on February 20, 2014 at 2:05pm

Hi Mihai,

you can use C#, VB.NET and Python to write code in Grasshopper. The Python component is not part of Rhino with the current installer, you'll have to install it separately: http://www.food4rhino.com/project/ghpython

Once you've picked a language you like, instantiate the respective component and double click to write some code. It'll be compiled automatically once the editor is closed.

It is also possible to develop components for Grasshopper using Visual Studio with any language that compiles to .NET dlls.

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

Permalink Reply by Mihai Pruna on February 20, 2014 at 2:15pm

Thanks...what I meant was....how did the GH creators embed a development environment in grasshopper...kinda boggles my mind.

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on February 20, 2014 at 2:58pm

The .NET framework actually ships with compilers for C# and VB (and maybe F# too, I don't know), so it's relatively easy to compile code into executable assemblies in .NET compared to -say- C++

The editor for writing code is something we purchased from QWhale, but we're unhappy with the pace at which (rather serious) bugs are fixed and we're looking to switch to a different code editor for future versions. In fact I've been lobbying quite hard to try and get a single good code editor UI for all of Rhino*, in an easy to reuse form so plugin developers like me can add code editors to their own windows.

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

* Ideally this would eventually be used for the command line, RhinoScript, RhinoPython, Rhino command macros, Grasshopper, and maybe even things like dimension text fields or the _CommandHistory window, to lend some syntax colouring to otherwise very hard to parse text.

Permalink Reply by Mihai Pruna on February 20, 2014 at 3:01pm

thanks for the info David. I haven't played with too many alternative IDEs myself,hence the question, but I know sharpdevelop is open source:

http://www.icsharpcode.net/opensource/sd/

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