Clusters, are they working?

Hi,

I've been trying out clusters for the first time with 0.8.0004. Should I even be trying? I can not seem to get them to work, is the workflow described anywhere?

Best regards,

- Björn

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on February 28, 2011 at 6:53am

Hi Björn,

they should be working. There are some known issues with data layout, but the basics are up and running. In order to create a cluster, select a bunch of components from within a larger definition and click on the cluster button.

If you want to turn a set of isolated components into a cluster, you'll need to manually add the Cluster input and Cluster output arrows to indicate which parameters should be exposed.

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

Poprad, Slovakia

Permalink Reply by Björn Syse on March 1, 2011 at 12:20am

Hi David,

Allright, what I'm trying is something along the line of this:

I select a rhino line and assign to the Curve parameter, which I pick the endpoints off to create a grasshopper line object.

Let's say I choose the two middle components and cluster them. This is what I end up with:

And If I open the cluster and connect the input arrow to the components so that it looks like this, I don't know how I can get it do collect the data? I never get anything other than orange boxes with failure to collect data. What am I doing wrong you reckon?

best regards,

- Björn

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on March 1, 2011 at 3:26am

Nope, this is what's supposed to happen. When you look at the cluster interior, it is no longer aware of the specific curve object you fed into it. All it has is the Cluster Input Arrow which will be filled out with data only once the cluster is put to use.

It's very much like writing a subroutine in a programming language, if that analogy means anything to you. Let's say you write a function that converts a piece of text to UPPER CaSE, except for all the "a" characters. It might look something like this (in a made up language):

subroutine SpecialUpperCase(text)

upperCaseText = ""

for each character in text

if (character = "a")

upperCaseText = upperCaseText + "a"

else

upperCaseText = upperCaseText + ToUpperCase(character)

end if

next character

return upperCaseText

end subroutine

This subroutine defines a behaviour, but it requires input to actually do something. Which means you can never get this thing to do something on its own. Only after you insert it into an existing program will it run.

Now I can definitely see the point of being able to edit a cluster while it's operational and I can probably figure out a way to supply the data from 'beyond the veil' so to speak, but there are some things to keep in mind:

1) Clusters are not meant to be like layers, where you can choose to hide portions of a document without disabling them. Clusters are meant to be like blocks. You change one instance, you change them all, even perhaps instances of that cluster in other files.

2) If you open up a cluster that is used multiple times in the document, which data should I provide by default? And should I supply all 10,000 curves you've got in your 'real' document or only a single one so you can see if the cluster works?

3) Clusters are still very much unfinished. The editing part is not working. You can create them and explode them, but it needs a much better interface for changing the contents of a cluster. Also it is currently impossible to 'instantiate' clusters and have them all be the same platonic object. These features however are planned.

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

Poprad, Slovakia

Permalink Reply by Björn Syse on March 1, 2011 at 3:30am

Hi David, thanks for you answer.

I see why the boxes are orange inside the cluster file, but does this answer why I can't get anything out of the cluster when used in that original file? (image 2)

Do I have to save my files? and in which order if so..

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on March 1, 2011 at 4:07am

Oh sorry, I missed the first problem. You're right, that does look like a very serious bug. You shouldn't have to save your cluster separately, it's embedded in the parent GHX file and gets saved with it.

Looks like you were right and there's no point to testing clusters at the moment.

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

Poprad, Slovakia

Permalink Reply by Björn Syse on March 1, 2011 at 4:54am

Allright, that make me slightly more sane. Thanks ;)

Permalink Reply by Alpha222 on March 1, 2011 at 7:29am

yes，I agree with that cluster donot work sometimes . But when they work, they work perfectly!!

Permalink Reply by batchku on April 19, 2011 at 3:18pm

Hello,

I'm having some troubles with getting clusters going also.

If your recommendation was that it it's not worth playing with them now, cool. but seeing that some people seem to be succeeding with them, what am i missing?

i select a few objects and cluster them, but when i open the cluster i see that the cluster inputs are not wired to the components they should be feeding; if i add the connections, then i have to save the cluster or else the changes don't take effect; and there i run into problems cuz i don't know how to make a cluster refer to a saved grasshopper file on disk; is that possible, and is this the right work flow?

thanks,

ali

Permalink Reply by Eric Spletzer on May 24, 2011 at 2:16pm

I'd really like to use the clusters ASAP too. It seems like a critical functionality for larger projects.

Permalink Reply by Julian on January 20, 2012 at 12:33pm

Hi,

I have the same problem if i want to just create a cluster from components already connected within a larger definition. The Cluster input that is created automatically inside of the Cluster doesn't seem to connect to the components.

Whereas if i..

1. add Cluster inputs and outputs (to find under special params) to the corresponding components

2. mark the components and the Cluster input/outputs and click the Cluster button

3. of course you have to reconnect the in- and output from the previous/following components

... it works without Problems until now.

Don't know if this works in general, but it's been working for me.

Permalink Reply by djordje on November 6, 2012 at 6:16pm

Hi Julian,

How did you add those cluster inputs and outputs?

The only thing I succeeded is to select the components from which I want to create a cluster, and then Edit -> Cluster Selection.

The same results I am getting when I select components and press the middle mouse button -> Cluster.

But where can I find those input/output define settings?

Thank you.

P.S.

I am using grasshopper 0.8.0066 version.

Permalink Reply by Julian on November 8, 2012 at 8:40am

hi djordje,

in my experience you need to add and connect the cluster inputs and outputs to the components first.

you can find them under special params (or search for them)
you have to disconnect the original input and output components and instead connect those "cluster inputs/outputs".

after that you can go to edit->cluster selection

hope that helped (by the way i dont remember which version i used.. its been a while)