[POLL] What will be "the next big thing" in the new GH release?

I think that lot of people are waiting this days for the new Grasshopper version release that David announced.

What do you think that could be "the next big thing" that GH will offer us in this new release?

Known new features are allowed but could be interesting to project our "desires" and needs in this post with open mind. Perhaps this release wont have that amazing feature but who knows what could happen in the next :P

Let your imagination fly!

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on April 25, 2013 at 4:31am

Unfortunately despite the long wait, I don't think there is a single major feature. It's all incremental stuff, but there's a lot of it. I just uploaded a new version history so you can have a look at what's new in 0.9.0050 via the Help->Version History menu.

The main reason for the long wait was that I've spend months (on and off) trying out different Code editors for the VB/C# components. Ultimately this was an unsuccessful search and I've reverted back to QWhale (though a newer version) a while ago.

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

Poprad, Slovakia

Permalink Reply by phillip on April 25, 2013 at 4:58am

Who asked for the Protein Data Bank import or the Atom Data component?

I wasn´t aware there are any projects in this matter around here.

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on April 25, 2013 at 5:12am

I wrote an importer before and had the code lying around.

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

Poprad, Slovakia

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on April 25, 2013 at 6:31am

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

Poprad, Slovakia

Permalink Reply by phillip on April 25, 2013 at 6:44am

Very nice! I suppose you are using the .cif files, right?

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on April 25, 2013 at 7:56am

*.pdb files only at the moment. But CIF seems easy enough to parse so I can add support for it later.

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

Poprad, Slovakia

Permalink Reply by Mateusz Zwierzycki on April 25, 2013 at 5:09am

Sliders now inherit their default nickname from recipient parameters.

Great!

Permalink Reply by Vicente Soler on April 25, 2013 at 9:16am

Did you try VSTA? I don't know if it's licensing model is worth while or even compatible with how GH is supposed to generate revenue.

It would be nice having visual studio features integrated for scripting components.

Permalink Reply by Ángel Linares on April 25, 2013 at 5:39am

Big I like:

Added Export Quick Image feature for saving the canvas image (File menu).
Number Sliders with expressions now include the unprocessed value during grip dragging.
Number sliders with expressions now support text input for the processed numbers.
Added Template File support to the Preferences (Files category).
Any component input parameter can now be designated as 'Principal Parameter' via its context menu.

Not so big I like:

The term 'String' has been replaced with the term 'Text'.

What a pity. :( I understand why...but...

MMm...I miss a CreateSolid new component. I created a custom VB component to use it in a recent project but a dedicated component could be a nice addition to the next release; it's a useful tool for massing and sketch process.

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on April 25, 2013 at 6:04am

It's a sad day indeed for those of us who revel in obscure and arcane terminology. My continuing mission is to make Grasshopper easier to use* and that means shunning awkward words like string, double and array when we could just as easily be saying text, number and list. I know you understand, and I do feel a slight pang of grief as well.

My apologies to those people with published tutorials and books and course material. I understand this sort of thing is a major annoyance.

David Rutten

david@mcneel.com

Poprad, Slovakia

* though I'll be the first to admit I'm not being very successful at it.

Permalink Reply by Pieter Segeren on April 25, 2013 at 2:00pm

What GH9.5 will bring I don't know, but I am very curious about it, I expect/hope some more of my UO's to become superfluous:)

I agree with Angel; IMHO 'Text' instead of 'String' is really a pity.
I don't think "String" is an awkward word at all; it's the dedicated word, and therefore easy comprehensible.
The terminology is just part of learning Grasshopper.

Permalink Reply by Vicente Soler on April 25, 2013 at 2:55pm

The only drawback I can think of is that maybe someone using GH with some programming experience might doubt for a second if it's just a string or a custom type of formatted text. The words "plain text" or "string" in the description of the parameter would clear things up.

I can't see any real practical reason to keep the word, GH is complicated enough already.

On the other hand, the use of obscure unnecessary terminology comes very handy when trying to make something simple look complicated, so it's ideal for describing the designs that end up being produced with it.