Synching component attributes.

Hey everybody,

I would like to know if there is a way to create an alias or a link of a component so that when the component is manipulated, the linked component mirrors the changes made to the original. In this case, I am using a gradient component with multiple stops that I manipulate frequently.

The reason I am asking this is because I have to run the script recursively, but the gradient component does not permit recursive data streams, so I essentially have to copy and paste the entire script and re-evaluate the data through a second gradient component with the same gradient/stop pattern as the first.

Sure, I could change the first gradient to my liking and then copy and paste it and replace the second component with it, but I think linking would be a more elegant solution.

Anyway, let me know what you think!

Cheers.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Luis Fraguada on September 14, 2010 at 2:03pm

Hello!
You can save your custom gradient setup by right clicking the middle of the gradient and going to presets > Add Current Gradient.

Is this what you are after? Also, you can now save your edited components to a user file.

Depending on your settings, you will get a new tab (or not) with the name you specify. By default the new tab is called 'User.'

Let me know if that helps.

Permalink Reply by Luis Fraguada on September 14, 2010 at 2:07pm

Aha, I get it. Yes I understand what you mean now. A true live link between the component settings. Interesting. Could work like a wireless connection...

Permalink Reply by Gwyll on September 14, 2010 at 7:29pm

Could you read the gradient values from a text file, and have the definition update this file as its output? Then you would essentially be producing a recursive script.

Permalink Reply by Stan Carroll on September 15, 2010 at 3:50am

Brilliant Gwyll !!!!

I hope you realize how great this idea is. To me, this idea is a significant break through toward a recursive capable grasshopper. Having a new component that creates a really convenient way to write to and read from excel would be a giant step for this to work easily.

To extend Gwyll's idea further... Many GH users have experimented with quasi-recursion by just copying several components over and over there by emulating recursion. The down side of this, other than updating the data at each pass (addressed by Gwyll above) is the visual complexity on the canvas. To address the visual complexity.... Would it be possible to introduce a new type of "wire". The new wire would graphically appear to circle back around and be re-attached to earlier components. However, since it is not currently structurally possible to connect right to left, what would actually occur "behind the scenes" is that this new wire type would effectively copy the components, within the wire loop, over and over. The main difference is that the canvas would not have the visual clutter currently used by quasi-recursive techniques. Ideally, this new wire type would have built-in counter parameter to control the number if iterations. This idea paired with Gwyll's idea seems to have effectively crossed the great abyss to recursion.

I am sure there are a million important things that this line of thought has not yet considered since I am only an architect and certainly not a programmer. The real reason for this post is to highlight Gwyll's brilliant thought and to get others brainstorming the idea of quasi-recursion.

Is recursion the last great challenge for grasshopper? Or are there others?

Stan Carroll

Permalink Reply by Stan Carroll on September 15, 2010 at 2:18pm

Hey Arquiteuthis,

Thanks for appreciating the thoughts. I agree that algorithms can certainly be works of art. The thought of having this new wire would allow you to manipulate all the copies of the recursive portion by changing only the parent components. The technique would become more useful the more iterations you might use. Say if you were passing through the loop a hundred times, the loop would get pretty massive on the canvas. Thanks again for keeping the dialogue happening.

Stan

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