PanelingTools GH Add-On

Information

Parametric tools to create and manipulate rectangular grids, attractors and support creative morphing of parametric patterns.

This is a BETA version and works only with the latest Rhino 5.0 BETA on Windows 32 & 64 Bit.

Location: Seattle, USA
Members: 788
Latest Activity: Aug 12

Downloads and Installation (Last update: October 15, 2012):
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Each time you update, please do the following:

1- Download the latest service release of Rhinoceros 5 and the latest Grasshopper.

2- Download the latest PanelingTools for Rhino 5.0 and Grasshopper. Make sure to double click on the installer to install.
3- Open Rhino, you should see PanelingTools menu in Rhino. Open Grasshopper, you should see the PanelingTools tab in Grasshopper.

Where to start:
-------------------------------------------------------------------

The PanelingTools for Grasshopper Primer (PDF) has many tutorials and detailed description of all components with examples. You can use as a start point to learn about the plugin.

Download The Primer Examples and Tutorials. This includes all components example and tutorials as Grasshopper definitions.

Online Class (On-Demand):
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Join the developer for a comprehensive online class (10 hour). Click for details...

Overview:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
First step is to create a rectangular grid using one of the tools in "Grid" tab. Some of these components take a list of points, which you can generate using GH standard components, or divide a curve using one of the tools under "Curve" tab of PanelingTools.

Once a grid is created, you can shuffle it using one of the attraction methods under "Grid Attractors" tab. One output is the shuffled grid, another output is the normalized weights based on the attraction method that can be used for variable offset or variable paneling for example.

"Grid Utility" tab helps you do things like extracting points from the grid, replace points, extract center grid, expand grids, create surface from grid, etc.

"Panel Utility" tab has components to pull panel edges to a surface using pull, iso curves or shortest path.

"Panel2D" tab has many ways to panel the rectangular grid and populate 2D components.

"Panel3D" contain components to populate 3D patterns between 2 bounding grids.

If you used PanelingTools plugin for Rhino, then the Parameters tab is for you. You can use PanelingTools for Rhino to create your grid, then input into GH as a tree structure using "Select" component. The "Bake" components is to bake a grid in a format that can be used by PanelingTools plugin for Rhino. If you only work with GH, then you can safely ignore this tab.

Note: All input/output of PanelingTools Add-on to GH use standard geometry and you can use standard GH components to manipulate them. Grids for example are nothing but simple tree structures (no nesting). You can think of it as a list of rows or paths that contain certain number of leafs or elements.
It is important to try to avoid FLATTENING a grid. If you have to flatten a grid, there is a utility to recompose it if you knew the number of rows, but seriously, stay away from flattening!

Feedback:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please feel free to post bugs, questions and suggestions to improve the tools. Please use the discussion of this group to post question when possible.

Discussion Forum

PanelingTools+Game of Life CA 2 Replies

I updated an old sample that I thought I share with you. I hope you enjoy it.…Continue

Tags: Attractors, VB, Script, Life, of

Started by Rajaa Issa. Last reply by George Metters Aug 12.

PT Grid not depending on UV 2 Replies

Hi,I want to create a paneling grid unattached from the surface UV's. The surface is a free shape made with revlove command. I want to have the grid Points evenly distributed across the surface. With…Continue

Tags: Grid, Panelingtools, Grasshopper

Started by Magnus. Last reply by naasaki Mar 19, 2022.

PanelingTools Course (On-Demand) 2 Replies

Dear all,We are pleased to announce that the Introduction to PanelingTools course is now available online and on-demand. For details, please click …Continue

Tags: demand, paneling, rationalization, on, course

Started by Rajaa Issa. Last reply by Donald Baker Oct 25, 2021.

Question: Apply Custom Pattern 8 Replies

Hi Rajaa, hi everyone,I am new to Paneling Tools.I am trying to get my head around how to apply custom shapes using the "Morph 2D" component. Specifically, i try to apply a hexagon pattern and here…Continue

Started by FrankS. Last reply by Hannah Stevens Apr 15, 2021.

View All

News

Comment Wall

Comment

You need to be a member of PanelingTools GH Add-On to add comments!

Comment by Rémy Maurcot on December 8, 2015 at 1:43pm: Yes i look this post and other,

I have managed to repeat on a 2D grid.

But I have a problem doing it on extrusion. I don't understand why, maybe the problem i pathern string parameter.

Raja thank you very much for your help.

Comment by Rajaa Issa on December 8, 2015 at 1:18pm: Check this post
http://www.grasshopper3d.com/group/panelingtools/forum/topics/quest...

Comment by Rémy Maurcot on December 8, 2015 at 1:17pm: Ok have you got example for this with paneling tools?

Comment by Rajaa Issa on December 8, 2015 at 1:07pm: Your request is very common and logical, but often imposible in free-form surfaces (unless using special case surfaces such as extrusions).
I also understand that the manual work is long, but if you can do it on a small patch of your surface, then you can automate.

Comment by Rémy Maurcot on December 8, 2015 at 1:01pm: It's so long for manually test...

For a rationalize surface for me it's a surface or it is possible to map the same pattern of repetitive manner.

my request is far from trivial, during production it is important to minimized the number of panel !

my request is far from trivial, during production it is important to minimized the number of repetitive panel !

Comment by Rajaa Issa on December 8, 2015 at 12:34pm: Not sure I understand. What do you exactly mean when you say Rationalized Surface". A good test of whether your surface can be split into equal panels is to try to do a portion of it manually. If you succeed, then you'll likely find a way to automate it inside a tool.

Comment by Rémy Maurcot on December 8, 2015 at 12:32pm: I understand why, but is there any tools to make a rationalize surface ?

Comment by Rajaa Issa on December 8, 2015 at 12:17pm: Remy, it depends on the surface. Free forms do not typically lend themselves to equal panels.

Comment by Rémy Maurcot on December 8, 2015 at 12:15pm: Hi all,

I need to generate hexagonal grid on surface or brep.

But the hexagons must be equal for the fabrication.

It's possible ?