Custom graphs

Hi,

I want to graph some of my data and want more control than is provided by the existing quickgraph component. I currently draw my graph directly to the rhino scene but this is unwieldy. After reading the discussion on the custom components started by ben sitler, i am wondering if there a way to customize/build upon the quickgraph component? Thanks.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on April 14, 2010 at 2:03pm

I'm assuming you meant "GraphMapper" rather than "QuickGraph"...

Making extra Graph types is not particularly trivial. It can be done in the same way as one writes custom components, but there's a lot of interface code required. You basically have to handle how all the Graph grips behave.

What kind of Graph do you have in mind?

--
David Rutten
david@mcneel.com
Poprad, Slovakia

Permalink Reply by Jason Lim on April 14, 2010 at 2:36pm

David, thanks for the reply. No I did mean the quick graph, I want to be able to graph a histogram from the outputs of my vb node. For example my x-axis is time and my y-axis is number of onxevents. I would like to be able to extend the quick graph a little more e.g. able to adjust the range of values on the axes, maybe even on clicking a certain bar, get the value to pop up(?).

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on April 14, 2010 at 3:44pm

Ah, then the answer is a definite "no". QuickGraph can't do anything it isn't already doing.

You have some options:

1) the option you already mentioned, creating the Graph as Rhino geometry.

2) in Grasshopper 0.7 there will be a class available that stores some types of geometry and draws itself into the Rhino viewports. I'm only using it during mouse picking operations, but there's no reason why you couldn't use it for a custom preview. You can do this already in the current SDK, but it is even more unwieldy than adding geometry.

3) Create a custom Component that overrides the Preview functions and you draw your graph geometry from within there.

4) Create a custom object that overrides the Grasshopper Display (just like QuickGraph) and is in full control of how it looks. This is of course the coolest but also the most difficult option.

--
David Rutten
david@mcneel.com
Poprad, Slovakia

Permalink Reply by Jason Lim on April 15, 2010 at 2:43pm

Thanks for your suggestions, I will try out option 3 and hope for the best.

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