Annotation Grasshopper Styles Tutorial

1. Grasshopper definition setup

You can download the complete Grasshopper file clicking here.

Type Grasshopper in the Rhino Command line to launch Grasshopper.

This Grasshopper definition uses VisualARQ Grasshopper Components so in case you open the .gh file alone make sure that VisualARQ is loaded.

1. Input parameters components:

   The input parameters are the values that will define the features of the resulting annotation style. In this case there are several number sliders, there is also one point parameter to specify the base point and one hatch pattern parameter. The different kinds of inputs are:

   • Plane: To specify the base point for the annotation.
   • Hatch Pattern: To specify the hatch pattern for the annotation.
   • Number Slider (floating point): A total of 5 sliders have been used for the various dimensions of the annotation.
   • Number Slider (integer): One slider that specifies the amount of decimal places.
2. Output components:

   The output components are those that will be read by VisualARQ as the different parts of the annotation. In this case there is one text, one hatch and one geometry component.

The complete Grasshopper definition is shown in the image below:

The Grasshopper definition that generates the annotation

2. Create the VisualARQ annotation style

In this case the Grasshopper style will be created and managed from the Annotation Styles dialog.

2.1: Create the new style

Assuming the Grasshopper definition (.gh file) is already done, open the annotation styles dialog: _vaAnnotationStyles.

Click on the New… button and select the Grasshopper style option.

The Grasshopper Style wizard will appear. This wizard will guide you through the steps to define the annotation Grasshopper style parameters. The left side of the wizard will show a preview of the object style generated as soon as the required information is completed.

2.2: Open the Grasshopper definition

Click on the Browse button to select the .gh file created before.

2.3: Configuration

Set the Annotation Grasshopper style global values:

• Style name: Set the desired name.
• Definition units: In this case the Grasshopper definition was created in meters.
• Insert Plane: The base point to place the annotation. Any input Plane or Point parameter in the GH definition will be available here.
  • If no point or plane is chosen, the origin of the GH definition will be used instead.
  • If a referenced plane is saved in one of the Input Params in the Grasshopper definition, and selected here, the annotation will take the plane’s elevation as a reference, but its orientation will be constrained to the selected plane in the Grasshopper definition.
  • If an unreferenced plane is saved in one of the Input Params in the Grasshopper definition, and selected here, the annotation will be placed oriented to the current construction plane of the viewport where the object is inserted. This the recommended option in this example.

2.4: Geometry

Specify which of the geometry blocks to import into VisualARQ. The identifiers of these Geometry blocks are taken from the names of the output components in the Grasshopper definition and can be modified only once the style has been created.

Each component can be assigned to a different representation:

• Model: the object representation in 3D.
• Plan: the object representation in plan view. Only visible when the Cut Plane of the level where the object is placed is enabled and intersects the element.

In this case there are three outputs and all of them correspond to the Model representation. In the case of annotations rarely there is a plan representation because it corresponds to the model representation.

2.5: Parameters

This step shows the settings available for the list of input parameters that define the annotation style. The « Filter by » dropdown can be used to view individually each of the named groups of input parameters that were created in the Grasshopper file. The settings available for each of the inputs are:

Name: is the identifier of the parameter and can be modified if desired in this step.

Editable by:

• Definition: the parameter will be hidden in the VisualARQ style and properties dialog.
• Style: the parameter can be edited by style, so the changes will apply to all elements with that style.
• Object: the parameter can be edited separately for each instance of that style in the model. In case no value is provided by object the one defined by style will be used. You can change several ones at the same time by selecting while holding the Ctrl key.

Default (value): shows the default value for the parameters (the ones specified in the Grasshopper definition) and lets you set different default values.

Type: shows the different types of values available for each kind of parameter. In this case all have been automatically set to their corresponding type. Almost all of them are floating point values of type Length, but there is also one of type Integer and one of type Text.

3. Insert and edit a VisualARQ annotation created from the Grasshopper Annotation Style

3.1 Edit the annotation style

Once the Grasshopper style wizard is completed, the new style will appear in the annotation styles list with its corresponding subcomponents (Symbol, Text and Hatch). To edit the style again, right-click on the style name to open the context menu and select Edit. This operation will open the Grasshopper style wizard again. The parameters are available under the « Parameters » tab and appear grouped as in the Grasshopper definition. In case the name of the group matches an existing category they will appear combined.

3.2 Insert the Grasshopper style

Once the annotation style has been created, you will be able to insert an instance in the document. You will be able to change the values of its parameters from the VisualARQ annotation icon located under the Properties panel. Only those input parameters that were set as editable « by Object » in the step 2.5 will be visible.