Rhino Blender Exchange

Overview Rhino Blender Exchange is a plugin that enables quick geometry exchange between Rhino and Blender with just 1-2 mouse clicks. It brings Rhino and Blender together, leveraging the strengths of both applications for seamless collaboration. For more details, check out our tutorial on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Shoemaster101.

Version

- 1.0.0

Compatibility

- Rhino: Version 8
- Blender: Versions 4.4 and 4.5

Supported Features

- Currently supports: Meshes
- Not yet supported: Nurbs, Curves, SubDs, Dimensions, Hatches (will be supported in future versions)

Installation Instructions

Rhino Installation

1. Copy the following files to the directory: C:\\Program Files\\Rhino 8\\Plug-ins:
   - blender_create_a_copy.py
   - blender_exchange_delete files.py
   - blender_exchange_delete folder.py
   - blender_exchange_refresh.py
   - blender_exchange_sendh.py
   - blender Exchange.rhc
2. Open Rhino 8, type the command "Containers" in the command bar. When the Containers panel appears:
   - Click the folder icon at the bottom of the left column.
   - Browse to the Blender Exchange.rhc file you copied to the directory above.
3. Check the toolbar to confirm the Blender Exchange tab is visible.

Blender Installation

1. Download the addon as a .zip file (named Rhino Exchange).
2. Open Blender, go to Edit &gt; Preferences &gt; Add-ons.
3. Select Install from Disk and browse to the .zip file to install.

Usage Instructions The typical workflow starts with a Rhino .3dm file:

1. Create a Rhino file and save it as .3dm in your desired location.
2. Open Blender, go to the Rhino Exchange tab you installed, click Link, and browse to the .3dm file to connect the two applications.

Rhino Functions

- Send: Sends mesh objects to Blender. If no objects are selected, all meshes visible in the viewport are sent. If specific objects are selected, only those are sent.
- Update: Updates meshes modified in Blender. If no objects are selected, all meshes are updated; otherwise, only selected objects are updated.
- Clean: Cleans up files in the Rhino Blender Exchange folder.
- Delete Folder: Deletes the Rhino Blender Exchange folder.
- Pin: Renames an object in Rhino by appending a sequence number. Renamed objects are excluded from future updates.

Blender Functions

- Link: Links to the .3dm file to connect the two applications.
- Update All: Updates all .obj files in the Rhino Blender Exchange folder.
- Update Selected: Updates only the selected objects.
- Send: Sends selected objects to the Rhino Blender Exchange folder for transfer to Rhino.
- Material Checkbox: Enable to export materials; disable to exclude them. Note: Currently, only simple texture map setups are supported, not complex shader nodes.

Contact Information

- Email: 3d.footwear.artist@gmail.com