• Forma

Tag Rhino model elements with Forma functions

Name layers, tag Rhino elements, and verify layer information and functions before sending the layers to Forma.


Step-by-step guide

In Rhino, tagging model elements categorizes and labels geometries to enable easier identification. In addition, when sending geometries from Rhino to Forma, tags help Forma to determine how to read and display the Rhino data.

Begin in Rhino, with the project open in the Perspective view, and with the Forma and Layers panels docked:

In the Rhino interface, the project for this example is open in the Perspective view, with the Forma and Layers panels docked to the right of the canvas.

To lock the Forma layers and unlock the Rhino layers to be used for tagging:

  1. In the Layers panel, next to each Forma layer, click Lock.
  2. Unlock the layer with the Rhino geometries. In this example, they are on the Default layer.

The Layers panel shows each of the Forma layers locked, indicated by the closed Lock icon, and the Lock icon next to Rhino layers is being clicked to unlock it.

Still in the Layer panel, rename each layer to be used for tagging:

  1. Right-click a layer and select Rename, or click the layer twice slowly.
  2. Enter a new name. Here, Layer 01 is renamed to “Residential”, Layer 02 to “Commercial”, Layer 03 to “Office”, and Layer 04 to “Hotel”.
  3. Ensure that the Original site limit layer is locked.
  4. Activate the Default layer.

In the Layer panel, the layers to be used for tagging have been renamed for this example, with the Default layer called out and being selected.

  1. On the canvas, select a geometry to tag, such as the round tower building.
  2. Expand the quick action Layers menu and select the appropriate layer—in this case, Hotel.

On the canvas, the round tower building is selected, and in the expanded quick action Layers menu, Hotel is called out and is being selected.

  1. In the Forma panel, select the Rhino layers to be sent to Forma. In this example, the Commercial, Hotel, Office, and Residential layers are all selected, but Original site limit is deselected.

For each Rhino layer, both the Forma layer and Forma function must be specified to determine how Forma reads and displays the data.

  1. In the Forma Layer column, click the layer name.
  2. In the drop-down, select Buildings, Constraints, Generic, or Vegetation. Here, set each of the selected Rhino layers to Buildings.

In the Forma panel, the Rhino layers are selected for this example, and in the expanded Forma Layers drop-down for the Residential layer, Buildings is called out and being selected.

To verify the Forma functions, represented by colored dots to the right of the layers:

  1. Click in this column for any layer to display the Forma Functions menu and current selection. Here, all the layers are set to Unspecified.

In the Forma panel, the Forma Functions drop-down for the Buildings layer is expanded, with the current setting of Unspecified called out.

  1. For each layer, select the corresponding Forma function.

IMPORTANT: If the desired function name is not available, then open  Forma and create the functions there first. Then return to Rhino and update the connection by clicking the update symbol after the proposal name.

With all the Rhino geometries tagged and the layer information verified, the model is ready to be sent to Forma.

  1. Click Send layers to Forma.

In the Forma panel, all Forma layers and functions are verified for the selected Rhino layers, with Send Layers to Forma selected and highlighted in red.

Now, the model can be opened in Forma to leverage its capabilities to enhance and analyze the design.