So just how integrated is T-Splines with Rhino? If you are an existing Rhino user, how much of your Rhino toolset can you leverage when modeling with T-Splines?
To answer that, we’ve compiled a partial list of some of the more popular Rhino commands and made a note to see how T-Splines works with each command.
Rhino commands can be used directly on a T-spline surface or on the control points of the surface.
The general rule is that Rhino commands that work on polysurfaces also work on T-spline surfaces. Some of them convert the T-spline surface to a NURBS surface, and others keep the surface as a T-spline. Below is an extensive list of Rhino commands, with an explanation of how they work with T-spline surfaces.
Abbreviation code key:
- TS= Command works as expected on the T-spline surface. Input: T-Spline surface. Output: T-Spline surface.
- CP= Command works on T-splines control points. Input: T-spline surface control points. Output: T-spline surface.
- TS-NURBS= Command works on the T-spline surface but automatically converts it to a NURBS surface. Input: T-spline surface. Output: NURBS surface.
| Command | Code | Description |
|---|---|---|
| _Align | TS | |
| _Area | TS | |
| _AreaCentroid | TS | |
| _AreaMoments | TS | |
| _Array | TS, CP | |
| _ArrayCrv | TS, CP | |
| _ArrayCrvOnSrf | TS, CP | |
| _ArrayPolar | TS, CP | |
| _ArraySrf | TS, CP | |
| _Bend | CP | |
| _Blend | TS | |
| _BlendSrf | TS-NURBS | |
| _Boolean2Objects | TS-NURBS | All Boolean operations convert the T-Splines surfaces to NURBS. |
| _BooleanDifference | TS-NURBS | |
| _BooleanIntersection | TS-NURBS | |
| _BooleanSplit | TS-NURBS | |
| _BooleanUnion | TS-NURBS | |
| _Boss | TS-NURBS | |
| _BoundingBox | TS | |
| _CageEdit | TS-NURBS | This command works with T-spline surfaces. If you select the surface and edit the cage, it will automatically transform it to a NURBS surface. Cage edit cannot be applied to T-spline control points. |
| _Cap | TS-NURBS | |
| _ChamferSrf | TS-NURBS | |
| _Check | TS | |
| _Contour | TS | |
| _Copy | TS, CP | |
| _CreateSolid | TS-NURBS | |
| _CreateUVCrv | TS | Works on rectangular regions of the T-spline surface (one at a time). |
| _CullControlPolygon | TS | This tool is useful to cull the vertex/edge/face selection of a T-spline surface on areas that face away from the camera, and can make editing easier in models that have many control points. |
| _Curvature | TS | Works on rectangular regions of the T-spline surface (one at a time). |
| _CurvatureAnalysis | TS | |
| _CurvatureGraph | TS | Displays the T-spline as a polysurface during the command. |
| To display CurvatureGraph on specific edges, use the tsSetCurvatureGraphEdges command | ||
| _DeleteHole | TS-NURBS | |
| _Dir | TS | |
| _DraftAngleAnalysis | TS | |
| _DragMode | TS | Useful for UVN movement of selection. Accessible through the T-spline edit mode heads-up display. |
| _Drape | TS | |
| _DupBorder | TS | |
| _DupEdge | TS | Can duplicate edges and isocurves of a T-spline surface. |
| _DupMeshEdge | TS | |
| _EMap | TS | |
| _Explode | TS-NURBS | Explodes the T-spline surface into NURBS patches. |
| _ExtractIsoCurve | TS | This tool extracts isocurves of the NURBS patches that comprise the T-spline surface. You may need to extract the isocurves of several patches to get a complete T-spline surface isocurve. |
| _ExtractPt | TS | Extracts points of the NURBS patches of the T-spline surface. If you run in box mode, it extract the mesh points. |
| _ExtractSrf | TS-NURBS | This command extracts a rectangular region from the T-spline surface. |
| _ExtractWireframe | TS | Extract all visible T-spline isoparms. |
| _ExtrudeSrf | TS-NURBS | |
| _ExtrudeSrfAlongCrv | TS-NURBS | |
| _ExtrudeSrfTapered | TS-NURBS | |
| _ExtrudeSrfToPoint | TS-NURBS | |
| _FilletSrf | TS-NURBS | |
| _Flow | CP | Useful to shape a T-spline surface by moving the control points along a curve. |
| _FlowAlongSurface | CP | |
| _GCon | TS | |
| _Hydrostatics | TS | |
| _InterpcrvOnSrf | TS | Works on rectangular regions of the T-spline surface. |
| _Intersect | TS | |
| _Join | TS-NURBS | |
| _List | TS | |
| _Maelstrom | CP | |
| _Make2D | TS | This command works, but the output includes all T-spline surface isocurves. |
| _MakeHole | TS-NURBS | All the Rhino “hole” commands work on one rectangular region of the T-spline surface at a time. |
| _Mesh | TS | Most of the Rhino mesh commands work on a T-spline object in box mode, but will convert the T-spline to a Rhino mesh. |
| _MeshOutline | TS | Works with T-spline surfaces in both smooth mode and box mode. |
| _Mirror | TS, CP | |
| _Move | TS, CP | |
| _MoveUVN | Does not work on a T-spline surface. | |
| _OffsetCrvOnSrf | TS | Works on rectangular regions of the T-spline surface. |
| _OffsetNormal | TS | Works on rectangular regions of the T-spline surface. |
| _OffsetSrf | TS-NURBS | |
| _Orient2Points | TS, CP | |
| _Orient3Points | TS, CP | |
| _OrientOncrv | TS, CP | |
| _OrientOnSrf | TS, CP | |
| _PlaceHole | TS-NURBS | |
| _PointOffSelected | TS | |
| _PointsOn | TS | |
| _PolylineOnMesh | TS | Works on T-splines in box mode. |
| _Project | TS | |
| _ProjectToCPlane | TS, CP | Useful for placing points on the XZ, XY, and ZY planes for symmetry. |
| _RemapCPlane | TS, CP | |
| _RevolvedHole | TS-NURBS | |
| _Rib | TS-NURBS | |
| _Rotate | TS, CP | |
| _Rotate3D | TS, CP | |
| _RoundHole | TS-NURBS | |
| _Scale | TS, CP | |
| _Scale1D | TS, CP | |
| _Scale2D | TS, CP | |
| _ScaleNU | TS, CP | |
| _Section | TS | |
| _SetPt | CP | Useful for moving control points to the same plane on a specific position. Can be useful for flattening parts of the surface. |
| _Shear | CP | |
| _ShortPath | TS | Works on rectangular regions of the T-spline surface. |
| _Silhouette | TS | |
| _Sketch | TS | |
| _Smash | TS-NURBS | Smashes all the NURBS patches from the T-spline surface separately. |
| _Smooth | TSmesh | Smooth works on a T-Spline surface, but it will convert to a Rhino mesh. You can convert it to a T-spline again after that; however, any T-points will be triangulated so the T-Spline surface may not be the same). |
| _SoftMove | CP | |
| _Split | TS-NURBS | A T-spline surface can be used to Trim or Split a NURBS surface but if you Trim or Split a T-spline, it will automatically convert to NURBS. |
| _Splop | CP | |
| _Squish | TS | Works on rectangular regions of the T-spline surface. |
| _Stretch | CP | |
| _Taper | CP | |
| _Trim | TS-NURBS | T-Splines control points must be turned off for Trim to work. |
| _Twist | CP | |
| _VariableBlendSrf | TS-NURBS | |
| _VariableChamferSrf | TS-NURBS | |
| _VariableFilletSrf | TS-NURBS | |
| _VariableOffsetSrf | TS-NURBS | Works on rectangular regions of the T-spline surface. |
| _Volume | TS | |
| _VolumeCentroid | TS | |
| _VolumeMoments | TS | |
| _WireCut | TS-NURBS | |
| _Zebra | TS |