Type Casting Rhino Objects
Windows only

by Dale Fugier (Last updated:  Wednesday, December 5, 2018)

Problem

Given a Rhino object, how can one convert it to another Rhino object? For example, if you have a CRhinoObject pointer, how can I convert it to a CRhinoCurveObject pointer? Or, how can one get the curve geometry?

Solution

All Rhino C/C++ SDK classes derived from ON_Object provide conversions between pointers to related classes using a static ON_Object::Cast function.

If you have a pointer to some base class that inherits from ON_Object, and you want to convert it to a pointer of a derived class, than simply call the derived class Cast function.

For example:

const CBase* a = ...;
const CDerived* b = CDerived::Cast( a );

Samples

CRhinoGetObject go;
go.SetCommandPrompt( L"Select something" );
go.GetObjects( 1, 1 );
if( CRhinoCommand::success == go.CommandResult() )
{
  // Get the one (and only) object reference
  CRhinoObjRef obj_ref = go.Object(0);

  // Get the Rhino object
  const CRhinoObject* obj = obj_ref.Object();
  if( obj )
  {
    // Try casting as a Rhino point object
    const CRhinoPointObject* point_obj = CRhinoPointObject::Cast( obj );
    if( point_obj )
    {
      // Get the point object's point geometry
      const ON_Point& point = point_obj->Point();
      // todo...
    }

    // Try casting as a Rhino curve object
    const CRhinoCurveObject* curve_obj = CRhinoCurveObject::Cast( obj );
    if( curve_obj )
    {
      // Get the curve object's curve geometry
      const ON_Curve* curve = curve_obj->Curve();
      // todo...
    }

    // Try casting as a Rhino brep object
    const CRhinoBrepObject* brep_obj = CRhinoBrepObject::Cast( obj );
    if( brep_obj )
    {
      // Get the brep object's brep geometry
      const ON_Brep* brep = brep_obj->Brep();
      // todo...
    }

    // Try casting as a Rhino mesh object
    const CRhinoMeshObject* mesh_obj = CRhinoMeshObject::Cast( obj );
    if( mesh_obj )
    {
      // Get the mesh object's mesh geometry
      const ON_Mesh* mesh = mesh_obj->Mesh();
      // todo...
    }

    // etc...
  }
}

and…

CRhinoGetObject go;
go.SetCommandPrompt( L"Select something" );
go.GetObjects( 1, 1 );
if( CRhinoCommand::success == go.CommandResult() )
{
  // Get the one (and only) object reference
  CRhinoObjRef obj_ref = go.Object(0);

  // Get the Rhino object's geometry
  const ON_Geometry* geo = obj_ref.Geometry();
  if( geo )
  {
    // Try casting as a point object
    const ON_Point* point = ON_Point::Cast( geo );
    if( point )
    {
      // todo...
    }

    // Try casting as a curve object
    const ON_Curve* curve = ON_Curve::Cast( geo );
    if( curve )
    {
      // todo...
    }

    // Try casting as a brep object
    const ON_Brep* brep = ON_Brep::Cast( geo );
    if( brep )
    {
      // todo...
    }

    // Try casting as a mesh object
    const ON_Mesh* mesh = ON_Mesh::Cast( geo );
    if( mesh )
    {
      // todo...
    }

    // etc...
  }
}