by Andrew Le Bihan (Last updated:  Wednesday, December 5, 2018)

Overview

To get a scripting object for the Rhino RDK, use the following code:

Dim rdk
Set rdk = Rhino.GetPlugInObject("Renderer Development Kit")

Then use the RDK object to access the functions below…

Functions

FactoryList(); Return a list of RDK’s content factory collection.

Returns: Array of strings identifying the factory.

ContentList(strContentType) Returns a list of contents for a certain type: material, texture, environment.

Parameters: strContentType = Required. String. Type of content: material, texture or environment. Returns: Array of strings identifying the content. NULL in error conditions.

DeleteFactory(strFactoryId) Deletes a content factory by its identifier.

Parameters: strFactoryId = Required. String. The identifier of the factory to delete. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

FactoryKind(strFactoryId) Returns the kind of the content.

Parameters: strFactoryId = Required. String. The identifier of the factory. Returns: String of the kind of the factory. NULL in error conditions.

FactoryNewContent(strFactoryId, strParentId) Create a new content of the specified type.

Parameters: strFactoryId = Required. String. The identifier of the factory. strParentId = Optional. String. The identifier of the parent content. Returns: String which identifies new content. NULL in error conditions.

FactoryContentTypeId(strFactoryId) Returns the identifier of the content type.

Parameters: strFactoryId = Required. String. The identifier of the factory. Returns: String which identifies the factory. NULL in error conditions.

FactoryContentInternalName(strFactoryId) Returns the internal name of the content created by specified factory.

Parameters: strFactoryId = Required. String. The identifier of the factory. Returns: String which is the internal name of the factory. NULL in error conditions.

FactoryRenderEngineId(strFactoryId) Returns the render engine id of the content that this factory produces.

Parameters: strFactoryId = Required. String. The identifier of the factory. Returns: String which is the identifier of the render engine. NULL in error conditions.

FactoryPlugInId(strFactoryId) Returns the plugin id of the plugin that created this factory.

Parameters: strFactoryId = Required. String. The identifier of the factory. Returns: String which is the identifier of the plugin. NULL in error conditions.

FactoryRebuildCache(strFactoryId) Rebuild the factory cache. This forces a refresh of cached data such as the factory name.

Parameters: strFactoryId = Required. String. The identifier of the factory. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentRenderEngineId(strContentInstanceID) Return Render engine identifier.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of the render engine. NULL in error conditions.

ContentPlugInId(strContentInstanceID) Return The plugin id of the plugin that defines this content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of the plugin. NULL in error conditions.

ContentTypeId(strContentInstanceID) Return The unique id of the content type.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of the content type. NULL in error conditions.

ContentInternalName(strContentInstanceID) Return the internal name of the content type.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the internal name of the content. NULL in error conditions.

ContentTypeName(strContentInstanceID) Return the name of the content type.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the name of the content type. NULL in error conditions.

ContentTypeDescription(strContentInstanceID) Return the description of the content type.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the description of the content type. NULL in error conditions.

ContentCategory(strContentInstanceID) Return the category of the content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the category of the content. NULL in error conditions.

ContentKind(strContentInstanceID) Return return a string uniquely identifying the kind of the content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the uniquely identifying the kind of the content. NULL in error conditions.

ContentLibraryFileExtension(strContentInstanceID) Return the library file extension of the content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the library file extension of the content. NULL in error conditions.

CurrentContent(strContentInstanceID) Returns if content is currently selected in thumbnail display.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating if content is selected. NULL in error conditions.

ContentInstanceName(strContentInstanceID, strName) Return content’s name.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strName = Optional. String. Use to set content name. Returns: String which is the current name of the content. NULL in error conditions. ContentNotes(strContentInstanceID, strNotes, strSendEvent) Return the content’s notes.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strNotes = Optional. Use to set notes. bSendEvent = Optional. Use to update UI. Returns: String which are the current notes. NULL in error conditions.

ContentOpenInThumbnailEditor(strContentInstanceID) Call this method to open the content in the relevant thumbnail editor and select it.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions. ContentParameter(strContentInstanceID, strName, varValue) Returns or modifies a content parameter.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strName = Optional. String. Name of the parameter. varValue = Optional. New value of the parameter. Returns: Array of strings which are the available paramter names when strName not specified. Variant with current value of parameter if strName is specified. NULL in error conditions.

UngroupContent(strContentInstanceID) Remove this content tree from any instance group it may be a member of.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentGroupId(strContentInstanceID) Returns the group id which this content is a member of.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of the group. NULL in error conditions.

DeleteContent(strContentInstanceID) Delete the content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions. DuplicateContent(strContentInstanceID) Duplicate the content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of the new content. NULL in error conditions.

ContentParent(strContentInstanceID) Return parent content or empty string if this is the top level object.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of parent or empty string if this is the top level object. NULL in error conditions.

ContentFirstChild(strContentInstanceID) Return first child of this content or NULL if none.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of the child. NULL in error conditions or if no child.

ContentNextSibling(strContentInstanceID) Return first sibling of this content or NULL if none.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of the first sibling. NULL in error conditions or if no sibling.

ContentTopLevelParent(strContentInstanceID) Return identifier of top level parent of this content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of the top level parent. NULL in error conditions.

ContentReplaceChild(VARIANT vaContentInstance, strOldChild, strNewChild) Replace a child content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strOldChild = Required. The identifier of the old child. strNewChild = Required. The identifier of the new child. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentAddChild(strContentInstanceID, strContent) Adds another content as a child of this content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strContent = Required. String. The identifier of the child content. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentChildSlotName(strContentInstanceID, strChildSlotName) Return the child-slot-name of this content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. varChildSlotName = Optional. String. The new child slot name Returns: String which is current child slot name. NULL in error conditions.

ContentChildSlotNameFromParamName(strContentInstanceID, strParamName) Return the child-slot-name corresponding to a parameter name.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strParamName = Required. String. The parameter name of the slot name. Returns: String which is the current child slot name. NULL in error conditions.

ContentParamNameFromChildSlotName(strContentInstanceID, strChildSlotName) Return the parameter name corresponding to a child-slot-name.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strChildSlotName = Required. String. The child slot name. Returns: String which is the current parameter name of the child slot. NULL in error conditions.

ContentFindChild(strContentInstanceID, strChildSlotName) Return the immediate child that has the specified child-slot-name or NULL if none.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strChildSlotName = required. String. The child slot name. Returns: String which is the identifier of child content. NULL in error conditions. IsContentTypeAcceptableAsChild(strContentInstanceID, strType, strChildSlotName) Return true only if content type can be accepted as a child in the specified child slot.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strType = Required. String. The identifier of a content type. strChildSlotName = Required. String. Name of the child slot. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

IsTypeAcceptableAsChild(strContentInstanceID, strFactory, strChildSlotName) Return true only if content produced by pFactory can be accepted as a child in the specified child slot.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strFactory = Required. The identifier of the factory. strChildSlotName = Required. The name of the child slot. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentGetChildren(strContentInstanceID) Return all the children of this content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: Array of strings which are the identifier of the child content. NULL in error conditions.

ContentGetChildSlots(strContentInstanceID) Return all child slots.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: Array of strings of child slot names. NULL in error conditions.

ContentFactory(strContentInstanceID) Return the factory that creates this type of content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is the identifier of the factory. NULL in error conditions.

FindContentInstance(strContentInstanceID, strInstance) Searches for the content with the specified instance id.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strInstance = Required. String. The identifier of the instance to search for. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentDestroyChildContent(strContentInstanceID, strPlugIn) Unlink and destroy all child contents belonging to the specified plugin.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strPlugIn = Required. String. The identifier of the plug-In. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

IsContentCompatible(strContentInstanceID, strRenderEngine) A content is compatible with a render engine when its RenderEngineId() matches the id of the render engine.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strRenderEngine = Required. String. The identifier of the render engine. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

IsContentUniversal(strContentInstanceID) A content is universal if it is meant to be used with any render engine.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

IsContentPrivate(strContentInstanceID) A content is private if it is not intended to show in any editor.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions. ContentSaveToFile(strContentInstanceID, strFullPath) Save the content to a library file.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strFullPath = Required. String. The full path to the library file to be created. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentLoadFromFile(VARIANT vaFullPath) Load content from a library file.

Parameters: strFullPath = Required. String. The full path to the library file to be created. Returns: String which is the identifier of the content. NULL in error conditions.

IsContentInDocument(strContentInstanceID) Query whether or not the content is in the document.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentEmbeddedFiles(strContentInstanceID) Return a semicolon-delimited string of full paths to files used by the content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. Returns: String which is a semicolon-delimited string of full paths. NULL in error conditions.

ContentSupportsCommand(strContentInstanceID, strCommand) Indicates whether or not the content supports a particular command.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strCommand = Required. String. Command identifier. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentExecuteCommand(strContentInstanceID, strCommand) Executes a command.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. The identifier of the content. strCommand = Required. String. Command identifier. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

SunEnableAllowed([optional] VARIANT vaAllowed) Returns or modifies the sun enable allowed value.

Parameters: bAllowed = Optional. Boolean. Use to enable/disable this option. Returns: Boolean which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunEnableOn(bOn) Returns or modifies the sun ON value.

Parameters: bOn = Optional. Boolean. Use to enable/disable this option. Returns: Boolean which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunManualControlAllowed(bAllowed) Returns or modifies the ManualControlAllowed value.

Parameters: bAllowed = Optional. Boolean. Use to enable/disable this option. Returns: Boolean which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunManualControlOn(bManual) Returns or modifies the ManualControlOn value.

Parameters: bManual = Optional. Boolean. Use to enable/disable this option. Returns: Boolean which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunNorth(dblNorth) Returns or modifies the azimuth corresponding to North.

Parameters: dblNorth = Optional. Use to set/get north. Returns: Array which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunVector(vVector) Return the sun’s direction vector in world space.

Parameters: vVector = Optional. Array. 3D-Vector Returns: Array which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunAzimuth(dblAzimuth) Return the azimuth of the sun in degrees.

Parameters: dblAzimuth = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunAltitude(dblAltitude) Return the altitude of the sun in degrees.

Parameters: dblAltitude = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunLatitude(dblLatitude) Return the latitude of the observer.

Parameters: dblLatitude = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunLongitude(dblLongitude) Return the longitude of the observer.

Parameters: dblLongitude = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunTimeZone(dblHours) Return the time zone of the observer in hours.

Parameters: dblHours = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunDaylightSavingOn(bOn) Return true if daylight saving is on.

Parameters: bOn = Optional. Boolean. Returns: Boolean which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunDaylightSavingMinutes(intMinutes) Return the daylight saving of the observer in minutes.

Parameters: intMinutes = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions. SunLocalDate(intDate) Retrieves the local date of the observer.

Parameters: intDate = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunLocalTime(dblHours) Retrieves the local time of the observer.

Parameters: dblHours = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunUTCDate(intDate) Retrieves the UTC date of the observer.

Parameters: intDate = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunUTCTime(dblHours) Retrieves the UTC time of the observer.

Parameters: dblHours = Optional. Number. Returns: Number which is the current value. NULL in error conditions.

SunLight() Get an ON_Light which represents the sun.

Returns: String which is the identifier of the light. NULL in error conditions.

MaterialInstanceId(intMaterialTableIndex) Returns the content instance id for a given index into the Rhino material table

Parameters: intMaterialTableIndex = Required. Number. Index in material table. Returns: String which is the identifier of the content. NULL in error conditions.

SetMaterialInstanceId(strInstanceId, intMaterialTableIndex) Assigns a certain content to a material table index.

Parameters: strInstanceId = Required. String. Identifier of content. intMaterialTableIndex = Required. Number. Index in material table. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions. HSB2RGB(arrColor) Converts color

Parameters: arrColor = Required. Array. 3D Array of doubles. Returns: Array of Numbers. NULL in error conditions.

RGB2HSB(arrColor) Converts color.

Parameters: arrColor = Required. Array. 3D Array of doubles. Returns: Array of Numbers. NULL in error conditions.

ShowContentChooser(strDefaultType, strDefaultInstance, strAllowedKinds) Shows the content chooser to allow the user to select a new or existing content.

Parameters: strDefaultType = Required. String. Is the content type that will be initially selected in the ‘New’ tab. strDefaultInstance = Required. String. Is the content instance that will be initially selected in the ‘Existing’ tab. strAllowedKinds = Required. Array. List of strings of content kinds that will be displayed. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentKindList() Returns list of content kinds.

Returns: Array of strings of content kinds. NULL in error conditions.

SelectedContent(strContentType) Get the selected content of the specified kind.

Parameters: strContentType = Required. String. Content type to look for selection. Returns: String which is the identifier of the selected content. NULL in error conditions. OpenFloatingContentPreview(strContentInstanceID, arrPos, arrSize) Open content preview window.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. Content identifier. arrPos = Required. Array. 2D array of integers x,y. arrSize = Required. Array. 2D array of integers width, height. Returns: String which is the identifier of the preview window. NULL in error conditions.

CloseFloatingContentPreview(strWindowId) Close content preview window.

Parameters: strWindowId = Required. String. Identifier of preview window. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ContentResetToDefaults(strContentInstanceID) Reset content to defaults.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. Content identifier. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.

ChangeContent(strContentInstanceID, strNewContentId, bHarvest) Change content.

Parameters: strContentInstanceID = Required. String. Content identifier. strNewContentID = Required. String. Content identifier to change too. bHarvest = Required. Boolean. Determines whether or not parameter harvesting will be performed. Returns: Boolean True or false indicating success or failure. NULL in error conditions.