Using toolbars and buttons

Rhino opens with the default toolbar layout open. The default toolbar layout displays only one of the many Rhino toolbar groups, the Standard Toolbar Group. Most of the unopened toolbars in the default toolbar layout are linked to buttons this toolbar.

The toolbar docked at the left of the screen is the Sidebar that is linked to the Standard Toolbar Group.

Open a toolbar

On the Tools menu, click Toolbar Layout.

On the Rhino Options

Toolbars page, under Files, select the toolbar collection name.

Under Toolbars, select toolbars to open, and click OK.

Or use the toolbar group Options icon to display the list.

Float a toolbar

Drag the toolbar handle.

Toolbar handles.

Release the mouse button to place the toolbar.

A tab will appear on the toolbar.

Reshape a floating toolbar group

Drag the toolbar group border.

Notice that the cursor changes shape to indicate that the toolbar group can be re-sized.

Toolbar groups

Each free-standing toolbar is actually a toolbar group.

Parts of a toolbar group

Tabs (1), group handle (2), scroll control (3), options menu icon (4), close button (5), Show more (6), and linked toolbar cascade button (7).

Tabs

Click the cursor on a tab to drag it.

Tabs can be moved from group to group or made to be free standing.

Move a toolbar tab

Drag the toolbar tab to a different group or a blank area on the screen to make it a free-standing group.

Move a toolbar tab to another group

Drag the toolbar tab to a different group.

Copy a toolbar tab to another group

Hold Ctrl and drag the toolbar tab to a different group.

Group handle

Click the cursor in the handle area to move the whole toolbar.

Group handle area indicated in red.

Move a floating toolbar group

Drag the toolbar group handle.

Note: The cursor changes shape to a four-direction arrow when the handle is active.

Dock a toolbar group

Drag the toolbar group handle to the edge of the Rhino graphics area.

A blue shape will light up the area where the toolbar will dock.

Release the mouse button to dock the toolbar.

The toolbar docks.

Prevent a toolbar from docking while being dragged

To prevent a toolbar from docking when you drag it near viewport edges, press and hold Ctrl while you drag the toolbar.

Scroll control

If the toolbar group is not expanded to show all tabs, a Scroll control appears.

Click the scroll control and select a tab name from the menu. The selected tab comes to the front.

Group Options menu

Opens the group Options menu.

See: Customize toolbars.

Options

Show Toolbar

Opens a toolbar as a free-standing group.

New Button

Adds a new button and opens the Button Editor.

New Separator

Inserts a button separator.

Edit Button

Opens the selected button in the Button Editor.

New Tab

Creates a new blank tabbed toolbar.

Show or Hide Tabs

Shows/hides a toolbar tab in the current group.

Size to content

Expands a toolbar to show all buttons.

Properties

Opens the Toolbar Properties dialog box.

Group close button

Closes the group.

Show more

If the tab is not expanded to show all buttons, a Show more control appears.

Click the Show more control and select a button name from the menu. The selected command runs, or the linked toolbar opens as a menu.

Cascade buttons

Cascades a toolbar linked to that button.

Cascade a linked toolbar

Click the triangle in the lower right of a toolbar button to cascade a linked toolbar.

Toolbar link indicator.

Drag the title bar of the toolbar to a new position.

Lock the toolbar locations

To prevent the toolbars from being accidentally moved, lock them.

Note: Locking the toolbars also locks any docked panels.

Click the toolbar group menu icon and on the Toolbar group menu, click Lock Docked Windows.

- or -

Right-click in the group handle area or tab, and click Lock Docked Windows.

Sidebars

The sidebar is a special toolbar that is populated with a specified group by the currently active tab. When the tab is active, the contents of the Sidebar toolbar changes to the toolbar tab specified in the Toolbar Properties.

For example

In the Default workspace, notice the contents of the toolbar docked at the left.

This is the Sidebar displaying the contents of the Main toolbar.

In the Standard toolbar group (usually docked at the top of the workspace, under the command prompt, click the Curve Tools tab.

Notice that the buttons in the Sidebar change to the contents of the Curve Tools toolbar.

Other tabs with Sidebars include Mesh Tools, Solid Tools, Render Tools, and Drafting.

Restoring lost toolbars

If your toolbars are lost or become corrupted, they can be restored with the ToolbarReset command.

Warning:

The ToolbarReset command replaces all custom toolbars and groups with the default set that ships with Rhino.

Using toolbar buttons

Move a button

Move the cursor over the toolbar button.

Press and hold Shift.

Click the left mouse button and drag the toolbar button to a different toolbar or to a different position in the same toolbar.

Copy a button

Move the cursor over the toolbar button.

Press and hold Ctrl.

Click left mouse button and drag the button to another location in the same toolbar or to a different toolbar.

Delete a button

Move the cursor over the toolbar button.

Press and hold Shift.

Click the left mouse button, drag the toolbar button outside the toolbars and drop.

Create a link

Open the parent toolbar that will contain the link button.

Open the child toolbar that will be linked to it.

Press and hold Ctrl.

With the right mouse button down, drag a button from the child toolbar to the parent toolbar.

A copy of the button appears in the parent toolbar with the white triangle link symbol in its corner.

Unlink a toolbar

Move the cursor over the linked button.

Press and hold Shift.

Click the right mouse button to open the Edit Toolbar Button dialog box.

Click Unlink.