AIPanel

Toolbar

Menu

Standard

Tools

New in V9

Window

Panels > AI

The AIPanel command opens the AI panel to work with an AI agent inside Rhino.

Steps

  1. Run the AIPanel command.

  2. Select an available agent.

    If no agent is available, open AI Settings to check its configuration. Install a supported agent and sign in before using it.

  3. Type a question or describe the task you want the agent to perform.

  4. Click the Send button or press Enter.

  5. Review the response and any changes to the model. Send another message to refine the result.

Panel controls

Switch agent

Selects the agent used for the conversation.

New conversation

Starts a fresh conversation.

Conversation history

Lists saved conversations.

AI settings

Opens AI Settings to configure agents, additional MCP servers, tools, and startup behavior.

Input field

Type a question or describe a task. Press Enter to send. Type / for commands or @ to add document context.

Attach a file

Adds an image or text file to the message.

Attach document context

Chooses the selection, viewport, document, or layer that the message refers to.

Send

Sends the message and attachments.

Stop

Replaces Send while the agent responds. Click Stop or press Esc to stop the response.

Reply information and controls

Point to a reply to show its information and buttons.

Time

Shows how long ago the response started. Point to the time to see the start time.

Token count

Shows the total input and output tokens reported for the response. This information appears when the agent reports token usage.

Copy the reply

Copies the reply text to the clipboard.

Ask again

Repeats the request.

Revert

Undoes the document changes made during the response.

AI Settings

The AI Settings dialog box configures AI agents, additional MCP servers, available tools, and startup behavior.

Steps

  1. In the AI panel, click the AI settings button.

  2. Adjust the settings.

  3. Click Save to save the changes, or Cancel to discard them.

AI Agents

Configures the agents used in the AI panel.

Enabled

Makes the selected agent available for use in Rhino.

Model

Selects the model used by the agent.

Found at

Displays where the agent was found.

Prompt

Sets instructions for the selected agent.

Set Default

Makes the selected agent the default.

Restore Defaults

Clears the selected agent's model and prompt settings and re-enables the agent.

MCP Servers

Configures additional MCP servers for in-Rhino agents. These servers are added alongside the built-in Rhino server.

Enter a JSON object containing an mcpServers object. Use the configuration supplied by each server's provider.

An empty configuration has this form:

{"mcpServers": {}}

Tools

Lists the tools provided by the built-in Rhino server, grouped as Read-only, Modify, and Destructive.

On

Makes a tool available to in-Rhino agents. Clear the checkbox to hide the tool from those agents.

External MCP clients still have access to all tools. These checkboxes only affect agents running inside Rhino.

Startup settings

Load MCP server at startup

Loads the MCP server when Rhino starts.

Load AI-created script plug-in at startup

Loads the AI-created script plug-in when Rhino starts.

Changes to startup settings take effect the next time Rhino starts.

MCPConnect

Toolbar

Menu

Not on toolbars.

The MCPConnect command opens the Connect Rhino to your AI Agent dialog box to add or remove the RhinoAI MCP server configuration for external AI agents.

To connect an agent

  1. Install the AI application you want to use.

  2. Run the MCPConnect command.

  3. Find the application in the agent list.

  4. Click Install to add the RhinoAI MCP server to the application's configuration.

  5. Follow the application's instructions for loading its updated MCP configuration.

Install

Agent

Lists the AI applications recognized by the connector.

Status

Indicates whether an application is detected and whether its RhinoAI MCP server configuration is installed.

Install

Adds the RhinoAI MCP server configuration for a detected application. This button configures the connection; it does not install the AI application.

Uninstall

Removes the RhinoAI MCP server configuration from the application.

Prompt

Provides a prompt to copy into an AI agent so it can configure the Rhino connection. Use this when the Install page does not support your agent.

mcp.json

Provides the RhinoAI MCP server configuration to copy into an agent's MCP settings for manual setup.

Advanced

Displays information about the Rhino version, startup timeout, and application paths.

Default version

Shows the Rhino version used when an agent's request does not target a specific Rhino instance: 8, 9, or WIP.

Startup timeout (s)

Shows how many seconds the connection waits for Rhino to start its MCP server.

Rhino 8 path

Shows the Rhino 8 application path: Rhino.exe on Windows or an .app bundle on macOS.

Rhino 9/WIP path

Shows the application path used for Rhino 9 and WIP.

See also

Rhino MCP setup guides

MCPStart

Toolbar

Menu

Not on toolbars.

The MCPStart command starts or restarts the MCP server for the current document on a specified port.

Steps

  1. Run the MCPStart command.

  2. At the MCPStart Port prompt, enter a port number or press Enter to accept the suggested port.

    If the server cannot start on the requested port, run the command again and choose another port.

  3. Read the server address in the command history.

MCPStatus

Toolbar

Menu

Not on toolbars.

The MCPStatus command reports the MCP server status for the current document and offers to start the server if it is not running.

Steps

  1. Run the MCPStatus command.

  2. If the server is running, Rhino displays its local address in the command history.

    If no server is running, you are prompted to start one.