What Is a Grasshopper Definition?

A Grasshopper definition is a collection of interconnected components that define a specific parametric process or design in Rhino. It consists of visual programming elements such as inputs (parameters), logic (components), and outputs (results), and allows users to create complex forms, structures, or behaviors by manipulating geometry and data. A Grasshopper definition can be thought of as a digital workflow that automatically updates in real-time as input values change.

What is Internalized Data in Grasshopper?

Internalizing the data of a Grasshopper component allows the component to act independently of its Rhino counterpart. For example, if you set a curve or geometry in Grasshopper from Rhino and decide to move the curve later, the component data will reflect that move. However, once data is internalized, it will not. Users can also delete Rhino elements which are attached to Grasshopper components once they have internalized the data within the component.
To internalize the data contained within any Grasshopper component, right click the component and select "internalize data".

What Does it Mean to Bake a Component in Grasshopper?

In Grasshopper, any component which contains modeled information (which excludes numeric values from sliders, domains, etc) can be baked into it's Rhino counterpart file. When doing so, users can select the layer on which the geometry will go, its location, etc.
The benefits of baking a Grasshopper component include being able to further manipulate it in Rhino, attach materials, and render.
To bake a geometry from Grasshopper into Rhino, right click the component and select "bake".

What Is a Cluster Within Grasshopper?

A Cluster in Grasshopper is a way to group a set of components together into a single, reusable unit. This allows you to simplify your definition, improve organization, and create modular systems. Once components are inside a Cluster, they can be treated as a single component with its own inputs and outputs. Clusters are useful for creating custom sub-routines that you can use across different definitions without having to rebuild the logic each time.

What Is a Grasshopper Parameter? What Do They Do?

Parameters in Grasshopper are the values that define the input or output of a component. They can be numbers, geometry, or other types of data, and they are crucial for manipulating and controlling the flow of information through your definition. The parameters control how a component behaves and interacts with other components. By changing the values of parameters, you can influence the resulting geometry, data, or behavior of the entire definition. Parameters can be dynamic, allowing the design to adapt to changes.

What Kinds of Parameters Can Be Used as Input?

There are many types of parameters that can be used as inputs in Grasshopper. Some common ones include:

• Number sliders: Used for numerical input, such as defining dimensions, angles, or other scalar values.
• Geometry: Points, curves, surfaces, and meshes that represent spatial objects in Rhino.
• Vectors: 2D or 3D directional data, often used for transformations and forces.
• Booleans: Input values that are either "True" or "False" (used to control conditional behavior).
• Strings: Text data used for labels, file paths, or other non-numeric input.
• Lists: Arrays or sequences of data that can represent multiple items at once, such as a series of points or numbers.
• Colours: Input values for color properties (usually RGB values).

Each type of parameter influences the behavior and output of the components it is connected to.

What Kinds of Parameters Will Be Output?

Similar to input parameters, output parameters in Grasshopper can represent various data types. Some common output parameters include:

• Geometry: The resulting shapes or forms generated by the definition, such as points, curves, surfaces, or meshes.
• Vectors: Output vectors that represent movement, direction, or forces in the model.
• Numbers: Calculated numerical values, such as measurements, angles, or any other type of scalar output.
• Lists: Collections of items that are processed or transformed, often used to represent arrays of values or geometry.
• Booleans: Output that indicates a true or false condition based on logic or computations.
• Text (Strings): Output of string values, such as names, labels, or file paths.

Output parameters are how the result of the Grasshopper definition is transferred back to Rhino or used for further operations.

How Do I Move a Grasshopper Definition into Rhino?

To move a Grasshopper definition into Rhino, you can "bake" the geometry created in Grasshopper into Rhino's modeling environment. Baking allows you to convert the parametric objects from Grasshopper into actual Rhino objects that can be edited, rendered, or used for further modeling. Here's how to do it:

• Select the output geometry in your Grasshopper definition.
• Right-click on the component that generates the geometry.
• Choose "Bake" from the context menu.
• Specify which layer or location you want the geometry to be placed in within Rhino.

Once baked, the geometry will no longer be parametric and will become a standard Rhino object. However, the Grasshopper definition will still control the parametric relationships as long as the definition is active.