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A Text Effect

January 2, 2015 | Algorithms
#art #macro #rhinoceros #text

This is a macro exercise in Rhino, showing that Rhino is pretty much capable of automating some cool text effects. Just copy and paste the below code into the command bar of the Rhino, or open the macro editor by typing macro edit, then paste it there and press play. You’ll enter any string when prompted, then the macro handles the rest of the process. You can play with the parameters by changing the numeric values you see in the macro.

! _show _selall _delete
_-text 0,0,0 h 10 _pause
_sellast
_setobjectname tex
_boundingbox o c _enter
_sellast
_offset d 3 0,500,0
_delete
_sellast
_planarsrf
_sellast
_setobjectname bord1
_zoom a e
_-selname tex
_explode
_planarsrf
_sellast
_setobjectname tex1
_selnone
_selcrv
_hide
_selnone
_-selname tex1
_scale1d 0,5,0 c=yes 1.15 0,100,0 _enter
_sellast
_setobjectname tex2
_selnone
_-selname tex2
_scale1d 0,5,0 c=yes 1.15 0,100,0 _enter
_sellast
_setobjectname tex3
_selnone
_-selname tex1
_-selname tex2
_-selname tex3
_hide
_selnone
_-selname bord1
_contour j y -50,0,0 0,0,0 0.4
_extrudecrv d 0,0,0 1,0,0 0.1
_hide
_sellast
_setobjectname cont1
_selnone
_-selname bord1
_hide
_selnone
_showselected -selname tex3 _enter
_-selname tex3
_contour j y -50,0,0 0,0,0 0.4
_extrudecrv d 0,0,0 1,0,0 0.2
_hide
_sellast
_setobjectname cont2
_selnone
_-selname tex3
_hide
_selnone
_showselected -selname tex2 _enter
_-selname tex2
_contour j y -50,0,0 0,0,0 0.4
_extrudecrv d 0,0,0 1,0,0 0.25
_hide
_sellast
_setobjectname cont3
_selnone
_-selname tex2
_hide
_selnone
_showselected -selname tex1 _enter
_-selname tex1
_contour j y -50,0,0 0,0,0 0.4
_extrudecrv d 0,0,0 1,0,0 0.3
_hide
_sellast
_setobjectname cont4
_selnone
_-selname tex1
_hide
_-selname cont1
_-selname cont2
_-selname cont3
_-selname cont4
_meshoutline
_setobjectname final
_selnone
_-selname cont1
_-selname cont2
_-selname cont3
_-selname cont4
_hide
_selnone
_-selname final
_-hatch _enter p solid _enter
_selnone

Please open a new blank Rhino file before running this because it will erase everything in the first line. Here are some outcomes of this macro (click on them to see more details)

A Text Effect art, macro
A Text Effect rhinoceros, text
A Text Effect art, macro

Here is another result, changing some parameters within the macro code: Yes, this might be the “laser-cut-ready” logotype of our future FABLAB. Here is another tweak (slightly rotating the contour axis;)

A Text Effect rhinoceros, text

Cite this post

Yazar, T. (2015, January 2). A Text Effect. designcoding. Retrieved August 24, 2026, from https://www.designcoding.net/a-text-effect/

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