In brief
- After running ClippingSections, select the objects to cut; press Enter at the selection step to include all objects.
- Set the section direction using CPlane, X, Y or Custom, which defines a direction with two points.
- ClippingDrawings places section data and optional background lines as 2D output on World XY.
- When cut objects or their properties change, run UpdateClippingDrawings to refresh the drawings.
In Rhino 8, the ClippingSections and ClippingDrawings commands can be used to create model sections and produce 2D drawings from them. The workflow described in McNeel’s Rhino 8 documentation starts with creating section planes, then generating drawings from the selected planes. The commands provide control over section direction, visible depth, background geometry and how drawings are used in viewports.
1. Create a section plane with ClippingSections
Run the ClippingSections command in Rhino 8. At the selection step, select the objects you want to cut; if all objects should be included in the section, press Enter during selection. Then place one or more section planes in the viewports.
You can set the plane’s direction before placing it using the Dir option. CPlane sets the plane parallel to the current construction plane. X and Y define directions perpendicular to the construction plane and parallel to the corresponding axis. Use Custom to define a custom direction with two points.
If the section widget appears red while placing it, check whether the plane intersects the overall bounding box of the relevant objects in World coordinates. The documentation describes this as a warning that the widget does not intersect the bounding box of the relevant objects.
The Name option sets a prefix for section names. For example, using the SEC prefix numbers them as SEC_01, SEC_02. LabelMode controls whether names appear in the viewport as text, points or not at all. The SaveToNamedView option creates a Named View that matches the section view. Sections placed in a perspective viewport also use perspective projection for their Named View.
2. Set section direction, depth and visibility
Use CustomDepth to limit the portion that remains visible behind the section plane. When set to No, the depth is infinite; when set to Yes, a Depth setting appears in the command line. The documentation gives the default depth as zero. At zero depth, thin sections are drawn; if a different visible thickness is required, specify a value in model units.
| Setting | Recommended value | Effect |
|---|---|---|
Dir | CPlane, X, Y or Custom, as required | Sets the direction of the section plane. |
CustomDepth | Yes if depth needs to be limited; No if it does not | Enables the depth setting or lets the plane operate at infinite depth. |
Depth | As needed for the visible thickness; default 0 | Defines the thickness of the visible portion of the cut object. |
Flip | Use if the cut side is reversed | Reverses the section direction. |
The viewports in which a section plane is active can be managed through the Views Clipped list in the clipping plane properties. This list includes model and layout viewports; the corresponding checkboxes turn clipping on or off. Reset Views disables the current clipping plane in all viewports.
3. Create 2D output with ClippingDrawings
Once the section planes are ready, run ClippingDrawings. The documentation gives the command’s menu path as Sections > Create Drawings. Select one or more clipping planes; the All option uses all visible planes. Then specify the points where the drawings will be placed. Pressing Enter places the current drawing’s base point at the World Top origin.
Control hatch and solid surface display in the output with the ShowHatch and ShowSolid options. ShowHatch determines whether section hatches are created when the object’s Section Style is set to display hatches. ShowSolid controls whether planar surfaces are generated from sections through solid objects.
The PrintWidth and DisplayColor options control line width and display color. For both, you can choose ByLayer or ByInputObject: the first uses the layer setting, while the second uses the corresponding property of the cut object. To add a label, enable ShowLabel; LabelStyle determines whether the label appears as a point or text. Text labels use the current annotation style.
If background lines are needed, the AddBackground=Yes option projects visible and hidden silhouette curves in front of the clipping plane. This operation does not include objects or layers excluded in the clipping plane properties in the background drawing. Projection selects parallel or perspective projection for these lines. When using perspective, you can specify the camera target with SetTargetPoint; the AddHidden and AddSilhouette options separately control the display of hidden and silhouette curves.
4. Updates and common mistakes
When a clipping plane is moved, its associated drawing updates interactively. However, drawings do not update automatically when cut objects or their properties change; in that case, run UpdateClippingDrawings. Use EditClippingDrawings to change drawing options for existing output.
A common mistake is not checking the Depth value after enabling CustomDepth. If the desired portion is not visible or the section has an unexpected thickness, this setting may be the cause. Another mistake is placing a section plane without confirming that it intersects the relevant objects. Also, don’t assume that moving the clipping plane is enough to update the drawing after model geometry changes; the drawing update command must be run separately.
When a clipping plane is deleted, its associated drawings and layers are also deleted. Drawing blocks can be Exploded to remove their link to the input objects. Before working with linked output, check that the drawing is up to date and keep in mind that deleting the plane will also affect its associated output.
Impact on architecture and visualization workflows
This method helps architecture, interior design and visualization teams that produce section views and 2D drawings from Rhino models manage the relationship between the model and the drawings. Different section directions and depths can be tested on a single model, while layers can be used to control the visibility of output in modeling and layout spaces.
The documentation does not specify hardware requirements or licensing conditions for these commands. Therefore, it is not possible to make generalizations about performance, cost or license coverage. When planning implementation, teams should clarify Rhino 8 compatibility, which viewports will use the sections and how drawings will be updated after model changes.
Sources
2 sourcesSource texts are not republished; short quotes are marked, everything else is our own summary and commentary.
For architecture and visualization firms in Turkey, the practical benefit of this workflow is that it lets them manage direction, depth and background options in the same process as they transfer model sections into drawing output. Consistent naming and viewport controls can make output easier to track for teams working with multiple sections.
Still, automated generation does not eliminate the need to check the output: drawings must be updated separately when geometry changes, and depth and background settings should be reviewed before delivery. Since the sources do not specify hardware or licensing conditions, firms should separately verify Rhino 8 compatibility and the scope of their own licenses.
Frequently asked questions
How do you use ClippingSections in Rhino 8?
Run the command, select the objects to cut, then place the section planes in the viewport. Press Enter at the selection step to include all objects.
When do Rhino ClippingDrawings update?
When a clipping plane is moved, its associated drawing updates interactively. If cut objects or their properties change, you need to run UpdateClippingDrawings.
What does CustomDepth do in ClippingSections?
CustomDepth lets you limit the clipping plane’s depth. When enabled, the Depth option becomes available; when disabled, the depth is infinite.
