In brief
- Make2D converts object edges and outlines into 2D curves in one or four views.
- For a single view, use View or CPlane; for four views, choose first-angle or third-angle projection.
- The Print command lets you configure viewport or layout output with scale, color, lineweight, and PDF options.
- Intersection lines between objects that pass through one another are not created automatically; create any required lines separately with Intersect.
Rhino 8’s Make2D command creates flat 2D curves from edges and outlines in a 3D model, while the Print command lets you configure viewport or layout content before sending it to a printer or PDF. This workflow, covered in McNeel’s Rhino 8 help documentation, brings together the essential steps for architects, interior designers, and 3D users who want to create technical linework from a model and configure sheet output. The setting names and descriptions below are based on the Rhino 8 documentation.
1. Choose the view and projection before Make2D
Select the objects to convert into a 2D drawing and run the Make2D command. The command creates curves on the World Top plane. The default output location is determined by the current view, with the lower-left corner of the view placed at the World origin.
To create a drawing from a single view, choose View in the Projection section. This uses the active view as its source. CPlane uses the plan view of the active viewport and places the curves on that viewport’s construction plane.
If you need four views, choose either First angle projection or Third angle projection. First-angle projection uses the European layout; third-angle projection uses the US layout. Both create orthographic projections in world coordinates and do not use the current viewport’s view or construction plane orientation as a basis.
Use Layer name to set the main layer for the 2D drawing output. Curve types are organized into sublayers. Under Object properties, choose From input objects to inherit properties from the source objects, or By output layers to determine properties from the output layers.
Whether you choose one view or four depends on the information you want the drawing to show. Use View to work from a specific working view, or CPlane to use a plan view on the active construction plane. When multiple standard views are needed together, consider the four-view options. Before adding dimensions or arranging the sheet, check the location and layers of the generated curves to make subsequent edits easier.
2. Set line types and visibility options
Make2D options determine which lines are created and how the output curves are organized. Hidden lines creates hidden lines on Hidden layers. Scene silhouette shows the outer silhouettes of objects with a heavier lineweight. Tangent edges adds the tangent edges of polysurfaces, while Clipping plane intersections adds clipping-plane intersection lines. Viewport rectangle creates a rectangle marking the viewport boundary, only in perspective views.
| Setting | Suggested value | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Projection | View, CPlane, or a four-view option as needed | Creates a single view, a plan view based on the active plane, or four views. |
| Hidden lines | On if hidden lines should be shown | Creates hidden lines on Hidden layers. |
| Scene silhouette | On if silhouettes need emphasis | Shows outer silhouettes with a heavier lineweight. |
| Object properties | Source or output layer properties | Determines the source of the output curves’ properties. |
Group output groups curves by source object. Register with previous attempts to align with the previous output and is available only with View and CPlane projections. The same viewport view must be maintained for matching. This is easier to do in parallel views; in a perspective view, pan, zoom, rotate, or resize changes can prevent a match with the registered view. If no match is found, the current view can be used as a new registration.
The boundary where objects intersect or pass through one another may not be among the lines Make2D extracts directly. If that line is needed in the drawing, create the geometry separately with Intersect and include it among the objects selected for 2D output. Also, a silhouette very close to another curve may not appear on the expected layer. For this reason, check both layer organization and overlapping lines after Make2D.
3. Configure scale, lines, and PDF output with Print
Run the Print command; the shortcut is Ctrl+P. You can select a viewport or layout page as the output source. Extents adjusts the current view to include all objects in the model, while Window prints a specified area.
Select a printer in the Destination section. Rhino PDF is Rhino’s PDF printer, which supports saving layers to PDF files. The Use layout page size option, available only with Rhino PDF for layouts, gets the paper size from the layout properties.
Choose Vector output or Raster output with Output type. Vector output prints lines, curves, and filled areas as vectors; by default, Rhino prints content as vectors where possible. Raster output creates a bitmap image and does not support saving layers to PDF.
Check the scale and the relationship between the printed page and model units in the View and Output Scale section. Print preview shows the output using the selected settings. When Rhino PDF is not selected, the PDF output is a single file containing multiple pages of the same paper size, regardless of the layout dimensions.
Review line type and lineweight behavior in the Linetypes and Line Widths section. Linetype can be printed according to the pattern in the definition file or the viewport display. With Model lengths, line width varies with the zoom level, while Page lengths keeps the lineweight fixed on the printed page. Use Scale by to change lineweights globally with a multiplier.
Print color uses the Print Color value in layer or object properties; mesh faces and surfaces are printed in their display colors. Display color uses the wireframe color in the viewport, while Black and white uses grayscale. PrintDisplay helps show lineweights and colors in the viewport, while LinetypeDisplay displays line types. This lets you review line presentation in the working view before output.
You can select multiple layouts for batch output. When using Rhino PDF, options are available to save each layout as a separate PDF file and add the page name or number to filenames. Exporting to SVG creates a separate file for each layout. Taking these behaviors into account when deciding on the delivery format helps you plan how to organize the files in advance.
What should you consider in an architecture and visualization workflow?
Make2D is useful for architecture and interior design teams that want to generate 2D curves from model lines; Print helps users prepare those drawings for output at scale or with different color settings. However, automatic line generation does not cover every geometric relationship: any required intersections must be completed separately, and layers should be checked. If preserving layers in a PDF is important, be aware of the limitation of raster output. The documentation does not specify hardware requirements or licensing terms, so do not assume values for these; verify them for the installation in use.
Common mistakes
Expecting Make2D to automatically create lines between intersecting objects. Create the required geometry separately with Intersect.
Changing the view while Register with previous is enabled. Keep the same view for matching; remember that changes to a perspective view in particular can affect the result.
Assuming layers will be preserved in raster PDF output. Raster output does not support saving layers to PDF.
Sending output without previewing the scale, page size, and lineweight. Check the output layout in Print preview.
Sources
2 sourcesSource texts are not republished; short quotes are marked, everything else is our own summary and commentary.
Using Make2D and Print together in Rhino 8 lets you handle model line generation and sheet output preparation in one workflow. For offices and students in Turkey, the practical benefit is that clarifying view and output choices early can reduce revisions before delivery.
It is important not to treat automatic generation as a substitute for a final check: required intersections should be drawn separately, and layer requirements should match the PDF output type. The documentation does not specify hardware or licensing terms, so check the installation in use before making investment or compatibility decisions. Verifying scale and lineweights in the preview can also help avoid surprises when printing.
Frequently asked questions
What does Make2D do in Rhino 8?
Make2D converts object edges and outlines into flat 2D curves in one or four views. The output curves are created on the World Top plane.
Does Make2D automatically create intersection lines?
Intersection lines between objects that pass through one another are not created automatically. You can create the required line with Intersect and include it in the drawing.
Are layers preserved in PDF output from Rhino Print?
Rhino PDF supports saving layers to PDF files. Raster output does not support saving layers to PDF.
