Last night I printed 90 separate single page PDF files with different file names in 12 minutes. Most of what’s visible in the PDF is generated parametrically in Grasshopper. The text on the layouts is updated from one PDF to the next with Document User Text. I used a script to copy the filename of each PDF to the clipboard. To automate the whole print process and reduce the number of clicks required, I animated a slider. I don’t care about the image output of the slider, but it makes my slider move by itself so that’s all I needed. Once the process starts, it updates the first layout. A Python script runs the Rhino command _-Print Preview and unfortunately it can’t be fully scripted, or I just don’t know how. So, the print preview shows up and I have to hit Enter once to get out of the preview dialog. In the save as window, I paste the filename manually with a button on a SpaceMousePro that executes a CTRL+V. Then one more Enter, the PDF is saved and the process starts again with Grasshopper updating the layout.
I’d like to say that generating layouts in Grasshopper has its perks but printing is not it yet.
The main advantage is the parametric attributes and small number of layouts, my file has just 7 layouts for a few hundred parts and each part takes one page.
Finally once more like in other topics, I’d really appreciate if the whole printing could be scripted.
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