NOTE: RhinoCommon is the new .NET plug-in SDK for Rhino 5.

Rhino ships with the necessary components to enable Rhino.NET plug-ins on users computers. Plug-ins can be created with a compiler that compiles assemblies using .NET 2.0, including:

• Microsoft Visual C# and Microsoft Visual VB.NET 2005 and 2008 (including Microsoft Visual Studio Express editions)
• Microsoft Visual C# and Microsoft Visual VB.NET 2010 are supported on Rhino 5
• SharpDevelop 2.0 and above

• Rhino.NET SDK: Project wizards, XML comments, and SDK help CHM file (~20Meg)

Rhino.Net SDK helps developers to extend Rhino's functionality using 'Rhino plug-ins'. The Rhino.NET SDK provides the tools to develop Rhino plug-ins using a .NET programming language. This means that Rhino plug-ins can now be developed using VB.NET, C#, C++.NET, Delphi.NET (and the list goes on).

The Rhino.NET SDK is actually a wrapper around the Rhino C++ SDK. Most of the classes and methods provided by the C++ SDK are available through .NET.

The Rhino.NET SDK is composed of a rhino plug-in named RhinoDotNetManager.rhp and an assembly named Rhino_DotNET.dll located in the Rhino system directory. The Rhino_DotNET.dll assembly is what all Rhino.NET plug-ins reference to get exported classes and functions from Rhino. These files are installed with Rhino and are not a separate download.

The Rhino.NET SDK is designed to allow .NET developers to create Rhino plug-ins with the same capabilities as Rhino C++ SDK developers.

VB.NET School - Covers all you need to know to start programming in VB.NET.

C# School - Covers all you need to know to start programming in C#.

Post questions or read other people's questions/answers on the plug-ins newsgroup or email McNeel Developer Support.

Some of your questions may be answered by the DotNET Essentials page

Batch Render with VB - creates a console application that will batch render a folder of 3dm files. Demonstrates how to access RhinoScript from an external .NET application.

BrepSamples - demonstrates how to create a planar face with hole, and how to create a trimmed planar face in C#.

Docking Dialog with VB - creates a custom user control in VB.NET that works as a dockable dialog in Rhino.

Docking Dialog with C# - creates a custom user control in C# that works as a dockable dialog in Rhino.

Tagging objects with C# - tags objects with estimating data using C#.

Event Watcher with VB - create a class that is notified when changes occur in Rhino.

Extend Object Properties with C# - demonstrates how to extend Rhino's Object Properties window.

Object Manager in C# - creates a docking dialog of object uuids that responds to selection events.

Read Points from a Text File in C# - Uses System.IO.StreamReader to read from a text file.

TestExternalAccess - demonstrates how to access COM visible objects in a .NET plug-in from an external application.

Visual Analysis Mode - demonstrates how to create your own false color analysis mode in with C#.