Rhino 3D Tip: Turn Command History into Reusable Macros and Aliases

Speed up repetitive modeling by mining, copying, and reusing Rhino’s Command History.

• Access and navigate Command History
  • Open the log: press F2 (Windows) or run CommandHistory to view every command and option you’ve used.
  • Cycle recent commands: use Up/Down Arrow in the command line to recall previously typed commands.
  • Instant repeat: press Enter or Space to run the last command again; Right‑click in a viewport also triggers RepeatLast by default.
• Re-run complex operations with identical settings
  • Copy a successful line from Command History and paste it back into the command prompt to reproduce results exactly.
  • Use hyphenated commands (e.g., -Loft, -Export, -Make2D) to expose command-line options and make them repeatable.
  • Leverage recorded numerics (distances, radii, angles) from the log to maintain precise parameters across parts or versions.
• Turn history into time-saving aliases and macros
  • From the history window, copy multi-step sequences and refine with:
    • ! to cancel anything running before your macro starts.
    • Pause to wait for a pick point or selection where needed.
    • SelPrev to reuse the previous selection; SelLast to grab the most recently created objects.
    • Hyphenated commands (-Command) to set options explicitly.
  • Save as an alias: Options > Aliases (Windows) or Preferences > Aliases (Mac). Assign a short trigger like “m2dA3” for a favorite Make2D setup.
  • Bind macros to custom toolbar buttons for one-click access (Tools > Toolbar Layout > edit button macro).
• Verify and troubleshoot with confidence
  • When results differ, scan the log for toggles you may have changed (e.g., Join=Yes/No, DeleteInput=No, Loose=Yes).
  • Keep “recipes” of winning settings by copying lines from Command History into your project notes or documentation.
• Batch and automate from text
  • Collect repeated steps into a plain-text file (one command per line, include options) and run with ReadCommandFile for fast, consistent playback.
  • Great for repetitive exports, standard view setups, or routine mesh checks before 3D printing.
• Power-user mouse behavior
  • In Options > Mouse, set Right Mouse Button click to “Repeat last command” and RMB press-and-hold to open the context menu. Tune the time threshold for your workflow.

Pro tip workflow:

• Run a command interactively until the result is perfect.
• Open CommandHistory, copy the exact line(s) with options.
• Convert to a macro with ! and Pause where appropriate, then save as an alias or toolbar button.
• Repeat reliably on new geometry with zero guesswork.

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