Canvas search

Grasshopper offers a search function that gives us quick access to all available components. Double-clicking on an empty space on the canvas or hitting Space opens a search box that lets us find components by keywords. Once we are familiar with the components' names, this method provides a faster flow than hunting for icons in the tabs.

After starting to type, the search dialog suggests components that match our input by scanning all components' names and nicknames. The nickname can be found (if there is any) by hovering a component (see figure below). For example, by typing ccx we can find the component Curve | Curve. After hitting Enter, the selected component is placed on the canvas.

Inputs
Curve A (A)	First curve
Curve B (B)	Second curve
Points (P)	Intersection events
Params A (tA)	Parameters on first curve
Params B (tB)	Parameters on second curve

The component **Curve | Curve** has the nickname **CCX**

Besides using the predefined nicknames, we can set a personal Component Alias which will then also be searched for. For this, we right-click the desired component in the ribbon tab and then assign a custom Component Alias.

Special shortcuts

Some components can be invoked with special shortcuts and thus, are not placed on the canvas with default values but can be preconfigured through the canvas search. For example, when we begin our query with a quotation mark, a Panelis creating and its content is set to whatever followed the quotation mark: "Hello becomes a panel with Hello.

The following shortcuts can be used within the search dialog:

Shortcut Function

"abc

Creates a Panelwith content abc.

//abc

Creates a Panelwith content abc.

<123

Creates Smaller Thanand input B is set to 123.

>123

Creates Larger Thanand input B is set to 123.

+123

Creates Additionand input B is set to 123.

-123

Creates Subtractionand input B is set to 123.

*123

Creates Multiplicationand input B is set to 123.

/123

Creates Divisionand input B is set to 123.

\123

Creates Integer Divisionand input B is set to 123.

=123

Creates Equalityand input B is set to 123.

%123

Creates Modulusand input B is set to 123.

&abc

Creates Concatenateand input B is set to abc.

Creates Explode Tree.

~abc

Creates a Scribblewith content abc.

1,2,3

Creates a Pointwith coordinates 1,2,3.

123

Creates a Number Sliderpreset to the value 123. Steps size are integers.

1.23

Creates a Number Sliderpreset to the value 1,23. Slider accuracy correlates with the decimal places.

1<5

Creates a Number Sliderwith a numeric domain from 1 to 5 and presets the value to 1. Steps size are integers.

1..5

All Number Slidershortcuts can also be written with two .. instead of <.

1.0<5

Creates a Number Sliderwith a numeric domain from 1.0 to 5.0 and presets the value to 1.0. Slider accuracy correlates with the decimal places.

1<3<5

Creates a Number Sliderwith a numeric domain from 1 to 5 and presets the value to 3. Steps size are integers.

1.0<3<5

Creates a Number Sliderwith a numeric domain from 1.0 to 5.0 and presets the value to 3.0. Slider accuracy correlates with the decimal places.

Even though input B can be set directly on some components, it’s highly recommended to not use this shortcut, but to assign the value later with another component. Internally set values are much harder to debug later and thus compromise the readability of our algorithm. Nevertheless, the shortcut still creates the desired component even if no value is provided.

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Special shortcuts

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Glossary

Keyboard and mouse shortcuts