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Rhino 8 plug-ins available in the ARCH computer labs

Rhino 8 plug-ins available in the ARCH computer labs

Owned by Andrew Molloy
Last updated: Jun 24, 2025

These plug-ins are already installed in the labs:

  • ClimateStudio

  • Enscape (enable the Enscape toolbar by clicking Options > Toolbar Layout, then select the first Enscape toolbar)

  • Kangaroo

  • Karamba3D

  • Therm

  • Twinmotion

  • Umi (enable Umi toolbars by clicking Options > Toolbar Layout, then select the two Umi toolbars)

  • V-Ray (click Render > Current Renderer > V-Ray to enable)

These plugins can be added using the packagemanager command:

See this page for installation instructions.

  • Caribou (Elk)

  • Crane

  • Dragonfly3D

  • Heron

  • Human

  • Keyshot

  • Lumion Livesync

  • Lunchbox

  • Ngon

  • PanelingTools

  • Parakeet

  • SectionTools

  • treeFrog

  • Weaverbird

These plugins are not pre-installed in the labs, but can be installed manually:

Click each name below to see specific installation steps. Note that as you move from computer to computer you will need to reinstall the plugins each time.


  1. Start Rhino, open Grasshopper.

  2. Drag and drop the file 'installer.gh' on the Grasshopper window. The file can be found in G:\Student Resources\Software\Rhino Plug-ins\Ladybug Honeybee Dragonfly\.

  3. You should see a two-step process appear.

  4. Double click on the word False under Step 1. 





  5. Wait while the step completes. It may look like nothing is happening OR the Grasshopper window may disappear... but after about 60 -90 seconds Grasshopper will reappear and the toggle will change to True, and you will see new output in the text box to the right.


  6. Repeat this process under Step 2 by double clicking on the word False.





  7. Again, be patient as it may take more than a minute for it to complete and it will look like nothing is happening. The toggle will then change to True and you'll see an "Installation Successful!" popup window:




    And new output to the right:


  8. Restart Rhino and Grasshopper. Look on the Grasshopper toolbar and you should see new tabs for HB-Radiance, Honeybee, Ladybug, Dragonfly and HB-Energy.

  9. Honeybee normally requires further installation of OpenStudio and Radiance, but these are already installed on the lab computers.

  1. Start Rhino, open Grasshopper.

  2. In Grasshopper, click File > Special Folders > Components Folder.

  3. This will open the hidden folder C:\Users\[your username]\AppData\Roaming\Grasshopper\Libraries\.

  4. Copy the folder named Octopus 0.4 into the Libraries folder. You can find the Octopus folder at G:\Student Resources\Software\Rhino Plug-ins\Octopus 0.4\.

  5. Important: After copying you must 'unblock' each of the four files inside the Octopus 0.4 folder, unless you don't see the Unblock checkbox.

    1. Right click each file > Properties.

    2. Click the 'Unblock' box and click Apply.

  6. Restart Rhino and Grasshopper. Look on the Grasshopper toolbar and you should see Octopus.

  1. Start Rhino, open Grasshopper.

  2. In Grasshopper, click File > Special Folders > Components Folder.

  3. This will open the hidden folder C:\Users\[your username]\AppData\Roaming\Grasshopper\Libraries\.

  4. Copy the file rabbit.gha into the Libraries folder. You can find the rabbit file in G:\Student Resources\Software\Rhino Plug-ins\.

  5. Restart Rhino and Grasshopper. Look on the Grasshopper toolbar and you should see Rabbit.