Inside Rhinoceros 4 (Paperback)

by Ron K.C. Cheng (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This well-designed introduction to using the latest version of Rhino bridges the gap between theoretical and software-oriented approaches to computer modeling by providing a balanced presentation of theory, concepts, and hands-on tutorials. Beginning with an overview of the Rhinoceros 4 interface, the book progresses to explore wireframe models and the construction of curves. Coverage continues with an in-depth examination of surface modeling, taking readers step-by-step through surfaces construction using Rhino. Detailed discussions are then provided on solid modeling methods, rendering, engineering drawing, and outputting to various file formats. Coverage concludes with a set of projects aimed at the application of Rhino in real world design situations.

About the Author
Ron K. C. Cheng teaches a variety of CAD and other software courses at the Industrial Center of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He helped establish a training program for CAD technologies and design engineers in the Hong Kong industrial community. He is a well established and successful author, having written both Using Autodesk Inventor R3 & now R6, as well as having revised our MDT book origanally done by Dan Banach, Maximizing Mechanical Desktop R6.

Product Details

• Paperback: 736 pages
• Publisher: OnWord Press; 3 edition (September 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1418021016
• ISBN-13: 978-1418021016
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #259,076 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very insightful book, but NOT FOR BEGINNERS, December 8, 2007

By	H3-D Technology (London, UK) - See all my reviews

McNeil, the company that produces Rhino, produce a level 1 and level 2 course for beginners and intermediate students, respectively. This book essentially covers everything that both of those original courses cover, in addition to most of the content from the instruction manual that comes with Rhino, all with (for the most part) significantly better designed examples. The author even goes into great depth as to how to use every last sub-command.

The problem is, right from the very first exercise, the author has written this book under the assumption readers have been using Rhino (or another kind of product design CAD) for at least 6 months. If I tried to use the book's first two exercises on my beginner Rhino students, they would be traumatized!

As far as the organization goes, this book feels as if the author is trying to teach you the Level 2 Rhino course first, with elements of Level 1 thrown in along the way. While he does use some fantastic abstract examples of every single process, the practical applications don't appear nearly as often as they should.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has already taken BOTH of the Level 1 and 2 standard McNeil courses. For those who know the interface enough to fearlessly experiment, it will help provide some valuable additional insight into all the existing commands they know. For anyone else, you're better off learning the basics elsewhere.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Reference manual only, April 11, 2008

By	N. Lapensee - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a ref manual, there are no (or very few) tutorials.

The instructions are very concise, but offer no explanations. Every instruction refers to the companion cd with as few printed graphic examples as they could get away with. (rating: minus 1 star) However, that does keep the book to a manageable size, instead of being one of those 5" thick "bible" guides.

Obviously this is a copy and paste of the version 3 book, as there are obselete functions outlined and files missing from the CD. (rating: minus 1.25 star)

The book physcially is a good usable size. It stays open by its self when placed on a table and opened to the middle 80% of the pages. (rating: plus 0.25 star)

The files on the CD are zipped, so you can not browse to them directly.

I would buy this again as a second Rhino book, but this is not for the Rhino uninitiated.

2.0 out of 5 stars decent book, but didn't learn much from it, February 5, 2009

By	SW guy - See all my reviews

This book was fair, but I have to say I didn't learn much from it. I think it dealt with Rhino as if it is just a way to draw 3D geometry rather than treating it as a tool to create industrial design product data. It was a bit simplistic, and avoided questions that would help you understand why you were doing things.

I read about 2/3 of the book and lost interest.