🌌 Wickerson Studios Plugin Guide Loading and Using .gha Assemblies in Grasshopper for Rhino3D “Geometry thinks. Philosophy moves. Physics sings.” 🏛️ INTRODUCTION Wickerson Studios is a leading-edge creative lab producing algorithmic geometry, philosophical design metaphors, and theoretical physics simulations for Rhino3D + Grasshopper. Founded by Michael Wickerson, this initiative transforms high-concept thought—from Einstein and Susskind to Plato and Socrates—into interactive 3D geometry, visual philosophy, and educational design tools. Each .gha component from Wickerson Studios is meticulously handcrafted in Visual Studio 2022 using C# and rooted in a unique fusion of: 📐 Theoretical Physics 🧠 Contemporary Philosophy 🎼 Music, Art, and Complex Math 🧬 Quantum Geometry & AI-based Patterning 🛠️ Practical Parametric Design Tools Whether you're exploring quantum multiverses, designing with modal metaphysics, or animating conscious spacetime, Wickerson Studios offers unmatched poetic functionality for computational designers, educators, and artists. 🌐 Explore more at wickersonstudios.com 🧩 What is a .gha file? A .gha file is a compiled plugin assembly written for Grasshopper—Rhino’s visual scripting language. These files are just like .dll libraries but are specifically designed to expose custom parametric components to the Grasshopper UI. 🔧 GENERAL INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS ✅ Requirements: Rhino 7 or Rhino 8 Grasshopper (comes bundled with Rhino) Visual Studio 2022 .NET Framework 4.8 (ensure compatibility with Rhino) 📦 STEP 1: COMPILE YOUR .gha FILE Open Visual Studio 2022 Create a new project: Template: Class Library (.NET Framework) Target: .NET Framework 4.8 Add References: RhinoCommon.dll (from Rhino installation) Grasshopper.dll (from Grasshopper installation) (Optional) System.Drawing for custom icon graphics Write or paste your Grasshopper component code (e.g., SocratesQuantumVerseX1.cs) Confirm the component has: A unique namespace and class name A valid and unique ComponentGuid Build the solution (Menu → Build → Build Solution) Locate your compiled .dll in: bash Copy Edit /bin/Release/YourComponent.dll Rename the file extension: Copy Edit YourComponent.dll → YourComponent.gha 📁 STEP 2: INSTALL INTO GRASSHOPPER Copy your .gha file into: makefile Copy Edit C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Roaming\Grasshopper\Libraries\ Right-click → Properties → click Unblock if necessary. Restart Rhino and launch Grasshopper. 🧪 STEP 3: USING YOUR COMPONENT Open Grasshopper (_Grasshopper command in Rhino) Find your custom component under: makefile Copy Edit Tab: WickersonStudios Category: PhysicsPhilosophy Drag it onto the canvas. Set up your inputs using: Sliders (e.g., Time, Amplitude) Panels (e.g., Ontology, ModelName) Points, vectors, planes, text, number inputs Watch the output animate: Curves of trigonometric beauty Meshes reflecting spacetime curvature Point clouds symbolizing quantum uncertainty Text revealing metaphysical insights in real-time 🧠 ADVANCED FEATURES (Optional) Feature Description Animated Time Use a Timer or animated slider to evolve outputs dynamically Custom Icons Include a 24×24 PNG or embedded resource for UI display Philosophical Outputs Return metaphysical or poetic strings via text outputs Quantum Ontology Toggles Switch between logic systems: "platonic", "aristotelian", "quantum" Mesh Assembly Use advanced MeshFaceList logic to visualize dimensional spacetime webs 🛠️ TROUBLESHOOTING ❌ Component not appearing? Ensure .gha file is in the Libraries folder Check file isn’t blocked (right-click → Properties → Unblock) ❌ Errors in build? Make sure RhinoCommon.dll and Grasshopper.dll are properly referenced Check the .NET target is set to 4.8 ❌ GUI not updating? Add: this.ExpireSolution(true); to refresh component continuously 🔗 Resources 📘 Official Grasshopper SDK Guide 🎓 Learn theoretical physics via The Theoretical Minimum by Leonard Susskind 🌐 Download components & updates at wickersonstudios.com 🎨 AESTHETIC PHILOSOPHY “Every geometry is a form of knowledge. Every vector is a decision. Every surface, a thought. What you build is what you believe.” — Wickerson Studios Design differently. Build beautifully. Think geometrically.