Ladybug “Create Legend” Multi-Viewport Modified
(See demo video at the end)
Follow-up to the previous post, with improvements on viewport handling and rendering behavior. Again, these modifications were mainly made for my own work presentations and data visualization outputs. Just mentioning @chris here — this is more of an experimental tweak for reference.
In the original LB Create Legend component, legend generation relies on
VisualizationSetConverter.convert_legend2d() which depends on ActiveView.
This design leads to several practical limitations:
- When multiple Rhino viewports are open, the legend aligns only with the ActiveView,
often causing incorrect scaling or misalignment in other viewports. - It’s not possible to specify which viewports should display the legend.
- When a viewport is maximized or minimized, the legend does not automatically realign or resize.
- When the component is disabled, the legend remains visible on the screen.
Modification
To address these issues, this modified version introduces the following updates:
Use args.Viewport– The drawing logic now references the viewport passed throughDrawViewportWiresinstead of relying on ActiveView, ensuring correct alignment within each active display context.- Automatic Size Synchronization – The legend automatically rebuilds when a viewport changes size (e.g., maximize or minimize).
- Add
viewport_Input – Allows users to specify which viewports the legend should appear in. - Disable Handling – When the component is disabled, drawing is automatically stopped to prevent residual legends.
Implementation
This version makes no modifications to external Ladybug files (e.g., preview.py).
Instead, it extracts the essential legend-generation logic and rewrites it as an internal utility function, serving as an experimental embedded version for multi-viewport support and testing.
Original:
Modified:
Script:
# ✅ Utility function: Generate a legend sprite based on the specified viewport
def convert_legend2d_JT(legend, viewport):
"""
Convert Ladybug legend to 2D bitmap sprite using a specific viewport,
avoiding dependency on ActiveView.
"""
# LB Original: Module imports (same as original)
import System
import Rhino.Display as rd
import Rhino.Geometry as rg
from ladybug_rhino.color import color_to_color, black
try:
# ✔ Modified: Use the given viewport size instead of ActiveView
v_size = viewport.Size
vw, vh = int(v_size.Width), int(v_size.Height)
# LB Original: Generate color matrix from legend
color_mtx = legend.color_map_2d(vw, vh)
color_mtx = [[color_to_color(c) for c in row] for row in color_mtx]
# LB Original: Convert color matrix to .NET Bitmap
net_bm = System.Drawing.Bitmap(len(color_mtx[0]), len(color_mtx))
for y, row in enumerate(color_mtx):
for x, col in enumerate(row):
net_bm.SetPixel(x, y, col)
rh_bm = rd.DisplayBitmap(net_bm)
# LB Original: Calculate legend pixel dimensions
l_par = legend.legend_parameters
or_x, or_y, sh, sw, th = legend._pixel_dims_2d(vw, vh)
s_count = l_par.segment_count
s_count = s_count - 1 if l_par.continuous_legend else s_count
leg_width = sw if l_par.vertical else sw * s_count
leg_height = sh if not l_par.vertical else sh * s_count
cent_pt = rg.Point2d(or_x + leg_width / 2, or_y + leg_height / 2)
draw_sprite = (rh_bm, cent_pt, leg_width, leg_height)
# LB Original: Generate 2D text (labels + title)
_height = legend.parse_dim_2d(l_par.text_height_2d, vh)
_font = l_par.font
txt_pts = legend.segment_text_location_2d(vw, vh)
cent_txt = False if l_par.vertical else True
draw_2d_text = [
(txt, black(), rg.Point2d(loc.x, loc.y), cent_txt, _height, _font)
for txt, loc in zip(legend.segment_text, txt_pts)
]
t_pt = legend.title_location_2d(vw, vh)
draw_2d_text.insert(
0, (legend.title, black(), rg.Point2d(t_pt.x, t_pt.y), False, _height, _font)
)
# LB Original: Return sprite and 2D text
return draw_sprite, draw_2d_text
except Exception:
# ✔ Modified: Original raises an error or returns None on failure.
# Here we safely return (None, [])
return None, []
# ✅ Main class: Create Ladybug Legend (2D / 3D)
class MyComponent(component):
# ✔ Modified: Added extra state attributes to support multi-viewport and sprite caching
def __init__(self):
super(MyComponent, self).__init__()
self.draw_2d_text = None
self.draw_sprite = None
self.colored_mesh = None
self._legend_for_sprite = None # Temporarily store legend for sprite regeneration
self._vp_size_prev = (0, 0) # Record last viewport size to avoid rebuilding every frame
self.viewport = () # Default empty tuple = all viewports
# ✔ Modified: RunScript adds viewport_ parameter and reorganizes structure
def RunScript(self, _values, _base_plane_, title_, legend_par_, leg_par2d_, viewport_):
# LB Original: Component metadata
ghenv.Component.Name = "LB Create Legend"
ghenv.Component.NickName = 'CreateLegend'
ghenv.Component.Message = '1.9.0'
ghenv.Component.Category = 'Ladybug'
ghenv.Component.SubCategory = '4 :: Extra'
ghenv.Component.AdditionalHelpFromDocStrings = '0'
# LB Original: Module imports
try:
from ladybug.legend import Legend, LegendParameters
except ImportError as e:
raise ImportError('\nFailed to import ladybug:\n\t{}'.format(e))
try:
from ladybug_rhino.togeometry import to_plane
from ladybug_rhino.fromobjects import legend_objects
from ladybug_rhino.color import color_to_color
from ladybug_rhino.grasshopper import all_required_inputs
except ImportError as e:
raise ImportError('\nFailed to import ladybug_rhino:\n\t{}'.format(e))
# ✅ STEP 1: Validate inputs and build legend
# LB Original: all_required_inputs + create LegendParameters
if all_required_inputs(ghenv.Component):
legend_par_ = legend_par_.duplicate() if legend_par_ is not None else LegendParameters()
if _base_plane_:
legend_par_.base_plane = to_plane(_base_plane_)
legend_par_.title = title_
# Create Legend
# LB Original: Create legend and compute colors, labels
values = []
for val in _values:
try:
values.append(float(val))
except AttributeError:
values.extend(val.values)
legend = Legend(values, legend_par_)
colors = [color_to_color(col) for col in legend.value_colors]
label_text = legend.segment_text
# 3D / 2D mode branch
# LB Original: Branching based on leg_par2d_
if leg_par2d_ is None:
# --- 3D Mode ---
self.draw_2d_text, self.draw_sprite = None, None
rhino_objs = legend_objects(legend)
mesh, title_obj, label_objs = rhino_objs[0], rhino_objs[1], rhino_objs[2:]
else:
# --- 2D Mode ---
mesh, title_obj, label_objs = None, None, None
legend.legend_parameters.properties_2d = leg_par2d_
# ✔ Modified: Do not immediately create sprite; store legend for DVW dynamic generation
self._legend_for_sprite = legend
self.draw_2d_text = None
self.draw_sprite = None
else:
# LB Original: Reset outputs when inputs incomplete
mesh, title_obj, label_objs, label_text, colors = None, None, None, None, None
self.draw_2d_text, self.draw_sprite = None, None
# ✔ Modified: Clear viewport state
self.viewport = ()
# ✅ STEP 2: Handle viewport input
# ✔ Modified: Added viewport_ input logic to support multi-viewport filtering
if viewport_:
if isinstance(viewport_, (list, tuple)):
self.viewport = tuple(str(vp).strip() for vp in viewport_ if vp)
else:
self.viewport = (str(viewport_).strip(),)
else:
self.viewport = ()
# ✅ STEP 3: Update state
# LB Original: Save mesh as colored_mesh and return
self.colored_mesh = mesh
return (mesh, title_obj, label_objs, label_text, colors)
# ✔ Modified: Fully rewritten DrawViewportMeshes for multi-viewport support,
# dynamic sprite generation, and scale handling
def DrawViewportMeshes(self, args):
try:
if ghenv.Component.Locked:
return
display = args.Display
# ✅ STEP 0: Dynamically rebuild sprite and text for each viewport in DVW
# ✔ Modified: Added safety check — return early if legend not available
if not self._legend_for_sprite:
return
# ✔ Modified: Compare current vs previous viewport size to avoid unnecessary rebuild
vw, vh = float(args.Viewport.Size.Width), float(args.Viewport.Size.Height)
if getattr(self, "_vp_size_prev", None) != (vw, vh):
self._vp_size_prev = (vw, vh)
try:
# ✔ Use custom convert_legend2d_JT() instead of LB internal version
d_sprite, draw_list = convert_legend2d_JT(self._legend_for_sprite, args.Viewport)
self.draw_sprite, self.draw_2d_text = [], []
# sprite
if d_sprite and len(d_sprite) == 4:
img, pt, w, h = d_sprite
self.draw_sprite.append((img, pt.X / vw, pt.Y / vh, w, h, vw, vh))
# text
for (text, color, pt, justification, size, font) in draw_list:
self.draw_2d_text.append({
"text": text,
"color": color,
"rx": pt.X / vw,
"ry": pt.Y / vh,
"justification": justification,
"size": size,
"font": font,
"ref_vh": vh
})
import System.Diagnostics
System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine(
"[JT] Sprite & Text rebuilt for viewport '{}', size=({}, {})".format(
args.Viewport.Name, int(vw), int(vh)
)
)
except Exception as e:
import System.Diagnostics
System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine("Sprite rebuild failed: {}".format(e))
# ✅ STEP 1: Check display condition
# ✔ Modified: Added multi-viewport filtering via self.viewport
if not self.viewport:
# No input → show in all viewports
allow = True
else:
# Only show in specified viewports
allow = args.Viewport.Name.lower() in [v.lower() for v in self.viewport]
# ✅ STEP 2: Perform drawing
if allow:
# LB Original: Draw 3D mesh
if self.colored_mesh is not None:
display.DrawMeshFalseColors(self.colored_mesh)
# ✔ Modified: Draw2dText now scales dynamically based on viewport ratio
if self.draw_2d_text is not None and len(self.draw_2d_text) > 0:
vw, vh = float(args.Viewport.Size.Width), float(args.Viewport.Size.Height)
# Precompute ratio to avoid repetitive division
scale_ratio = vh / float(self.draw_2d_text[0]["ref_vh"])
for entry in self.draw_2d_text:
pt_px = rg.Point2d(int(entry["rx"] * vw), int(entry["ry"] * vh))
dyn_size = int(entry["size"] * scale_ratio)
display.Draw2dText(entry["text"], entry["color"], pt_px,
entry["justification"], dyn_size, entry["font"])
# ✔ Modified: Draw sprite with proportional scaling
if self.draw_sprite is not None:
vw, vh = float(args.Viewport.Size.Width), float(args.Viewport.Size.Height)
for sprite in self.draw_sprite:
if len(sprite) == 7:
img, rx, ry, w, h, ref_w, ref_h = sprite
pt_px = rg.Point2d(int(rx * vw), int(ry * vh))
scale_factor = vw / ref_w
display.DrawSprite(img, pt_px, int(w * scale_factor), int(h * scale_factor))
else:
display.DrawSprite(*sprite)
except Exception as e:
System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show(str(e), "script error")
# LB Original: Keep get_ClippingBox definition unchanged
def get_ClippingBox(self):
return Rhino.Geometry.BoundingBox()