Import Text
The Import Text component is a way to let online users upload a text file that can be used as an input to the Grasshopper definition. There are two ways to import a text file using this component:
By giving a URL to the URI input parameter (possible locally in Grasshopper and in the online viewer)
By clicking on the button generated by the component, after the file is uploaded to the platform (possible only in the online viewer). The button opens a dialog allowing online users to upload their local files.
Let users set a file URL
You might want to give the possibility for users to enter a public URL where their files are stored instead of uploading local files. The Direct Text Input component can be connected to the URI input parameter as a way of dynamically changing the location/URL of the image which will be imported.
In Grasshopper, the component can only be tested using the option 1, both with public online URLs and with files stored locally (using the path of the file on the local machine).
The files must be hosted in a publicly accessible online location that allows downloading. Read more about how to store files online and use them in the ShapeDiver viewer.
Importing private files
ShapeDiver Enterprise customers are provided with a private and secure storage space that can be used to store external text files and use them with the ShapeDiver plugin. Learn more about the Enterprise plan here.
The component outputs a Text object.
Import options
Right-click on the component to open its context menu and see the two import options:
Set Maximum File Size: use this option to limit the size of files that users of the ShapeDiver model will be able to use for this input (size in bytes). By default, this input is set to 50mb. Note that this size is itself limited by the file input size limit included with your account. You can read about the limits per account type here.
Add File Formats: use this option to define which file formats are allowed as inputs for this component. By default, all possible formats are enabled.
Set at least one file format
Make sure at least one file format is checked, otherwise online users will not be able to upload their files.
Name of the file input
Once uploaded to ShapeDiver, the Import Text component will generate a button in the “Parameters” section of the model view page on the platform. Right-click on the component and give it a different nickname in order to change the label of the button on the ShapeDiver platform.
Supported file formats
The component currently supports the following file extensions:
Let us know through the forum if you need to import more image formats.
Applications
For complex product data logic that your grasshopper definitions may need, this component is ideal to be used along with the JSON components. These JSON components will allow you to access the data stored in your text file to be applied as parameters, restrictions, calculations, etc. If you have a csv format, using common Grasshopper text components will give you access to the data.